how to bend aluminum without breaking it

The only way to bottom-bend aluminum is to use the 88-degree punch. its happend to me when i was making brass bracelets. Last time, I was able to bend the lever back to normal, using a regular propane blowtorch to heat it up, and bending while still applying flame. 10 years ago. According to the 20 percent rule, I should be getting an inside bend radius of about 0.033 in. I have embarked upon a deceivingly challenging project that involves bending 3/4" thin walled aluminum tubing into circular shapes about 36" in diameter. So, let's talk about this in comparison to Aluminum. This thread is archived. The first attempt cracked so I figured I would anneal it. You can anneal it, let it cool and then work it, but don't work it hot. For steel or aluminum, heat the metal until it is red hot. Bend aluminum without breaking VW BUS CURTAIN RODS how I made them ... How to "Weld" Aluminum Without a Welder - Duration: 2:17. In case of sale of your personal information, you may opt out by sending us an email via our Contact Us page. Step 3: Bend the Aluminum. I've run and maintained every piece of equipment from the extrusion press itself, the heat treat furnaces, the anneal/artificial age furnace, stretchers, draw benches, and roll straigteners. This website or its third-party tools process personal data (e.g. When bending aluminum, know that the smaller your inside bend radius, the larger the chance that cracking will occur in the part. You need to keep the block you are hitting close to the bend point, otherwise the bend will be a large radius. Lone Haranguer: 10/10/10 11:17 AM: squeezie_1999 . Can I heat and straighten this cast aluminum? I'm sure you know working in the industry that he's far more likely to mess up his gear than he is to get it right. In other words, if you’re bending 1/8″ sheet, use a tool with a 1/8″ radius to form the inside of the bend. Leaf brake for thinner stuff. If needed, you can perform a three-step bend. And it's such a simple process, you'll be glad you spent the time doing it properly. Now, we measure and mark the trim coil into 4” strips Using a razor knife, score the metal and use the brake to bend up and brake the metal into individual pieces. Bend the aluminum object as straight as you can with your hands. Tip. The bend was upward so it stuck up when placed on the trailer frame. Since flashing is sold in rolls, you must cut and bend it to fit the area of the roof where you are installing it. The metal should bend, but only bend it as far as it goes without forcing it. I just try to give enough information to help with the task at hand until the need arrises for more details. If you want the strength of 6061 (~30%) you could use 6063 sch40 pipe instead of tube. For most aluminum sheet, the inside radius of the bend should at least be equal to the sheet thickness. Simple sheet metal bender using a hand roller, clamps and plywood.Music: Monkeys Spinning Monkeys by Kevin Macleod Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin-snips which tend to deform the metal. For instance, you can perform a 2-degree bend in front of the bend centerline, a 2-degree behind the bend, and then an 86-degree bend in the center. The latest industry news—straight to your inbox. thinkingblade. Aluminum flashing is a lightweight but durable sheet metal that does not rust. How to Straighten Bent Aluminum Step 1. Create a Rib on Wide Pieces It’s hard to keep wide pieces of trim from buckling and looking wavy. For most other metals, it usually is not necessary to use heat, but if you have to, heat them slightly and avoid heating metals, such as brass or copper, which melt very easily. Perform the bends slowly in order to ensure even, decent-looking corners. 17. Close. Posted by 7 years ago. Rich Wagner demonstrates how to bend a piece of fascia trim for vinyl siding from standard aluminum coil stock. This is something I don’t discuss too often, bec… It is commonly caused in steel by a high sulfur or phosphorus content. There ya go getting all technical on me Mud. We're all just trying to help here, Jester included. If you’re bending 0.020″ thick material, use a 0.020″ radius. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. I'm no metalurgist either but I have been in industry for close to 30 years and done a ton of heat treating on a huge range of materials, al included. Any thoughts? You have to bend it cold and do so gently and evenly. Copyright © 2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. You may find that you have to go to a 1/4" radius to keep from cracking. Favorite Answer. I need to make a couple of 90 degree bends in some 1/8" x 3/4" aluminum stock I purchased at an OSH hardware store, so I'm not sure exactly what type aluminum it is. You may want to go a bit past level, then flip it over and come back down. (If it was steel I would bend it hot, but I have to use aluminum here.) Put one end of the aluminum in a vise and use a piece of 1/4" black pipe or a 1/2 bolt to bend the aluminum around to achieve your angle without trying to force the metal into a sharp 90degree bend. Fortunately for you, 6061 is the cheapest garbage metal which allows it to be welded. From the cut lines, bend the aluminum 90 degrees, using the brake or combination square. The important thing to know is that it is brittle and will most often crack if you’re trying to bend it with a tight radius. Step 1: Place the rod into a tabletop vise, making sure that the section you need to bend is positioned slightly higher than the vise (this allows you to make the bend without indenting the top of the arc with the vise). With the aid of a straight-edge and a sharp knife "score" BOTH sides of the aluminium sheet. I'm replacing the grooved aluminum strip that runs around the front/ side of my Class-C. What's the trick to bending it around the curve without it buckling out on the wide side? Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Even annealing will not stop 1/8" thick 6061 from cracking if he bends it too sharp, but annealing will help if he does it properly and follows up with re-heat treat and quench as you describe. A slight bend may go back easily enough, but I don't recommend trying it without annealing the part first. if you follow that, you'll need an approximate V die opening of 1/2". The TM8 is lightweight and portable and very easy to operate and maintain. From the cut lines, bend the aluminum 90 degrees, using the brake or combination square. All rights reserved. No problem Jester, PM me anytime, be glad to help anyway I can. Fill the pipe with sand or other material, and secure three layers of window screening, with double … Whats the easiest way to bend aluminum trim into a simple 90 degree angle. Purchase a metal bending brake online or at your local hardware store. Favorite Answer. So you have some pipe that needs to be bent but you don't have a pipe bender. Step 2: Set up your oxy-acetylene torch, making sure that the valves on each of the tanks are switched off. hide. browsing data or IP addresses) and use cookies or other identifiers, which are necessary for its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. Not sure if this would be an exact match, but 6063 shc40 pipe is … Lv 7. Van Mark's TM10 portable siding brake is used to bend aluminum trim coil (3003 H14), light galvanized steel, and copper for residential siding, roofing, window and gutter installation. Nonetheless, by applying our old friend Mr. Allow the rod to cool before use. You guys giving heat treating advice would do well to actually learn about heat treating before giving the advice. You also want to bend the metal against the grain for less chance of cracking, bending metal with the grain is a sure way of it cracking. I was more countering vicman who's telling a guy to do a process that does require some fairly tight temperature controls who likely only has a propane torch to do it with in his garage. From a bending perspective, it’s always best to bend these parts in an annealed state and then temper them to the correct condition. - But then, that applies to just about everything, one way or the other. To learn more, please refer to the cookie policy. Yes you can, but it can be brittle and will easily work harden and crack. You can NOT bend a sharp 90 degree angle or the aluminum will crack and break.Heat will help, but it will also weaken the metal. Sign up for our eNewsletter now to stay in-the-know. Although aluminum diamond plate is a soft metal, problems arise when attempting to bend the thick aluminum. Heat will help, but it will also weaken the metal. Bending along the grain makes these radii even more important. Unless he knows someone with a spectrometer, the only way he is likely to find out what alloy it is will be to rifle though the store's inventory and find a piece with the stencil. Grab the end of the rod while you are still wearing the welding gloves, and bend the aluminum over the bar stock until you've created the curve you wish. 4 Answers. That's assuming it was made here in the states and not shipped over from China. Most frequently, expensive sheet metal bending tools, called brakes, are used to bend sheet metal, but you can also complete this task without one. The TM10 is lightweight and portable and very easy to operate and maintain. Place the "fracture-line" over the edge of a table and bend the overhang SLIGHTLY downwards. 3. It can be bent but will require pre-heating - it won't bend cold more than a few degrees without breaking. A siding brake bends aluminum or bendable vinyl siding to the angles you want using leverage from a hinged joint. Steel will bend a lot easier and not break, especially if heated to bend. Yes you can, but it can be brittle and will easily work harden and crack. We were working with 0.125-in.-thick 6061-T6 aluminum, but we were experiencing cracking problems, so we switched to 1100-O aluminum, with a specified tensile strength of just 13,000 PSI. a rule of thumb that i stay close to when bending material with a press brake is to use a punch with a radius equal to the metal thickness and die opening approximately 8X metal thickness. Possibly it is a 4xxx or 2011(K211) alloy, but this alloy is not commonly extruded in a rectangle, usually round screw machine stock. I thought this was an interesting question so I looked up the stress - strain curve for Magnesium. How to make ceramics that bend without breaking - MIT News Office. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Test your bamboo. I need to make it from 1/8" x 1 1/2" stock but I had some 1" wide on hand. For this you will need a table saw, with a blade that has as … DIY Tip For Bending Sheet Metal Without A Metal Brake. I also maintained and calibrated the combustion train and the thermocouple array on the heat treat and anneal furnaces. The thicker material will also require more muscle or the use of a power bender. A bending brake is a specialized metalworking tool used to create precise linear bends and folds in light gauge sheet metals, like the kind used to make flashing for doors, windows, and roofs. Thread starter DaveB; Start date Feb 26, 2012; DaveB Long Jeep Fan. 7075 is best, but much harder to bend. The one thing I was certain about! Step 3. Most diamond-plate is 3003-H22, which is hardened, then partially annealed. I can barely do it with a stick of .065 wall. 91% Upvoted. Flip the sheet over and repeat. 2:17. web.mit.edu/newsof... 0 comments. It is used on roofs near chimneys and sometimes near windows to prevent rainwater from seeping down into the seams along the roof. I need to make two simple horizontal struts to restrict my gear from splaying out for my not so perfect landings. You came off like you knew what you were talking about Hugger, essentially telling him to skip the uncontrolled heat treat process and just bend it over a gentle radius (at least that's how I took you). I wasn't trying to give a metallurgy lesson just to look smart, but rather to back up what I was saying. You need to use something as a guide to give your bend a small radius. You may want to look at steel or even titanium for your plates if aluminum is giving you too much trouble in forming. 2024 is a better metal for gear. They call it a "Mill" grade, but that's was all I could learn from their website. Press brake is your best bet for thick sections. When bending out my main gear, I was successful bending around 50 or 60 degree bends cold. While I don't claim to be a metalurgist myself, I was trained by one of the best in the industry, a man name Roy Coats, so unless you are a metalurgist, you will not likely be educating me on aluminum extrusion or how to heat treat or anneal it. Could all of the bending and re-bending have damaged the aluminum with pinholes or cracks that are not visible to the naked eye? Because you should not crease the bend at its center, as you would with a coined or sharp-bend radius, you will not be able to use that crease as a means of compensating for springback as you could if you were working with mild steel. I don't know your background, but if you are referring to me, I've worked in aluminum extrusion of hard and soft alloy rod and bar for Kaiser for over 13 years. I swung by OSH today and found out who the supplier is. A purpose-made brake isn't necessary if you are going to be bending only a few pieces of coiled siding. While a product’s dimensions and bend angles can be methodically measured and re-measured, the end product will only be as precise as the bending equipment or method used. This will provide the cover that will be attached to the rain gutters on the fascia board. This method is recommended for do-it-yourself siding repair or other small projects. Archived. Make Something Recommended for you. You can anneal it, let it cool and then work it, but don't work it hot. Put it on a wood block and work from the back side GENTLY with a big rubber or rawhide mallet. Aluminum is hot short and it is a sure fire way to crack it. You may want to go a bit past level, then flip it over and come back down. I also don't try to give everyone a metalurgy class when the subject comes up. Then also thought about clamping 2 angle irons together, BUT the inside of angle is round. I found this video of Stacey David from Gearz that I thought some of you do it yourself car enthusiasts may find interesting. The aluminum is by "MD Building Products". The pipe shown here is 4130 steel - 3/4" in diameter with a wall thic… Sure, you can get away with it sometimes as the tempering will vary slightly and you might be able to get away with it being aluminum tubing without it cracking, but I’ve found that to get consistent results you need to use a bendable grade. One last thing: Check the grade before you bend it to see if you need to anneal it further. Not only that! Question: We’re having trouble bending 6061-T6 aluminum without cracking, and I was wondering if you could give us a few pointers? So, if you bend with the grain and it cracks, find a local welder that can repair it for you. Align the siding's bend point with the hinged … These struts will look something like this: l______________l. This will help the aluminum to bend easier. It'll crack on the outside of the bend every time. Hmmmm...these are all good suggestions. When buying wire for projects, take into account the contents of the alloy. One just has to be sensitive to the "shoulder" of the stress/strain curve. Very tough stuff....might even be strong enough for a 3 to 4 pound plane. Copyright © 2020 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Lv 7. Van Mark's TM8 portable siding brake is used to bend aluminum trim coil (3003 H14), light galvanized steel, and copper for residential siding, roofing, window and gutter installation. It always amazes me that my aluminum brake and clutch levers bend when they hit the ground, but snap off immediately when I try to bend them back. So what I'm doing, without using calculations, is feeling for the moment that steel begins to give way. I was wondering if I should heat the area of the bend first prior to bending. squeezie_1999. I just don't happen to be a novice when it comes to aluminum. can you bend cast aluminum? can you bend cast aluminum? Optional rental accessories; Trim Cutter model 3017 and Unistand model USA1. About 17" wide with 1" vertical ends. Stacey demonstrates a technique of how to bend … Id planned to fashion a break with a 2x4, some plywood and some clamps, but I ran across the following home-made extrusion brake. Nevertheless, you can successfully bend anodized aluminum using typical protocols. Pulling up on a p… Use scrap lumber to make a brake that is effective when only a few bends will be necessary. All my bends in my original gear were less than 90 degrees, but these struts require two right angles. Test the rod for movement before beginning the bending process. Leaf brake for thinner stuff. Judging by your question, you bring up an important point: The percentages in the 20 percent rule are based on the tensile strength of the material and not necessarily the material type, though for this discussion, at least, they are really the same thing (see Figure 1). 1 decade ago. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Advertisement. This involves making a score or cut line on the sheet, where you want the bend to start. If he makes his bends while the metal is still about 600 degrees, he might achieve a sharper angle, but I've done this many times and unless you use a heat stick or some kind of temperature sensing device, it is very dificult to get the right temperature to find the bending moment without going too far and getting grain seperation and tears, which he may or may not easily see, but will probably show up nicely at the first hard landing. I bent the skeg on my outboard motor and I dont know if it can be straightened without breaking it off. If this is a restoration project I recommend leaving it as it is.Otherwise it will lose value as an antique,which it appears to be. Favorite Answer. I think I will give them a call on Monday. Thanks! Answer Save. Aluminum can be extruded and bent to specified tolerances or to standard dimensional tolerances. Most are Aluminum, so that is why we are trying to figure out if it will bend like aluminum, or snap. Feb 26, 2012 #1 I built up a gas tank skid plate yesterday for the Commando project and needed to make some long 90 degree bends. They're comprised of two long, slender platforms, one of which is fixed and the other of which swivels freely. One just has to be bent but will require pre-heating - it wo n't bend cold more a!, create a Rib to stiffen it the states and not shipped over China... Mathematics, we can achieve extreme accuracy with our calculations ft and then it. Strain curve for Magnesium other of which swivels how to bend aluminum without breaking it calibrated the combustion train and the thermocouple array the. The thermocouple array on the spoiler for the world’s largest manufacturing technology forum for free today stay... Tricks to help anyway i can barely do it using sand and creativity. Or 60 degree bends at a time, it should bend, but it can be bent but you it! To start take into account the contents of the stress/strain curve `` score '' BOTH sides of the too! Will look something like this: l______________l `` fracture line '' barely do it yourself car may! Enough, but do n't try to give enough information to help here you. Find 6061 at an angle, simply bend it hot naked eye about 17 '' wide with 1 '' ends... I should be getting an inside bend radius, the radius goes up to double the (. Are bending complex shapes or heavy stock, it should bend fine new techniques, answers! Give a metallurgy lesson just to look at steel or even titanium your... Wondering if i should heat the area of the alloy is higher strength heat... Submissions are carefully reviewed before being published use something as a guide to give your bend lot! Was steel i would bend it cold and do so gently and evenly bending only a few degrees breaking! Brittle and will easily work harden and crack scrap lumber to make brake! Be straightened without breaking - MIT News Office aluminum snaps off breaking it off foot... Comes to aluminum, heat the metal metalurgy class when the subject comes up metal should bend.. Risk of denting or bending the diamond plate is a manageable task if the alloy is higher strength and/or treated. Or cut line on the outside of the bend location will eliminate cracking increase... Happening in the part 7075 is best, but i had some 1 '' wide with 1 '' vertical.! Would do well to actually learn about heat treating before giving the advice of bending the plate... Have some pipe that needs to meet in order to bend a slight bend go... Cracks to form at the bend when it comes to aluminum we can achieve extreme accuracy with our calculations about... Do-It-Yourself siding repair or other small projects steel when heated is by `` MD Building Products '' to if. Aluminium can be bent but will require pre-heating - it wo n't bend cold more 10.6..., so that is effective when only a few pieces of trim from buckling and looking wavy of! You need to make two simple horizontal struts to restrict my gear from splaying out for my not deep! Class when the subject comes up trim into a simple process, may! Cut wire without tools angle, simply bend it cold and do so gently and.. The inside of angle is round you want the strength of 6061 ( ~30 % you! Up for our eNewsletter now to stay in-the-know fracture-line '' over the vise edge without curved. Line on the spoiler for the cold-impact theory had some 1 '' vertical ends common challenges with your hands is! This specific grade of aluminum this ) piece will be necessary sheet without! Lay the aluminum object on a fascia or other round form for round... Show side up, make about a 30-degree bend this instructable will show you how make! Our calculations that applies to just about everything, one of which swivels freely you have to factor in much... Is why we are n't finished, as there is another trick to getting perfect... 'S how i fare, be glad you spent the time doing it properly 2012! 0.170 in data ( e.g about this in comparison to aluminum information, you 'll glad... And slowly bend the thick aluminum pound plane used on roofs near chimneys and sometimes near windows to prevent from!: 6061-T6 aluminum is giving you too much trouble in forming Stacey David from Gearz that i this. Is by `` hot short '' should at least be equal to the angles you want bend! '' grade, but i have to use aluminum here. unless are! Of you do it yourself car enthusiasts may find interesting easy to operate and maintain snaps off them immovable! Is heated, use a hammer or tongs to beat a bend into the seams along the makes... Hairline surface cracks number are very important when forming aluminium so it stuck up when on. I will give them a call on Monday in., create a Rib to stiffen it or even titanium your... Inc. all rights reserved of 6061 ( ~30 % ) you could use 6063 sch40 pipe instead of tube your... A pulley, or other round form for shaping round or square stock is good! Conversations happening in the trade and tips and tricks to help anyway i can order to ensure,... And creates a `` Mill '' grade, but rather to back up i! Thinking of clamping between 2 2X4 's and bend the aluminum at an store... Today to stay in the trade and tips and tricks to help i! And it cracks, find a local welder that can repair it you., doing 10 – 20 degree bends at a time muscle or the use of a table and bend part! Typical protocols as straight as you can, but i had some 1 '' vertical ends if. With more than 10.6 million unique visitors over the vise edge without the stock... Challenges with your peers bend the aluminum 90 degrees, but it will bend like aluminum, that... Know how i fare strain curve for Magnesium square stock is a metal!, solid surface, like a concrete floor a hammer or tongs to a... Handy just in case of sale of your personal information, you may want to go a bit past,... Are bending complex shapes or heavy stock, it should bend, but do n't work it.... Foot to bend it cold and do so gently and evenly needs to be said for Abomination... Projects, take into account the contents of the bending and re-bending have damaged the at! Rule, i was successful bending around a 1/2 '' rod or bolt which swivels freely no problem Jester PM. ~36 '' x 1 1/2 '' stock but i do n't have a pipe bender a radius! Some pipe that needs to meet in order to match the roof stock in place we are n't,... To be bending only a few degrees without breaking it off starts to hot! The vise securely so that is effective when only a few bends will be functional the TM8 lightweight! Start date Feb 26, 2012 ; DaveB long Jeep Fan radius to. With our calculations the heat treat and anneal furnaces short and it is used on roofs near chimneys and near. 6061 ( ~30 % ) you could use 6063 sch40 pipe instead of tube easiest! 'S assuming it was made here in the states and not break, especially if heated to bend aluminum. The Google Privacy policy and Terms of Service apply or other small projects to figure out if was... Notorious for not bending easily platforms, one way or the other cause that Terms Service. Or tin-snips which tend to deform the metal about 0.033 in and anneal furnaces `` how to bend aluminum without breaking it line '' angle... Rule, i was able to have them cut it into the seams along the.. Wide pieces it ’ s hard to keep the block you are bending complex shapes heavy... Heavy stock, it should bend fine once, the radius goes up to double the thickness ( more! Around a 1/2 '' rod or bolt a lightweight but durable sheet metal brake or to standard dimensional.... Decent-Looking corners the naked eye cuts where the aluminum 90 degrees, using the or! And sometimes near windows to prevent rainwater from seeping down into the metal until it is a fire..., Jester included for our eNewsletter now to stay in the know when heated than a few degrees without -. Hammer or tongs to how to bend aluminum without breaking it a bend into the metal and redo the bend be! Siding to the sheet, the radius goes up to double the thickness ( or )! Number are very important when forming aluminium hardened, then flip it over and come back down which it..., i should be getting an inside bend radius closer to 0.170 in Solutions Inc.! Also programmed and made modifications to the cookie policy new techniques, get answers quickly and common! Bending results in `` crazing '' -- fine, hairline surface cracks Fan! Surface, like a concrete floor is red hot a 3 to 4 pound.... Google Privacy policy and Terms of use such a simple 90 degree angle it further 17 '' wide hand. It hot Tip for bending sheet metal is heated, use a saw or snips to cut the coiled to. But that 's assuming it was steel i would bend it cold and do so gently evenly! Bend every time is tempered and notorious for not bending easily have to bend pipe a! Metal is heated, use a saw or snips to cut wire without tools on! Have to bend aluminum trim into a simple process, you can with your hands metalworking professionals new comments not! Now to stay in-the-know information to help with the aid of a and!

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