Sheet Metal Tools

[PILOON]

MadReferee

Thanks for that link!

Looks like a great site from what little I saw.

I am an ex aircraft sheetmetal guy so it is full of what I didn't know and always wanted to! LOL

Also very similar to TBN format, which I like.
Guess I'll spend a lot of time there.

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the pictures. I always said a picture is worth a thousand words /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Many years ago I made a hinge forming die to make some rather crude hinges. It consisted of a steel block with a hole through it, and a slot tangent to the hole, that was the same size as the thickness of the hinge material. I clamped the hinge material between two thicker pieces of stock and then pressed that material into the die to create the loop. I guess thats as clear as mud /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Anyway it worked OK for what I was trying to accomplish /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif The only drawback that you would face with that kind of arrangement, is that you would need to put the final bend in the wire after that particular operation!

Hope this helps!

scotty

Paul,
One more thing, you can also file a slight chamfer on the back side of the material you are bending prior to putting it into that die, to obtain a tighter wrap on your loop.

 

[pajoube]

Would be doing around 200 in the first run. After that I really don't know.
PJ

 

[pajoube]

Right now it is two clamps in the vise and manual pull to make the bends. It may be the best way based on cost.
PJ

 

[JaySilber]

You might try the crimping tool for making wire cages. They have premade pieces of sheet metal that fit in the tool and it wraps around both pieces of hardware cloth or welded wire. Used for traps, rabbit cages, chicken cages, etc.

 

[pajoube]

Thats a very good idea - will try that this coming weekend.
Thanks
PJ

 

[Birdhunter1]

Scott's got a good idea going, take a drill bit the size of your wire (was it 3/16") and drill a hoel through a steel block. Cut you block in half with the cut centered on the hole and see if you can make a die that will crimp them tighter on the wire and make it look more uniform.

It shouldn't be that hard to just bend that flap of shetmetal with a piar of linmen's pliers or handseamers.