Using Rebar
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 489
Likes: 1
From: Upstate NY
Using Rebar
With winter approaching in the north, I have been thinking up some custom mods for my bike, and I want to make them out of rebar. However, I have heard that rebar isnt the best building material outside of its designed use in concrete. Mainly, it can be brittle and break because its all the leftover scrap steel fused together.
I have a cool design for a sissy bar in my head, and I figure that would be fine using standard rebar. But I also was thinking about some custom made handlebars and forward controls.
Does anyone know if I would be OK with using standard steel rebar? If not I could order some Stainless rebar but that can be pricey but according to the below thread(if you read the whole thing) is much better of a material to use(I live about an 1 1/2 from Niagra Falls and am in that area every so often, so getting my ahnds on some SS stuff is no problem).
http://www.harley-davidsonforums.com...andlebars.html
I would also be welding this stuff together - is there anything I need to know about welding Stainless? Thanks to all the much smarter people out there.
I have a cool design for a sissy bar in my head, and I figure that would be fine using standard rebar. But I also was thinking about some custom made handlebars and forward controls.
Does anyone know if I would be OK with using standard steel rebar? If not I could order some Stainless rebar but that can be pricey but according to the below thread(if you read the whole thing) is much better of a material to use(I live about an 1 1/2 from Niagra Falls and am in that area every so often, so getting my ahnds on some SS stuff is no problem).
http://www.harley-davidsonforums.com...andlebars.html
I would also be welding this stuff together - is there anything I need to know about welding Stainless? Thanks to all the much smarter people out there.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,904
Likes: 8
From: Indiana
With winter approaching in the north, I have been thinking up some custom mods for my bike, and I want to make them out of rebar. However, I have heard that rebar isnt the best building material outside of its designed use in concrete. Mainly, it can be brittle and break because its all the leftover scrap steel fused together.
I have a cool design for a sissy bar in my head, and I figure that would be fine using standard rebar. But I also was thinking about some custom made handlebars and forward controls.
Does anyone know if I would be OK with using standard steel rebar? If not I could order some Stainless rebar but that can be pricey but according to the below thread(if you read the whole thing) is much better of a material to use(I live about an 1 1/2 from Niagra Falls and am in that area every so often, so getting my ahnds on some SS stuff is no problem).
http://www.harley-davidsonforums.com...andlebars.html
I would also be welding this stuff together - is there anything I need to know about welding Stainless? Thanks to all the much smarter people out there.
I have a cool design for a sissy bar in my head, and I figure that would be fine using standard rebar. But I also was thinking about some custom made handlebars and forward controls.
Does anyone know if I would be OK with using standard steel rebar? If not I could order some Stainless rebar but that can be pricey but according to the below thread(if you read the whole thing) is much better of a material to use(I live about an 1 1/2 from Niagra Falls and am in that area every so often, so getting my ahnds on some SS stuff is no problem).
http://www.harley-davidsonforums.com...andlebars.html
I would also be welding this stuff together - is there anything I need to know about welding Stainless? Thanks to all the much smarter people out there.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
When my dad built the garage at my childhood home, he cross stacked the cinder blocks, then filled them with concrete and inserted rebar in each hole. My sister's friend was driving like an idiot and hit the garage wall at the door. The car was banged all to crap (hit it at about thirty!) but other than the splintered wooden frame of the garage door, the garage was undamaged! Did not even crack the blocks, which surprised me.
Rebar can be made into a nice looking piece. I have seen a bobber with a steel rebar sissybar and pegs, looked good. It takes a certain look of the bike to pull it off though.
Rebar can be made into a nice looking piece. I have seen a bobber with a steel rebar sissybar and pegs, looked good. It takes a certain look of the bike to pull it off though.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 304
Likes: 2
From: Oklahoma City
If you want to go a little beyond rebar check out www.kingmetals.com They have some twisted steel rod and some other cool stuff in 5/4 ''stock.
JonMon
JonMon
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 489
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From: Upstate NY
Rebar is not brittle. I work on a hot steel rolling mill and we roll rebar. If it was brittle, it wouldn't make it through the mill. We also do bend tests on it after rolling to make sure it isn't brittle. Also, think about it, all the buildings and bridges that have rebar in them, do you want it to be brittle? There are many sizes of rebar from #3 (.375") to #18 (2.257"), if your not sure of what size you want, the internet will tell you the sizes. Used to roll stainless at one of my other mills, higher quality steel, no doubt. If your going to powder coat the steel, regular rebar would be fine. I am not a welder, but I think you'll need special rod to weld the stainless.
What do you guys think of the added weight in the bars? How noticable you think that will be?
I have been meaning to learn to weld, so why not practice on some rebar. Should be cheap enough.
Last edited by thoner7; Sep 20, 2011 at 08:07 AM.
If you can already weld, learning to weld rebar wouldn't be bad, its welding it to dissimilar metals that gets a little different. You wouldn't need to weld it to make pegs, and I don't know that bars would be good as you'd have to do make the grips work and you'd have some HEAVY dangerously handling bars.
A simple way to break down the rebar number system is: #1= 1/8", #5= 5/8", #7= 7/8" etc.
I wouldn't use rebar for any of it, but that's because there are materials that have far superior properties for fabrication uses. If it is the look you want, then I hope you get what you're after with it.
A simple way to break down the rebar number system is: #1= 1/8", #5= 5/8", #7= 7/8" etc.
I wouldn't use rebar for any of it, but that's because there are materials that have far superior properties for fabrication uses. If it is the look you want, then I hope you get what you're after with it.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,904
Likes: 8
From: Indiana
I was a bit suprised to read on the other forum that so many people thought the rebar was not strong enough, sounds like you may know a bit more than them. You think I would be safe using it for handlebars and maybe foot controls too?
What do you guys think of the added weight in the bars? How noticable you think that will be?
I have been meaning to learn to weld, so why not practice on some rebar. Should be cheap enough.
What do you guys think of the added weight in the bars? How noticable you think that will be?
I have been meaning to learn to weld, so why not practice on some rebar. Should be cheap enough.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 489
Likes: 1
From: Upstate NY
If you can already weld, learning to weld rebar wouldn't be bad, its welding it to dissimilar metals that gets a little different. You wouldn't need to weld it to make pegs, and I don't know that bars would be good as you'd have to do make the grips work and you'd have some HEAVY dangerously handling bars.
A simple way to break down the rebar number system is: #1= 1/8", #5= 5/8", #7= 7/8" etc.
I wouldn't use rebar for any of it, but that's because there are materials that have far superior properties for fabrication uses. If it is the look you want, then I hope you get what you're after with it.
A simple way to break down the rebar number system is: #1= 1/8", #5= 5/8", #7= 7/8" etc.
I wouldn't use rebar for any of it, but that's because there are materials that have far superior properties for fabrication uses. If it is the look you want, then I hope you get what you're after with it.
Anyone know the OD of handlesbars at the grips?
