How to motorize your Bead Roller for under $40

[@melgross]

Most of the bending force is right at the end of the throat, where the top and bottom portions begin, on the inside end. By the time you’re at the halfway point out on the throat, the metal isn’t bending significantly. So the most effective reinforcement extends to about a third of the way out. So short, thick tubing, about 8” long, would be more effective. I used 2”x2”x1/4” thick tubes for the vertical and horizontal supports. I beveled the end of the horizontal tubes where they touch the vertical tube piece for greater depth penetration of the welds. I welded that frame together before welding it to the roller plate so I could weld the back of the frame parts as well, and ground that down flat. That strengthened it without using the plate for all of the bend resistance. It’s not criticism, but it seems that no one doing this realizes how the stress is aligned, so everyone just assumes the plates bend like a fishing rod, when they mostly bend where the cut in the plate ends.

[@carlwhite8225]

I tried to make my own pedal and no luck, bought a cheap HF foot pedal and worked great, I used a gear motor I scored at Bargain hunt and made 25mm to 5/8 coupler. Tomorrow i steal your reinforcement Idea, thanks

[@jonathonwilliams93]

Picked up a bead roller from the 70s for £80, now I can motorise it. Thanks mate! Awesome video!

[@tonyj2216]

I've seen a couple of motor additions to a bead roller on KZbin. I have to say that I think your conversion is the best. Great job!

[@craigmonteforte1478]

I really enjoyed Your modification and video on motorizing. The bead roller And look foward to watching your other videos on metal fabrication I'm actually. A retired Woodworker. Who. Has a new interest in. Learning more about Doing my own metal fabbing but it poses a whole new set of challenges for me because in my 40s i suffered a traumatic brain injury that resulted some paralysis in my left arm and hand so motorizing Tools is a way to go for me Especially on the cheap

[@MrMcbuck48]

Best video on this yet.

[@RatRodBobBuilds]

I've got the same bead roller .... cool idea. Gonna do a future upgrade on mine too but I want mine SLOOOWW. May have to do a double reduction gear set .. so gonna be needing two old bikes!

[@BackyardClunkers77]

put a chain tensioner on it, & a forward/ reverse switch somewhere near the top within arms reach. i noticed you reach down towards the foot pedal for making it go into reverse. if your son had a bmx bike kicking around, then there's probably a skateboard you can use the board's wheel (s) as a great chain tensioner.

[@1armedguy4]

Musti 1 just put a motor on his bead roller, he had the same problem. He used a motor out of a handicap chair, works quite well. 🇨🇦

[@jamesstone4730]

you can also go to e-bay. get a high torque motor 12dc volt. about 5 rpm. a 110ac volt to 12dc volt converter. I am happy. takes a lot of time at 5rpm but you will not be rushed. a foot petal can be installed.

[@AA-69]

I looked at motors, but they need electricity !!! So i got myself a second hand philipno outside walmart at night,... She's great, also makes tea and great fried rice... Unfortunately i don't like fried rice in my tea, but we're working on it !!! 👍😘

[@martinsteele3259]

Awesome pretty simple way of adding a motor to a bead roller! I was just thinking about a drill as a motor for this purpose. Thanks for the How To!

[@theoriginalwallace]

Great video, bud! I strengthened mine with 2" wide 1/4" thick flat bar along the top, curved around the throat & along the bottom. Worked real well! I'll be motorizing mine now!! Cheers. Leigh in snowy Scotland.

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

theoriginalwallace make sure the drill has a lot of torque or it will just smoke!!

[@theoriginalwallace]

@@BrokeBastardGarage Sure will, dude! Got a scrap bike out back, so good there! Cheers. Leigh.

[@allergictoasphalt11]

good idea to use a drill. looks like it could use a little more gear seems kinda fast.

[@gerardorubio3612]

Great video. How about using a foot pedal from a sewing machine. I used an old tig welding machine foot pedal on my 4inch grinder with a flex shaft to do porting on 2stroke cylinders and rotary engine housings. Thanks for sharing.

[@danmoreton1788]

Nice work. That 1/4" die grinder from HF certainly has all the power you need!

[@Mikefngarage]

good idea. the sprockets being bicycle would work well even if they are welded in a little crooked

[@davelewis2174]

classic American innovation, keep up the good work!!!

[@punkinsgarageandpaint8299]

Managed to take a hole link out of chain and put a half link that's if you don't have much adjustment.great job as always.

[@PaulsGarage]

Bike parts and a drill, that's good thinking!

[@janeswitcher6625]

If we met, we would be friends. Dude you rock.

[@rishon1273]

Wow, man - this is so cool. You are really talented

[@sail235aeh]

Best adaptation Ive seen yet. Thanks !

[@blazej9259]

A good idea. But I used the power steering engine from Toyota has a lot of power, low revs and is very cheap. And a universal 12 / 24v speed controller. Perhaps someone could use the original driver for this engine then maybe slightly sliding the plate could activate the engine automatically.

[@BensWorkshop]

Some interesting ideas there, thanks. That said I seem to have a lot of washing machine motors about so I am likely to use one of those for the job and build my own speed controller.

[@brentcurry9698]

Just discovered your channel. I have the same truck and need to do the same kind of work you're doing here. You have a new sub. 💪🤟🏼

[@georgedennison3338]

Look on Craigs List for a free treadmill, and scavenge the DC motor, power supply and controller. I have snagged 1.5 hp to 2.5 hp motors from treadmills. The Procore treadmills have a nice motor & power supply assy, all on one HD stamped steel platform. The other brands I taken apart have had the motor and power supply divorced. Being a DC motor, you have variable speed, plus you could integrate a foot pedal speed control. Then you could speed it up, slow it down, while having two hands on your metal.

[@tommiemb]

nicely done. Two words for future motorized mods. Sewing machine. fairly cheap at yard sales foot pedal variable speed AC motor. Just throwing it out there.

[@Sean_Dennis]

you could also look at a old sewing machine. They have a foot throttle.

[@dansiliven2235]

Sewing machine motor and foot pedal worked for me, and old sewing machines are cheap.

[@RDALEHOUSTON]

thanks great video ,, i'm just saying,, change your gear you must speed up drill or it will burn up very soon ,you can look at go cart gears easy to find , thanks i may build on like your

[@Tone76602]

I compliment you for demonstrating your idea, thank you.

[@felixcat9318]

What an absolutely outstanding video! Your simple, highly efficient and inexpensive motor drive and controller is particularly brilliant. You've hugely expanded the self builders knowledge base for improving these useful devices. Thank you for this brilliant video, subscribed.

[@lindsey349]

sounds like it might be struggling to go slow enough might need to be geared a little slower, would help when trying to make corners, just a thought.

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

Lindsey Bryant agreed

[@larrysullivan6536]

Brilliant well done mate could you show me how you wired it especially the pedal to make it reverse it’s so cool well done buddy larrysullivan in London

[@slashsplat]

Good design. Well done.

[@521farmer]

Howdie awesome thanks for sharing your project with us ya made it easy to understand and workable so like ya got those parts kicking around so use them thers always a way to make it work how ya come up with your name for what ya do l,m old school and to me your knocking your self just saying that ok joined up cause what ya do l like ther been said thks again from Canada 🇨🇦 SK later keep them coming ya got my vote signed up so can enjoy what ya got for us minus 22 here in March 2024 brrr 😊

[@punkinsgarageandpaint8299]

Make the chain guard.... using the bead roller...

[@peterdavies1160]

This may be a dumb question...but - would a high-torque stepper motor connected directly to the shaft be an option? The speed controller etc could use PWM via an Pi or Arduino etc. Has anyone tried this?

[@morgansword]

Well BBG, I can relate to that and even a housewife can build it, hey they are good for something, I like your attitude so subbed and liked... good times from a 70 year sr., I think I am gonna build. You get poor enough, you build what you need and go to the fair!

[@purrosleukos253]

Thanks for the share, clear concise and easy to follow!!!!!! Man I love saving money cheers mate🍻

[@colinthompson2298]

Great job giving ideas for my bead roller . I noticed your using 18 ga are you using that in your 3 in 1 brake slip roller and if so how well does it work Thanks

[@antalog]

Nice concept and execution. Thanks for posting this.

[@theabyssgarage]

Very cleaver! I see a Trinity bag in the background!

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

jason moss yah I use to race Rc for for years

[@theabyssgarage]

Broke Bastard Garage same thing !

[@scottmiller1282]

Great idea. I use a bead roller alot. How about a rheostat in line to set the speed that you want even if the pedal is

[@scottmiller1282]

To the wood. Just a thought great job

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

I think a rheostat and a garage door opener would be great

[@j.danaclark2166]

Well, that simplifies my plans for me bead roller....

[@davidsimms2806]

One the kids cars broke. Haha I felt that!

[@joealvardo3618]

Great idea using that drill motor

[@Freetheworldnow]

By the looks of it, your gonna burn the motor in no time. A pipe threading motor would have been way more apropriate. Don't forget, you need reverse.

[@jamesball6069]

You may be right but a pipe threading motor at harbor freight is $190 this is a $20 solution. I'd say it depends upon how much bead rolling you do and whether you are a cheap so-and-so as the name of the channel suggests :))) The idea of changing the gear ratio was good but may need an even higher ratio as RDALEHOUSTON says below.

[@joechill3905]

If u add a router speed controller you could adjust the speed harbor freight has them for like $10

[@impactajuvenile]

That’s another dime bag spent, nah

[@barnyardgarage]

Good way to make it on the cheap!! Makes it much more usable 👍

[@jedclampett6466]

I know....two years late to comment.....but as a suggestion a sewing machine peddle would have probably met your needs. Good job!

[@ronwrob2819]

h/f foot control ,less than 20 bucks ,plug drill in and go also speed control

[@JeepTJay6]

I'm totally doing this. Thanks for sharing

[@WaynesGarage]

Nice work mate i'll be making something later on for mine as well as just ordered my one be in next week sometime

[@mikesimmons3876]

Mine will be here next week and then I can fab up something similar. How did yours turn out?

[@vincentsalerno8675]

Mighty fine fabricobbling

[@Morrison_Builds]

I hear that upchurch in the background

[@larrysullivan6536]

This man is the Nuts he is so clever I’ve got to do this to my bead roller love him larrysullivan in London x

[@javiergarcia---]

i just want to see your kid face when is looking for his bike

[@calaveracountycustoms2994]

Thats bad ass. Needs a chain tensioner and your golden

[@sincitysanta]

Its inspirational watching a true mad scientist at work....I applaud you, good man.

[@ryanchastain6133]

Awesome video I’m going to give it a tey

[@kurtludwig4783]

I just watched Jere Kirkpatrick.com video on his modification of bead rolling. I like the upper shaft being able to adjust

[@juanvaldespino8911]

You should a metal roller it would be cool

[@dragnflyfabricationsllc526]

Neat idea will you be adding a chain idler

[@juanvazquez-so7os]

First time I have seen your vids. Subscribed! Nice job!

[@Victorhernandez-rl6se]

Lovely tanks for share what you know

[@ozcorr909]

Great video very informative and to the point thank you

[@daddemack88r13]

I mechanized my bead roller by asking my wife to come in the shed and crank it for me. FREE OF CHARGE

[@dirtyroofer3678]

You showed up in my feed. You remind me of my buddy Rocco so I sbbed keep em coming

[@moeandco.]

Now that you’ve had time to use this, is there anything you’d change if doing it again?

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

Moe and Co. stronger motor and lower gear reduction.

[@guyforlogos]

Nice job, great idea too. Thanks for the great video.

[@georgeradford9207]

Genius ! Great tips to save money for us broke bastards.

[@davecoate9995]

Hey there, Australia here, really enjoy your videos and I always learn a lot from them. How do I get one of your Tee shirts? Cheers, Dave

[@ianpeterson1613]

Awesome work

[@DrShankenstein]

Great idea! Good job!

[@Thetastechannel]

Once again I like

[@DirtyWizardCustoms]

Nicely done dude🤘🤘

[@JeepTJay6]

Great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@guillermonieri4203]

That is awesome! Thank you.

[@watahyahknow]

was thinking on using a winch motor , problem with that is no speed controll

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

no speed control and they are normally 12volt

[@kieren7763]

I used a cheap eBay winch u plug into the outlet put a 5 step pulley on motor and a big compressor pulley on the bead roller the winch has a mount to go on a pole so u don't even need to make a mount u just slide it up and down to change speeds and tension belt the big compressor pulley is big enough to use as a handle for very fine work with the belt off also.the winch motor is about 52 rpm if i remember correctly and my reduction is about 15:1 on the smallest pulley and around 3:1 on the biggest step on the pulley hope that helps.

[@baladar1353]

@watahyahknow You can control the speed of a 12V winch motor. It's called PWM (pulse width modulation) speed controlling, it has the advantage of you have full torque the whole time, including the start. You can buy a controller, or build one, it's not that complicated. Some capacitors, resistors, small transistors, power MOSFETs, an 555 IC and a potentiometer (variable resistor), that's all you need.

[@watahyahknow]

@@baladar1353 thanks for the tip but i was thinking more of a 110 volt ac winch motor www.kippersrijssen.nl/hijsmateriaal/elektrische-takels/elektrische-takel-mw-50100kg?gclid=CjwKCAiA99vhBRBnEiwAwpk-uNMrBjU9VqWq5eawSrlyP__iy4ZtcctcUQjictVM6tpMId1S1jgk4hoCkRIQAvD_BwE probably can do sumting simulair though

[@baladar1353]

@@watahyahknow Oh, I see. AC motors can be speed controlled effectively only by changing the frequency of the AC, and that's way more difficult. I wanna change the motor in my drill press to get more power and to control the speed of the spindle, much more than small gears can do. My only chance is to put in an universal motor, and fortunately I have a washing machine that has one in it. Good luck for your project!

[@kenneth6731]

You might consider a gear reduction motor, maybe something used on a chili roaster?

[@mikek4610]

So howd the flex go? Did the square tubing fix it?

[@josbrouwers5673]

Nice great job.

[@jampunye01]

Does the steel bars stop it from flexing? Nice work anyway thank for the video

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

Rizal Muazzam Razali yah it doesn’t move

[@MC-zu4gl]

Any idea what the amperage is at the switch? Could a sewing machine pedal be wired in?

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

M C I am sure you could. They have 14 gauge widen in and out. And the drill wires are way smaller.

[@MC-zu4gl]

Broke Bastard Garage I’m going to pick one up soon and see, usually those pedals aren’t rated over 1.5a Thanks for the video

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

M C you could always use relays. They only need 7 volts do load

[@wwboydsr]

Good work man,really good video.

[@beardbuilds5140]

Bloody nice job 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼

[@Dallas-xo7gi]

drills to small. will burn out after using it a short time. You can hear it in the video.

[@spiderbrandt4066]

When do we get to see new Videos ???

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

Spider Brandt new videos posted every week.

[@RichardLWhite]

Very cool..

[@magicman_metal_fab]

Love it.

[@ipaddlemyowncanoe.7441]

You know what makes a good foot control. It's one off the sewing machine. Just saying something to think about.

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

true maybe next time

[@tonydetrick7973]

Upchurch 🤟

[@black88coupe]

Pretty cool!👍👍👍

[@SuperChromatic]

Love it!

[@paulvov6029]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Two6four]

Badass!

[@gregbowen9546]

Good idea but it looks like it's gonna be to fast to make corners.

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

Greg Bowen foot pedal is adjustable. The more you push the faster it goes.

[@gregbowen9546]

Ok it sounds like the drill motor is gonna burn up when you tried to slow it down. But for $22 bucks I guess you buy a new one when it does. I think harbor freight sells a speed adjuster for electric motors that might work for you. Hope it works for you though. Looks like a good job and a good idea.

[@gregbowen9546]

It's called a router speed control at harbor Freight and it's $20.

[@venvnco6259]

Take the crank off and put a steering wheel on. Works great it keeps you from having to reach so far away.

[@BrianW2979]

did you brace the drill so the chain stays tight?

[@BrokeBastardGarage]

Brian W yes the drill is completely bolted in the bracket

[@rick3095]

thank you