Author Topic: Making snap rings  (Read 4206 times)

Offline Joules

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Making snap rings
« on: April 01, 2016, 05:05:46 PM »
Hi guys,  I have a job coming up where I need to make snap rings to a pretty close tolerance.  I normally make rings by winding wire then cutting off the coil.  This time I am thinking, is there a better way, should I make a sizing tool.  Ultimately the quantity required could run to a couple of hundred, but over a long period of time.

The desired material is stainless tig wire (1.6mm) my inside dimension will be 16mm.  I am making my own as I can't find any off the shelf items and the size could get tweeked as the project progresses.  Open to ideas and suggestions.
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Offline DavidA

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Re: Making snap rings
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2016, 05:40:22 PM »
Wind a long coil on a former then slit the coil down it's length with a grinder.

That's more or less how they make circlips.

Dave.

Offline sparky961

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Re: Making snap rings
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2016, 05:45:17 PM »
Just an idea off the top of my head, but could you make a set of mini rollers, like those used to bend sheet metal?  except with some grooves to guide it straight.  You may need to tweak the idea a bit to get the ends to follow the curve too.

No idea if it would work.  I think your method of making them from a coil is actually pretty good.  I'm filing that one away for later.

Have you seen some of those insanely fast CNC wire forming machines on YouTube?  They literally spit out parts like this.

Offline chipenter

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Re: Making snap rings
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2016, 02:17:43 AM »
You could mod a mini pipe bender , make an anvill to suit at least they will be flat .
Jeff