jabbahutt
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 09:43 AM |
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sheet metal bending tips
Morning all
Just about to embark on a small project that involes making several bends in a sheet of aluminium (thickness not decided yet but for example 2mm
thick)
In the past each time I've tried to make something that involves bends the finished item ends up either smaller or bigger than I wanted as I
cannot get my head round incoroprating the material needed in the bend.
So if I have a cardboard template with bend lines marked on it but the card isn't the same thickness as the final metal sheet are there any
guidelines as to whether I need to bend to the side of the line, on the line or need to add distance into my sizes to allow for bends?
last thing i want is for the finshed item to look like the template but not be the actual correct size.
Any help appreciated.
[Edited on 9/6/10 by jabbahutt]
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 10:04 AM |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqGUN2xQFV0&feature=youtube_gdata
made this last weekend
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tegwin
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 10:37 AM |
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hmm.. very nice wrist action there...  
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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flak monkey
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 10:40 AM |
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Have a google for sheet metal bend allowances and all will become clear 
David
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 11:22 AM |
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I've just googled bend allowances and good grief was confronted by tables of numbers which went completely over my head.
Would sopmeone who understand this stuff kindly explain if the material is 1.5mm thick aluminium how much more do I need to add to the length to
compensate for the bend please.
Many thanks
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Fred W B
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 11:23 AM |
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Just always work to the inside sizes, in less than 6 mm or so the material taken up in the bend (if it is reasonably sharp) is not worth worrying
about.
That is, always mark the bend on the inside surfaces so you bend on the mark, not on the other side of the materail if you see what I mean
If you are worried make up a test piece using a thin strip of the material.
Cheers
Fred W b
[Edited on 9/6/10 by Fred W B]
You can do it quickly. You can do it cheap. You can do it right. – Pick any two.
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 11:30 AM |
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So Fred if working in 1.5mm aluminium simply mark eachg bend up on the side which will end up inside the bend and that way it should turn out the
correct size?
Cheers for your time everyone
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coozer
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 11:52 AM |
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George Michael may be able to help, he's a bender.
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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Fred W B
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 12:02 PM |
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quote:
mark eachg bend up on the side which will end up inside the bend and that way it should turn out the correct size
Yes, thats it.
Cheers
Fred W B
You can do it quickly. You can do it cheap. You can do it right. – Pick any two.
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 12:24 PM |
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Just mark up a test bit and measure it.. then bend it as per the method you will use on the real thing.. Then measure again... You will then know what
you need to do...
The method of bending will effect the results so best check by experiment!! The tables a great if you have a bender... Else you might end up with more
radius on your curves and the table will not work...
Freds method will work for thin sheet, but thicker stuff it will not as one side shrinks and other side compressed..
Dan
[Edited on 9/6/10 by Bluemoon]
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 9/6/10 at 12:40 PM |
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many thanks to you all for taking the time to help me out. I don't own a bender I'm just going to use two long strips of metal and a
workmate.
So a test piece first then.
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