Mark it a zero Donny..........................A pictorial guide on how to turn a simple project, into a complicated one ;)

[Runs With Scissors]

After watching The Big Lebowski, I reasoned that he had a safe, most likely, and that he would need a way to conveniently store his pistol.

Also I have "a friend" that could use some of these, but is a tight a$$, and does not want to spend the money for them.

"He" also wanted them in stainless steel instead of carbon steel and asked me if I could make some for "him" as "he" has a 'few" pistols to store.

It should be a good "press brake" project and since I just put the "air over" jack on it, I am dying to use it.

Off to the online metal supplier we go....................

After pricing out the cost of 3/16 rod from them, (and then picking my jaw up off the floor), I ordered "him" some 3/16" x 36" TIG rod that I had used in the past for "another guy".

I take some measurements off a previous attempt, but I say to myself that I want to make it "look better" than my first attempt.

I dislike the "Mickey Mouse" looking bends, for the part that grabs the shelf on my first iteration.

(Also note that I cleaned my tool box a little)

For those that would like to make them, here are my measurements for the bends. The last bend is subject to your shelf thickness so it's a little subjective.

Well off to the press we go.......

"For the first time anywhere....Meet my new "air over" press!!!!!!! YAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!

First bend goes great....exactly as planned.

But there is "trouble brewing in Denmark" for the second bend.

Damn it.......the short piece is gonna hit the press......

 

[johnjk]

I like that bending attachment for the press. Need to look in to that. For those wanting to use carbon steel vs stainless, you can take the end you will use to slide in to the barrel and get some plasti-dip. Dip, dry and it should prevent any rust between the hanger and the barrel as well as hold up nicely to any oils.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Well, I have a little sh!tty "home-made" brake that I made years ago, and it looks like it will work for this task....but it's in the "basement shop"......My fat a$$ does not like going "up and down" stairs, but it is a reality that I have to deal with.

So down the stairs it is, to finish bending it.

Works perfect....Note that I purposely "over bend " it a little, to allow for some "sagging", when the load is on it.

Now get your fat a$$ back up the stairs........

Now I gotta "keep it straight" so I try just holding a square up to it as a guide, but quickly find out that I need '3 hands", so I need/decide to use a magnetic 90 degree tool

Looks good so far.

Now get your fat a$$ back down those stairs.......Ugggggghhhh

I am liking the results.....

 

[Runs With Scissors]

In the back of my mind, I am just not liking this "cardio workout" I am getting.

I do realize that I could just make all the bends in the garage press, then carry them down stairs and make the "little' brake bends, then go back up stairs, then one more trip downstairs to finish them......

Or I could just use the 'little brake" to make them all in order to avoid all that unnecessary energy expenditure...........

Just then, BAM.......out of the corner of my eye, I spot IT!!!!!!!

Sitting on the ground is a long, long, long time ago Failure........I cant remember what I even made this for, but is was some sort of "leveling foot" for something......I have been tripping over it for a good 20+ years....

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I am thinking that if I can make the leveling foot "fit into" a piece of square tubing, I could make 2 bends at one time and avoid all that "cardio BS".

A little work with the grinder and there she sits.

Now it's off to the mill to "notch" it out, to allow for the tig rod when I press it down.

but as you can see the nut is welded on "cock-eyed" (mostly because it was never designed for this)

So in order to be able to make 2 "notches" that line up perfectly by using the "x" (?) axis of the table, I need to get a little creative to hold the vice in place.

Now do the other side.

Fits "like a glove"

Lining it up for the first bend is problematic.

It wants to "jump around" a little, so the first test press gets "away from me a little" and gets "slightly stuck"

 

[JimDeL]

...you can take the end you will use to slide in to the barrel and get some plasti-dip. Dip, dry and it should prevent any rust between the hanger and the barrel as well as hold up nicely to any oils.

Heat-shrink tubing would also work quite well.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

With a little "finaggling" I get what I call "acceptable first results", but I do see that the top of the piece is hitting the press, putting an unwanted "kink" in the piece.

But I am digging the nice 90 degree bends for sure!

I reason that some a "longer distance" between the press and the piece should take care of that "kinking" problem and that slightly deeper "holding cuts" will/should help with initial alignment of the piece to prevent gettting a "cock-eyed" start.

So it's back to the mill.

I carefully line it up, and start to mill a deeper cut......

Then BAM......WTF?????? The piece jumps out and "_acks up" the top a little

After a "light tirade of cursing", I find out that bottom of the piece had a series of "booger welds" that are not letting it clamp properly, so out with the grinder.

Now she sits a little deeper so the "male piece" fits in about 1/8 inch to help get it started.

Off to the scrap pile to find an extension.

I had to lower the table a little too.

Not having 3 hands, I "rig up" a little help using some painters tapes. (man I hate using that stuff cause it's so damn expensive....but sometime you just "gotta do, what you gotta do")

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Well here are are boys........I am liking the final results and it works pretty good.

I like the concept, but the bends seem a little too wide, so I have to "squinch them" down with my hand a little to make sure they "grab the shelf" when "my friend" grabs a pistol and pulls it off.

I will see what it looks like "in real life" and decide if I am going to make the "press die" (?) a little narrower.

luckily "my friend" stopped by and he had something to test it with.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

gee, and here I am thinking a $2 'peg board' hook would have worked. Mind you ,I'd miss spending 2-3 dayze in the shop bodging a bender.........

hope you compensated for the heatshink diameter.....

 

[GeoHorn]

I hate the idea of steel inside the bore of a firearm.

Heatshrink is one solution.

I wonder if a brass rod wouldn’t be kinder.

I do something many folks abhor …. I store them in lined-holsters on belts. (but they’re dry and despite decades of such storage…no rust or other damage.

 

[Trimley]

All that time, all that effort, the cost of materials, wasted effort IMO. Been there, done did it. I long since gave up on the thoughts of any "metal" rods.

I enjoy your persistence @Runs With Scissors

 

[D2Cat]

Might bend the long end that's on the shelf just a bit on the far end just enough to put a "burr" bent down to grab the shelf. Just a point with a grinder.

 

[jaxs]

Uncle Rube would be mighty proud of you.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

gee, and here I am thinking a $2 'peg board' hook would have worked. Mind you ,I'd miss spending 2-3 dayze in the shop bodging a bender.........

hope you compensated for the heatshink diameter.....

These are for hanging off the pre-installed shelf, so no holes for the "peg board hook".

.22's are a little tight, but other than that, no problems with diameter.

I hate the idea of steel inside the bore of a firearm.

Heatshrink is one solution.

I wonder if a brass rod wouldn’t be kinder.

I do something many folks abhor …. I store them in lined-holsters on belts. (but they’re dry and despite decades of such storage…no rust or other damage.

I agree with 'Naked steel" inside the bores but heat-shrink works well.

"My friend" also uses the pockets on the door, but uses Rig_Rag grease for those ones. Never had a problem yet.

I enjoy your persistence @Runs With Scissors

Might bend the long end that's on the shelf just a bit on the far end just enough to put a "burr" bent down to grab the shelf. Just a point with a grinder.

Good idea. "he" might try that if it is necessary.

Uncle Rube would be mighty proud of you.

 

[Yooper]

We might be related. You have my condolences!

 

[Trimley]

Suggesting a hardwood board would work. Figure clearance needed below shelf, to center-bore, add 1/4". Mark/Draw a line end2end. Figure clearances between pistols, mark board accordingly. Drill holes (drillpress) to a set depth, drillbit 1/16" smaller than rod, cut rod to lengths, pound in holes. Mount board under shelf. Screw from top-down. With RWS safe, should be able to get 20-25 pistols hung.

Fiberglass rod is a better bet. If fiberglass rod is used, drill holes closer to rod size to avoid fracturing the ends when "tapped" gently into the holes.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Only a married man could find joy in such an endeavor. The honest retort of " I am busy" sent up the basement stairs is priceless. Solitude, guns, " creating" ..... I get it. Happy Holidays everyone!

 

[GrizBota]

You’re a good friend to your “friend”. Solving the problem of filled door pockets in a unique manner. Not that I’d know anything of the sort. Terrible boating accident sometime back.

 

[Jsjac]

I like the under shelf hangers. I use the ones that hang on the back of the shelf.

I also use some plate racks

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Nice dedicated project. Stainless barrel rods for hand cannon safe storage.

I kinda like the bolt on magnets to the bottom of the shelf. Not so good for the exotics or revolvers, but good for most others. Even the plastic gats all have metal slides. Except maybe the FN 5 7.