Trying to figure out an old shop made bender

[pebbleworm]

I have a shop made metal bender of some kind and I need some help in figuring out how to use it- pictures are up at:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/g ... 20thereof/
It looks like the platform of a di-acro bender, but the table with the pins rotates, and there does not seem to be a clamp or a handle. What is throwing me off is that the pin plate spins around the central shaft and there is no provision for a handle. Various mandrels could fit over the central pivot, and a handle/clamp could just fit into some of the dowel pin holes? The bottom plate looks like it would mount in a vise. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!
One suggestion I've had was that the "vise mount" would actually be chucked in a lathe, but that still leaves the pin plate spinning free.

 

[gahux]

I've seen on of these before. It was used to make the spiral ends for ornamental iron work. A flat steel bar with 2 hole length wise near the end fit over the 2 pins side by side near the outside. A pin a little further in fit against the side of the steel bar handle giving it additional suppoort. I piece of bar ~3/4" wide had its end inserted in the fixed slot with the fixture clamped in a vise. The handle moves the movable disk in an arc and the pins placed at different intervals create the required ornamental end. Does this seem reasonable for the size and construction?

 

[pebbleworm]

Thanks! I'd thought the pair of pins could be a handle mount, but they are removable like the rest of them. It's about 8" in diameter and the plates are about 1" thick.

 

[Sweeper]

Thanks! I'd thought the pair of pins could be a handle mount, but they are removable like the rest of them. It's about 8" in diameter and the plates are about 1" thick.

This is a truely universal bender. It has no handle, but a bar/handle can be inserted between two pins at a convenient point to turn the plate. A better handle would be a bar with a couple holes to fit over two pins.
Neat tool. Nice find.
I have a Diacro and while I don't use it often, when I do, I'm amazed at the accuracy that can be achieved. I built 150' of fencing that required very accurate bends (only a machinist/engineer could be so anal) and I couldn't have done it without the Diacro.

 

[pebbleworm]

Thanks for the information! That was the incentive I needed to clean the thing up, shoot on a coat of paint and carefully go over various bender manuals. Here's how I think it works;
A shop made radius die is locked into the central slot- I'm picturing a giant washer with a cross piece pinned in place to fit the slot.
The dead end of the workpiece is wedged against the radius die with a convenient pin
Set another pin outside the workpiece to push it against the form/to shape as the plate is rotated with a handle. I'm using a bolt cutter handle that conveniently fits over two pins
At least I think it will work that way. I'll try a few bends very soon.