mr henderson
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:24 PM |
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Is this a good way of making brackets?
Does this seem like a good idea? I'm thinking especially for making one off brackets of various sizes.
I've attached a drawing of a strip viewed from the edge
[img][/img]
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Humbug
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:27 PM |
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How about just bending the strip? Seems like a lot of work to do welding
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mr henderson
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
How about just bending the strip? Seems like a lot of work to do welding
You can get a much tighter bend, and don't need a bending device. Seems to me for a one off to be more accurate too, if the slots are in the
right place, that is.
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SeaBass
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:32 PM |
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Depends. Your going to get a heat affected zone near each of the welds... Whats the application?
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BenB
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:32 PM |
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Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
Slicing, welding and grinding seems a PITA but it'd certainly leave a nice strong bracket, the weld should be at least as strong as the material
it's attached to...
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ravingfool
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:35 PM |
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seems a fair enough way of going about it, but depends on the application. Not sure I'd want to used that kind of bracket in a heavy duty
application. I'd want a solid bracket, but then I'm not an expert welder.
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mr henderson
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:40 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
Slicing, welding and grinding seems a PITA but it'd certainly leave a nice strong bracket, the weld should be at least as strong as the material
it's attached to...
I've got a metal cutting bandsaw, so cutting the slot is easy, and once the mig is set up, the welding doesn't take long. The angle
grinder is always to hand, so no problem there.
I reckon I could do these almost as quick as the hammer methd, and probably more accurately, although we would need to test that
John
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Peteff
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:48 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
When I bent mine in the vice I found that the side I had bent up got in the way when I tried to bend the other one. The easiest way was to cut the
face off square tube after it was cut into bracket widths.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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mr henderson
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 04:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
When I bent mine in the vice I found that the side I had bent up got in the way when I tried to bend the other one. The easiest way was to cut the
face off square tube after it was cut into bracket widths.
But only any good if you've got some square tube the right size. I'm not just thinking suspension brackets here
John
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smart51
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 05:04 PM |
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I made my suspension brackets with a vice and a big hammer. The bend radius was still quite large and nut very even. They are OK.
I made another bracket for something else cutting a 1.5mm deep slot into 3mm thick metal and bending using a vice and hammer. The bend is crisp and
the weld fills up the cut slots nicely. I can't comment on how the weld affects the metal, but aren't the brackets welded to the
chassis?
Make sure the slots are on the outside for easy welding.
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coozer
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 06:03 PM |
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Is it not better to just buy U channel in lengths and cut them down??
That way there's no stress in the steel from bending.
Steve
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 06:16 PM |
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Did you see this thread here the other day?? Looks a damn site quicker and easier to me.
Linky thing
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mr henderson
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 07:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coozer
Is it not better to just buy U channel in lengths and cut them down??
That way there's no stress in the steel from bending.
Steve
Well, as I said earlier, what about when you are making a bracket of a size for which you don't have any square section?
As for the stress from the bending, I can't see that being an issue with mild steel bent once. If it was being bent repeatedly it might be.
John
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mr henderson
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 07:06 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
Did you see this thread here the other day?? Looks a damn site quicker and easier to me.
Linky thing
It produces brackets with quite a big curve at the bend, as can be seen in the pictures. Obviously for that particular application it doesn't
matter but there might be situations where a tighter bend, or the technique show at the start of the thread, might be better.
John
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kb58
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 07:41 PM |
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Given the choice, I always go for the simple -lazy - solution. Anywhere possible I always use square tubing and cut off one side. Tons easier than
bending it from flat. Also, if you drill the holes before cutting off the one side, the alignment will be perfect.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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Macbeast
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 08:03 PM |
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I was making brackets the other day to support cooling pipes so not structural . Using 25 x 3 mm steel strip from Homebase I found the outside of the
90 deg bend had crystalised and fissured.
I managed to make a couple of satisfactory ones by grooving the inside of the bend and using heat from a blowtorch but I wouldn't trust them for
anything vital
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907
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 08:12 PM |
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Huh! Mine were 4mm thick stainless 
You ought'a see the size of my 'ammer
Paul G
 
Rescued attachment 000_0306-s.jpg
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Miks15
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| posted on 23/5/08 at 09:40 PM |
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just to settle it couldnt you just make one of each, get a big press and but stresses on it in different places see which one snaps first?
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TheGecko
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 12:58 AM |
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What about something like this bender. They're AU$35 so they should be cheap as
chips in the UK.
Just a thought,
Dominic
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paulf
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 08:54 AM |
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You could just make the bracket as 2 flat plates with holes in and weld them to the chassis tube using a spacer between them as a jig, i think the
main reason for using U section is convenience .
Paul.
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mr henderson
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 09:12 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by TheGecko
What about something like this bender. They're AU$35 so they should be cheap as
chips in the UK.
Just a thought,
Dominic
Great for one bend, but you would not be able to make the second bend if it was for a 'u' section bracket, unfortunately.
But for a single bend, as long as one arm was reasonably short, as it would be in a lot of locost applications, it looks good.
John
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mr henderson
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 09:16 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by paulf
You could just make the bracket as 2 flat plates with holes in and weld them to the chassis tube using a spacer between them as a jig, i think the
main reason for using U section is convenience .
Paul.
I think it also helps to ensure that the holes are in line as well, whereas the 2 flat plats would need something through the holes before welding to
hold them in the correct alignment.
This is something I've wondered about because you often see the two flat plates method use with round tube chassis where the bracket plates have
'birds' mouths' cut in the end.
Interesting stuff
John
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 09:21 AM |
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I cheated - I paid a local blacksmith to make my brackets. Bent hot, so should have no stress cracking.
Not a stupid price, IIRC - especially after I said that I wasn't in a hurry, so he could fit them into his work schedule as and when it suited
him.
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smart51
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 09:44 AM |
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If you can't get square section tube in the right size, could you get a bigger one and pack it out with washers?
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paulf
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| posted on 24/5/08 at 09:59 PM |
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It would be easy to make a jig from a bit of bar cut to width and drilled through the middle or even a stack of washers the required thickness, then
the brackets positioned either side and a bolt put through whilst welding.
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
I think it also helps to ensure that the holes are in line as well, whereas the 2 flat plats would need something through the holes before welding to
hold them in the correct alignment.
This is something I've wondered about because you often see the two flat plates method use with round tube chassis where the bracket plates have
'birds' mouths' cut in the end.
Interesting stuff
John
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