Bending Sheet Aluminium At Home

Metal shops have brakes mounted at different angles with automated braking arms however it is possible to bend sheet metal at home without the use of a brake.

Bending sheet aluminium at home.

Monkeys spinning monkeys by kevin macleod. Get free shipping on qualified aluminum sheet metal or buy online pick up in store today in the hardware department. Say you re bending 0 25 in thick 6061 t6 aluminum to a 100 degree external angle 80 degree internal angle. Here we can see that the blade it set at about 1 3rd of the thickness of aluminium this figure will depend on the thickness of the material to be bent.

To make this easier you d start with your 6061 material in the soft t 0 state. Here s a piece of aluminium 3mm thick it s a good idea is to practice on some scrap first. You d probably air bend by using a 3 0 in. So we have the depth set on the table saw and the lines marked on the material to bend.

With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. 0 017453 x 90 x 0 020 0 33 x 0 024 0 0438558984 inch bend allowance keep in mind that some metals are more brittle than others. Lift the clamp bar away from the rear of the brake frame and slide the sheet in perpendicularly to the direction you want to bend it. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.

If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Then place the clamp bar back down on top of the aluminum crosswise. Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. Aluminum sheet metal metal stock the home depot store finder.

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. To clamp efficiently lay your sheet metal on the top surface of your straightedge with the drawn line perfectly aligned with the outside edge of the sheet metal. Insert your aluminum sheet into the brake beneath the removable clamp bar. Die opening with a relieved profile.

Step 1 determine the angle at which you want to brake the metal and mark it on the protractor. For most applications with stainless steel or aluminum you can get away with a zero radius bend on anything under 0 050 thick. This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. Bending a brittle metal beyond its limits could cause the metal to snap and break.

Otherwise the sheet metal is almost certain to shift as you bend it resulting in a bad bend. As an example if you want to bend 24 gauge sheet metal at a 90 angle the calculation would be. Make sure the bar is seated firmly inside the frame.