[Rell]

Long story short I'm working with some coiled 3/8in stainless steel fuel line for the first time and it has proven to be quite difficult. Right now my piece of fuel line has waves in it like a bobby pin and is no where close to be being straight.

I knew about tools that straighten out fuel line but had no idea they were $200++

That is out of the question, and after looking at pictures of them a little closer the simplicity of the tool doesn't look all that hard to duplicate I would think.

I was thinking a piece of scrap steel plate or something along the lines of that. 5 wheels, not sure where I could find wheels with the slight groove in them like these tools use. Bolt 3 wheels on the bottom, then up top cut two slots vertically, bolt two wheels through the plate/slots. Untighten then tighten back up to adjust the height of the wheels up and down on the slots for whatever sized line you need to straighten. And just run the line through it back and forth. Could slap the tool in a vise to hold it for you while you run the line through it.

Anyone think this crazy idea could work?

Here are my Microsoft paint blue prints

[ProMetalShop]

Hey I think it's very doable, in fact I mad a simple tool to straighten my mig wire so I could gas weld with it. But back to yours. I would make the wheels out of a hard wood and have some one or your self if equips spin them and put a groove in them. It's on the line of a circle bender but dose the opposite. The wood is easy and you could have different sizes and find different uses for it. let me knownhownyou make out, or if y'all need to toss some ideas around. Also make sure the tube comes threw nice and straight and no twisting which will add more of a torsional twist and is harder to remove. Cheers

[Old Fool]

you can make a tool to remove coil set out of rubber casters. To groove the wheels put a caster wheel on a bolt and nut, tighten the nut down snug, then chuck in a drill and use a course round file to make a groove.

Another way is to clamp both ends of the tubing , then anchor one end to a fixed object, fasten the other end to a come-along hooked to another fixed object. Put some tension on the tubing with the come-along. Go slowly and check your progress, just enough is enough.

[delawarebill]

when i was working on a job and needed st tubing from a coil. i'd cut to length and add some... hang one end on a chain fall and the other to a heavy wt.. lift it or try and it'll straighten right out by slightly stretching it... of course not everyone has a hoist 40' up... maybe hook an end to your truck and pull with a rider mower... easy !!!!!

[Rell]

Actually found pretty much exactly what I wanted to make on another site.

Except some guy made his tube straightener out of angle iron pieces. Instead of a piece of plate steel with slots cut in it like I had imagined.

I went to two different hardware stores to find the wheel bearing 'U' grooved rollers but have came up empty handed so far. Quest continues.

I'm not sure if I can post a link to the H.A.M.B on here or not so I wont.

Here are some of the guys pics.



In action

[timothale]

Those brass colored wheels look like replacements for a sliding glass patio door, also look similar to the rollers on a 10 in commercial grade tile saw sliding table . I used 4 on a plasma cutter trolly that rolled on angle iron for straight line cuts.

[ProMetalShop]

I wonder if the pullies on a mower deck would size up ?

[Old Fool]

Originally Posted by timothale

Those brass colored wheels look like replacements for a sliding glass patio door, also look similar to the rollers on a 10 in commercial grade tile saw sliding table . I used 4 on a plasma cutter trolly that rolled on angle iron for straight line cuts.

THey sure do look like patio door rollers, good call!

http://www.glassdistributorsinc.com/...rs.htm?cat=103

[timothale]

I bought mine at Home depot or lowes for 2 or 3 dollars each, some rollers for heavy wood doors are a lot more on the web site posted.

[AutoGear]

Boy at $12 each; you better use a lot of tubing in your projects. Very cool find though

[Rell]

Originally Posted by timothale

Those brass colored wheels look like replacements for a sliding glass patio door

Bingo! That's exactly what they are. Went to a few stores and could only find small ones. I'll keep looking though.

Originally Posted by AutoGear

Boy at $12 each; you better use a lot of tubing in your projects. Very cool find though

Yeah that's a little high for each. Id probably pay $12 tops for a pair of quality ones.

Still at that price and for someone that has all other materials needed laying around like hardware, angle iron. You still come out cheaper then that $200-$290 tool that will do the same thing.

[cobalt327]

Sweet tool. You ought to submit it to the Homemade Tools section at the top of the page.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by Rell

Actually found pretty much exactly what I wanted to make on another site.

Except some guy made his tube straightener out of angle iron pieces. Instead of a piece of plate steel with slots cut in it like I had imagined.

I went to two different hardware stores to find the wheel bearing 'U' grooved rollers but have came up empty handed so far. Quest continues.

I'm not sure if I can post a link to the H.A.M.B on here or not so I wont.

Here are some of the guys pics.



In action

BEEEEE-UUUUUUU-TEEEEEEE-FULLLLL

Brian

[BlowAMouse]

Originally Posted by Rell

Bingo! That's exactly what they are. Went to a few stores and could only find small ones. I'll keep looking though.



Yeah that's a little high for each. Id probably pay $12 tops for a pair of quality ones.

Still at that price and for someone that has all other materials needed laying around like hardware, angle iron. You still come out cheaper then that $200-$290 tool that will do the same thing.

Sorry for the late call. I will be making one too and found rope pullys to be sized right. Just 2cents

[Rell]

I looked at metal rope pullys that would work perfect, but they did not have ball bearing centers.

Solid rollers will not work, unless I sandwhich the rollers like the original tool is made.