Putting A Bend On A Curve Sheet Steel

Showing how i bend steel plate without using a brake.

Putting a bend on a curve sheet steel.

I ll be bending the metal using a jig just like the one in this ible i m a big fan of atomic zombie s builds. The tighter the radius the bigger the opposing forces become bringing up the concept of minimal radius. Showing how i bend steel plate without using a brake. Except i like curved lines once in a while.

The average hack requires at least one angled metal part and the best tool to make one is still the good ol press brake. Somewhere in between lies the neutral axis which is a line in the steel that is neither compressed nor stretched. Before attempting to make your bend you ll need to measure and mark the place where you want to make your bend on your sheet metal. If your sheet metal is long ask a friend to stabilize the part hanging out from the form blocks so it doesn t affect the bend.

This way you won t need to be concerned about making an unwanted mark. Here s how you can bend your sheet metal like a pro. Use a dry erase marker to make the mark. Step 1 measure and marking your sheet metal.

If your bend radius needs to be adjusted a member of engineering design services team will contact you before your design is manufactured. Bend metal without expensive tools. The bend radius you select may not be available if the geometry of the part will not allow us to bend with the specific tooling required to achieve that radius. With the weak area in place one person grabs the long end and gently starts toward the bend while the other person stands on the 2 x 6 holding the corrugated tin roofing in place.

When steel plate is bent the inside surface of the bend is compressed and the outside surface of the bend is stretched. It s important that the person doing the bending maintain equal tension across the bend and not to move too quickly. Next put your wooden or metal form blocks in the vice and clamp your sheet of metal between the forms. To bend sheet metal in a vice start by marking a line on the metal where you want to bend it.