minimum bend diameters have been established for the different bar sizes and for the various types of hooks. These bending details are shown in figure 7-11. You can use many different types of bends. The one you select depends on where you are to place the rods. For example, there are bends on heavy beam and girder bars, bends for reinforcement of vertical columns at or near floor levels, bends for stirrups and column ties, bends for slab reinforcement, and bends for bars or wire for column spiral reinforcement. To save yourself some time and extra work, try to make all bends of one kind at one time instead of remeasuring and resetting the templates on your bending block for different bends.

Figure 7-11. - Standard hook details

The Iron master Portable Hydraulic Rod Bender and Shear

The Ironmaster portable hydraulic rod bender and shear (fig. 7-12) can cold-work reinforcing bars into various shapes for use in concrete construction work. The machine is capable of working reinforcing bars up to and including No. 11 bars, which is equivalent in a cross-sectional area to 1 1/4-inch (31.75 mm)- square or 1 1/2-inch (38.1 mm)-round bar.

In addition to all sizes of reinforcing bars, the Ironmaster will also work bars of higher carbon content desired in the fabrication of anchor bolts, and so forth. However, limitations must be imposed when considering bar of 1-inch (25.4 mm) diameter or greater that have a carbon content of greater than 0.18 percent, such as SAE 1020 cold-finished steel. Bars under 1 inch (25.4 mm) in diameter should have a carbon content of no greater than 0.37 percent, such as SAE 1040 C. F. steel.

Although the Ironmaster is powered to work steels of heavier sections than 1 1/2-inch (38.1 mm) reinforcing bar, the manufacturer must place safety limitations on it when considering various alloys and shapes of steel. Users will undoubtedly adapt this versatile machine to perform work other than common bar bending, such as bending flats and angles. However, the primary intention of the manufacturer was to produce a machine for bending concrete reinforcing steel. The manufacturer recommends that the Ironmaster not be used on steels heavier than 1 1/4-inch (31.75 mm)-square or 1 1/2-inch (38.1 mm)-round reinforcing bar.

Figure 7-12. - Ironmaster portable hydraulic bender and shear.