whats the best way to form a nice large radius bend in sheet alloy (roughly 20mm rad) I need to do 12 of them, all the same, and theyll be either 18" or 3ft wide sheets x 2mm. I have a sheet metal bender which will fit the 18" ones, but dont think i could make such a big bend rad with it. Would it work if i clamped the metal in the bender using a 40mm bar set right back from the hinge point? Any ideas to do the 3ft bend? Thanks

Any metal lamppost's around that you can use?

We once used one with a chain round it to pull the chassis rail straight on a Cortina

What alloy are you bending?

I used scaffold pole clamped in a Workmate





[Edited on 10/9/09 by Macbeast]

its not commercial stuff, its a really tough grade

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Originally posted by Macbeast
I used scaffold pole clamped in a Workmate

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I've got a Box & Pan folder, the rail which pushes the fold up is height adjustable. The lower you set it below the work the larger the radius of the fold, Not sure if it'll do 20mm, might take more than one go.
Do you know anyone local to you with one or a freindly fabrication place?

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Originally posted by andrew-theasby
whats the best way to form a nice large radius bend in sheet alloy (roughly 20mm rad) I need to do 12 of them, all the same, and theyll be either 18" or 3ft wide sheets x 2mm. I have a sheet metal bender which will fit the 18" ones, but dont think i could make such a big bend rad with it. Would it work if i clamped the metal in the bender using a 40mm bar set right back from the hinge point? Any ideas to do the 3ft bend? Thanks

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Heavy Duty Deep throat Swaging machine.

Can you use the scaffold method above but with two poles clamped parrallel to each other and set the right distanc apart?

Do you have cutting and welding facilities? Should be easy enough to make up some kind of pattern or jig so it's repeatable for each part.

Accurately is the problem

I think I clamped piece of angle then work, then scaffold pole together in jaws of Workmate.



dash roll 2

Was good enough for dash but maybe not for your requirement.

Normal method in engineering would be to use a brake press, with a 40mm bar on the downstroking/push bar.

thats an idea, (if thats what you meant) i could clamp a piece of angle 20mm behind the bend then rest the 40mm bar against it to get it in position accurately, but then how do you form the bend?

What sort of companys use a press brake?(in the phone book)