Component Lead Bender Caliper

cults3d

This is modeled after a tool I saw in an old 1960s electronic hobbyist magazine just recently, with a few slight enhancements. Component lead bending tools are nothing new around here, but this adds a level of precision to your bends. Simply position the points of the caliper in the two holes into which you will install your component, place the part in the middle of the gap on top and bend the leads around the edges. For extra precision you can install a screw in the hole on top of the slide. Then, you can tighten down the slide so it cannot move while you bend your leads. No more guessing how far apart you need to bend the legs of your resistors or any other axial leaded discrete component.