Bending Curves Sheet Metal

Using protective gloves hold the free end of the metal sheet with one hand and with the other hand use a mallet or hammer to begin bending the sheet down and around the curved radius of the wood form.

Bending curves sheet metal.

Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. Next place the wood parallel and slightly behind the bending line. Use the minimum bend dimension values in the charts below for your minimum closeness of cutout to a bend. 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.

Geometry of tooling imposes a minimum bend dimension. Clamp the wood on top of the metal to the workbench. If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one.

Bending is one of the most common sheet metal fabrication operations. The force must exceed the material s yield strength to achieve a plastic deformation. Make sure the first bend mark lines up exactly with the curve in the form so that the bending will begin in the right spot. Finally bend the sheet up by hand to the angle desired.

The average hack requires at least one angled metal part and the best tool to make one is still the good ol press brake. The diagram shows one such mechanism. Also known as press braking flanging die bending folding and edging this method is used to deform a material to an angular shape. Refer to the chart for values for folder as well as various press brake tooling combinations.

If you want a sharp 90 bend tap along the crease with a mallet. This is done through the application of force on a workpiece.