How To Bend Aluminum Sheet Metal

The inside bend radius should be equal to the thickness of the material that you re forming.

How to bend aluminum sheet metal.

In other words if you re bending 1 8 sheet use a tool with a 1 8 radius to form the inside of the bend. Mark your bend lines. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal. Now that you know your bend allowance take your protractor and draw a clear line with your marker across the point at which you will bend your sheet metal.

Simple sheet metal bender using a hand roller clamps and plywood. When you re done simply remove the piece and wipe off the bend line. General advice on aluminum. Also know that for the best results and fewer cracks on the outside of the bend the bend line should go across or diagonal to the material grain when and where possible.

Cut the section of metal out or otherwise prepare the metal to be bent by removing any burrs or sharp edges. With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. As the lever goes down the anvil will descend pressing the punch pipe into the aluminum at the bend line. You will use the protractor to gauge the brake as you bend the metal little by little.

When bending aluminum know that the smaller your inside bend radius the larger the chance that cracking will occur in the part. I used a angle of 5 degrees this is because when you bend the metal you usually want 90 degrees and when you hit 90 the metal will want to spring back a little. Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. Then use your bend allowance to draw your second bend line the intervening distance between your bend lines bend radius.

This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. When you release the handle the bent material will spring back to 90 not 85. Pull down on the lever to lower the anvil and bend the aluminum. The idea of adding an angle 5 degrees past 90 is so that you can bend past 90 to allow for the spring back.

Here s a good rule of thumb for most materials. Determine the angle at which you want to brake the metal and mark it on the protractor.