I need to bend some steel strip into a gearbox mounting. The strip I have is 40mm by 3mm, and I need to put in 2 45deg bends and 2 90deg bends, all
within about 2 inches from each other. I don't have a proper strip bending tool bit but would consider buying one if I could find one that would do
this job. All the catalogues I've seen don't say how close the bends can be to achother.
The best idea I've had so far is to cut a notch in the strip maybe halfway through, make the bend (quite easy when it's notched) and then run a line
of weld where I've made the notch.
Anybody got a better idea (or a better tool catalogue)?
John
why not just weld it up from bits of the strip?
atb
steve
I did think of welding up bits of strip, but knew I would find it difficult to keep each piece from twisting slightly so that the angles became
compound ( I know I'm not explaining it properly).
I know it wouldn't really mattter but I like the stuff I do to look good if possible.
John
IMO, Clamp the strip in your least favorite bench vise and have at it with a sledge hammer. A little propane heat might help.
-Jim M.
problem is with a bench vise, its not toog ood getting angles close together on a small strip, and a benc vise dosent give nice crisp bends on 3mm
strip - from experience!
atb
steve
I've just finished making the mounting bracket in the way I outlined above, and it has worked very well. I drew the bracket first, then cut about
halfway through at the correct points. I found that strip would bend easily at the 'scores' and it wasn't necessary to clamp the entire width of the
strip. Having checked that the bracket fitted I then welded along the bends.
I tried it either way but found it better to slot the outside of the bend rather than the inside.
I realise that it would be difficult to make the 1.5mm deep slots with an ordinary hacksaw, fortunately I have a Nobex mitre saw with steel cutting
blade. Expensive but extremely accurate.
John
quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
problem is with a bench vise, its not toog ood getting angles close together on a small strip, and a benc vise dosent give nice crisp bends on 3mm strip - from experience!
atb
steve
Holy thread revival, Batman!
Anyway, the problem with the vice is, as pointed out above, when you come to do the second bend, and the body/jaws of the vice get in the way
John
I'll bet that poor fella hasn't slept for the last 6 years thinking of a solution to that. He'll have been driving around in his now
fully built 2nd car chuckling at whoever bought his 1st car as he knows there's not a decent gearbox mount there.
More discussion of the slot-bend-weld technique here
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=89722&page=1
John
quote:
Originally posted by mistergrumpy
I'll bet that poor fella hasn't slept for the last 6 years thinking of a solution to that. He'll have been driving around in his now fully built 2nd car chuckling at whoever bought his 1st car as he knows there's not a decent gearbox mount there.