Need help bending 1/4" aluminum

[LD1]

The problem with welding AL is it loses most of it's strength and will easily bend or break.

Not true

 

[ajmaxham]

Doesn't need to be super strong. T6, based on what I've read, will be more than strong enough. I completely understand that the thicker the material the larger the radius needs to be. I'm just having a heck of a time finding a machine to do what I'm after. I don't really want a huge press brake (have seen the harbor freight tool suggestion). I seen other types of bending machines for decorative steel that put a nice radius on flat stock but I haven't seen anything that can handle something 3" wide or slightly wider. One of the things I want to do with this piece of aluminum is to make my own roof rake that cuts the snow rather than something that actually "rakes" the snow off. Any of you that have dealt with all of the snow we've gotten and have had issues with snow on your roof probably know what I'm talking about. I think that I should be able to make something that's better than what's available commercially. The bender that I've seen that I think could do a good job is a spiral type bender - just need something to accommodate something wider than 1 1/4"

Google metal bender on ebay there is one that will bend up to 4'' wide.



4" Hand Operated Steel Bending Brake & Sheet Metal Form Bender with Pressing Die

Used for metal forming on mild steel up to 4" wide

I think it would bend 1/4'' aluminum OK but mine failed when bending 5/16'' x 4'' mild steel. I now have a 20 ton shop press and use a press brake.


This industrial sheet metal form bender is hand operated and used for metal forming on mild steel up to 4" wide x 5/16" thick. The form bender is a useful tool for press bending ornamental iron, mild steel, aluminum and other metals

Bending Capacity: 2.5 tons
Maximum pressing movement: 2 1/2"
Can create 90 degree bends by simply turning a hand lever until the desired angle is accomplished
Mild steel material capacities (width x thickness):
3/4" x 11/16"
2" x 7/16"
4" x 5/16"
Minimum Radius: 1/4"
Pressing Scale
Pressing die and work stop assembly included
Heavy duty solid steel construction
Overall dimensions: 17 3/8" x 10 1/8" x 5 1/2"

 

[CNC Dan]

The problem with welding AL is it loses most of it's strength and will easily bend or break.

True. But 6061 can be heat treated bach to T6 condition, so you can aneal it, bend it, and heat treat it.

There is a chart on line somewhere that gives the time/temp. curves to do it. Could be done in a kitchen oven if it would fit.

 

[DaveOmak]

I have bent aluminum.... Do NOT bend 90 degrees.... It will tear... You have to do multiple small bends of 30 to 45 degrees... 3 each 30 degree bends will not tear... on 1/4" material I suggest 30 degree bends... about 1/2-3/4" apart if that will do you.... Anneal if it does not compromise your project....

 

[LD1]

I have bent aluminum.... Do NOT bend 90 degrees.... It will tear...

You cannot make a blanket statement like that.

I think we have established that it all depends on the alloy and temper of aluminum.

Some will bend, some wont

 

[CNC Dan]

You cannot make a blanket statement like that.

I think we have established that it all depends on the alloy and temper of aluminum.

Some will bend, some wont

That's right. Just look at the top of a soda can. The edge is roled over 180°.

 

[LD1]

I think the alloy we used when I worked at the can plant was 3104. And 0.0108 thick. You could fold it in half very tightly like folding and creasing paper and it wouldn't fracture. On the other extreme, some 6061 we had for various projects, you'd be lucky to get 30,degrees before it snapped.

Cold rolled bar stock is very similar. It won't bend without heat or it will fracture.

 

[bindian]

I have bent aluminum.... Do NOT bend 90 degrees.... It will tear... You have to do multiple small bends of 30 to 45 degrees... 3 each 30 degree bends will not tear... on 1/4" material I suggest 30 degree bends... about 1/2-3/4" apart if that will do you.... Anneal if it does not compromise your project....

We used this method when we had helicopter pop out skid panel repairs that were longer than our slip roller. We bent composite bond aluminum at 1/8th inch intervals, then bonded it to the skid panel. It is very tedius bending repetative bends a few degrees every 1/8th inch for over 11 inches. But you could do it this way with 1/4 inch thick. Maybe every 1/4 inch, but the radius would be huge.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bigdeano]

You can bend 6061T6 90 deg or more if you use the proper radius for the thickness. I've done it. Google bend radius for 6061t6.

 

[bindian]

You can bend 6061T6 90 deg or more if you use the proper radius for the thickness. I've done it. Google bend radius for 6061t6.

With .250 thickness? How big was your radius?
hugs, Brandi

 

[bigdeano]

With .250 thickness? How big was your radius?
hugs, Brandi

Material was 1/2 x 3. It was over 15 years ago, but as I remember the radius was about 1.5" The piece was bent into a U shape with about 6" between the legs and there was a flat section between the 2 radii, so they couldn't have been much bigger than that, possibly 2".

 

[franklin2]

I would be really interested in just what you are making. Aluminum is a very different material than steel.

60 series aluminum dont bend well without heat. But are fairly strong.
30-series are better forming, but about 1/2 the strength
20 series and 70 series are both stronger than 60 series, but also hard to form without heat. They also cost alot more than 30 and 60 series.

I have worked with alot of 6061 and 3003 before. The 3003 is good to work with in sheet variety making bends and such. Used alot of that for guarding around moving machinery where strength wasn't really an issue. But if you get pieces of it mixed up with 6061, results wont be good, as 6061 will snap when trying to bend without heat.

And on a few occasions when strength was needed, I have used 2024 and 7075. But never bent that stuff. It was only used for making parts that had threads or something that would wear out alot faster with a softer alloy.

The type of aluminum is the most important thing to consider first. When I made small brackets and stuff for machinery, the guys in the machine shop always gave me the 30 series type if I was forming or bending it. If I grabbed a piece that I didn't know what it was, and it was the 60 series, it would not bend cold. I would not want to fool around with the heat unless I needed the strength, which I never did.

 

[bindian]

Material was 1/2 x 3. It was over 15 years ago, but as I remember the radius was about 1.5" The piece was bent into a U shape with about 6" between the legs and there was a flat section between the 2 radii, so they couldn't have been much bigger than that, possibly 2".

But what was the thickness?
hugs, Brandi

 

[Creamer]

I've bent 6061T6 AL a few times in my hydraulic press. It's not a problem if you bend it around a proper radius. I built a simple jig with 2 parallel bars welded to a heavy base piece. I can put spacer bars in to adjust the open gap, and just lay the piece to be bent across the opening.

I bent 1/8" 90 deg using a 5/8 dia shaft to push with. A friend was building a front landing gear for his homebuilt airplane. We bent 1/2 x 3 into a U shape. I think the radius in the corners was about 1". He made a jig so it could just be pushed straight down and form both corner bends at once.

The problem with welding AL is it loses most of it's strength and will easily bend or break.

This is a simple way to bend it if you are not radius critical. For the best bending use 1100 material with no previous cold working. Most aluminum you buy at a hardware store is 6061T6 - it will not bend well. Go to a metal supply house and get some T0 if 1100 is too soft for you project - preferably 3000 series.

I would start with a bend radius at least 3X your thickness but if you can go more it would be better. The other trick is to make sure your bending punch and die are both very smooth - aluminum is soft and a little roughness will mechanically bite in, localize the stress, and tear it. Don't be afraid to use a little lubricant on the punch and die - you want the aluminum to be free to move int he direction you are forcing it.

 

[PILOON]

I read lots of advice and quite a variety of grades and tempers from aviation grades to commercial.
Commercial alu is relatively soft but when you get to aircraft alloys you have a whole new world and frankly into a whole different price range. Most aviation grades will have a cladding of pure alu to be corrosion resistant.

A very basic rule of thumb (if the alu is bendable) would be radius=3 X thickness.
Th generally practice would typically to have radius bars which are simply scraps pre bent to then bend your finished piece over.
Otherwise maybe described as bend 3 pieces at the same time with the 2 inner ones being scrap and the outer your finished piece. On 1/4" stock bend it over a 1/2" rod and you should be good to go. (that's for soft material)

 

[bigdeano]

But what was the thickness?
hugs, Brandi

Thickness was 1/2"

 

[bindian]

Thickness was 1/2"

What was that part for? Thicknesses are usually called out with a decimal point. Your 1/2 inch thick would be called out in prints as .500. You using 1/2 x 3 was throwing me off.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bigdeano]

What was that part for? Thicknesses are usually called out with a decimal point. Your 1/2 inch thick would be called out in prints as .500. You using 1/2 x 3 was throwing me off.
hugs, Brandi

It was for a front landing gear on a homebuilt airplane. The wheel went in the middle, like a front wheel on a bicycle.

 

[DaveOmak]

You cannot make a blanket statement like that.

I think we have established that it all depends on the alloy and temper of aluminum.

Some will bend, some wont

That's right. Just look at the top of a soda can. The edge is roled over 180ｰ.

If you had read the thread header, the OP wanted to bend 1/4" aluminum.....

 

[CNC Dan]

If you had read the thread header, the OP wanted to bend 1/4" aluminum.....

Yes, that's right. But the 'blanket' statment did not say what thicknes, so it might be missunderstood that all aluminium of any thickness may not be bent past 90 degrees. That's what I was trying to clarify.