> > >>>Dear Al,
     > > >>>Earl's catalog has the proper tool for this, fits inside the tube and then several ball bearings expand out as
     it is
     > > rotated
     > > >>>forming a perfect radiused bead. Sizes from 3/8"-2" with walls from .035"-.065"
     > > >>>...Chrissi
     > >
     > > >>As I recall someone made one of these things. As I recall I tried it and it did
     > > >>not work very well. Perhaps the tubing was not dead soft.
     > > >>
     > > >>http://www.earlsperformance.com/html/
     > > >>
     > > >>Their web site sucks. What is the price Chrissi?
     > > >>
     > > >>Paul Lamar
     > >
     > >
     > > >Sorry Paul, I can't take responsibility for their web site =)
     > > >The price list I have is 1994 ish $49 for jobbers price on 1.5"
     > > >...Chrissi
     > >
     > > Here is a picture of the tool bill Atkins built.
     > > Does the Earl's tool look like this Chrissi?
     > >
     > > Paul Lamar

     > Yes, thats the beast, or at least very close to it.
     > Would be almost as simple to make. operates as simply as a pipe cutter; you tighten the center screw to get the ball
     bearings to
     > go outward, you turn the whole thing to run the bead, repeat till you have the bead you want. Blind guess is the
     center screw
     > has a 15-30 degree chamfer to give some finess to the incremental control of the expansion as well as a very fine
     pitch to the
     > threads.
     > If you want to do the same thing with common taps and dies to make a similar one you can load the channels up that
     have the
     > bearings in them with a series of several bearings, like links in a chain. If you put wheel bearing grease in the
     channels you
     > will not need to stake the bearings outlet holes to prevent them from coming loose.
     > ... you follow this right?
     > .....Chrissi

     I need a 3D drawing.

     Paul Lamar

All looks like I can finally do something for the group. I have a lathe, TIG, and unemployment. I would be willing to do a bit
of machining to make a few of the notcher's. Perhaps we can make a few loaners that we ship around within the group. Lets get a
design together that makes sense.

Perhaps later we can also do something about a nice tubing notcher for engine mounts and etc.

Karl

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