Metal Bending tool

Victor

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Hello, Does anyone know if there is a post on "how to build a simple and effective metal bending device. The metal I will be bending is approx. 1/8th X 1 inch wide steel or aluminum up to 360 degrees, or something like an ornamental bender... Any suggestions? I would like to make one and have an idea, however, if anyone knows how to make one, or would it be cheaper to buy a commercial one??? Thanks so much, Victor
 
Victor,
Are you wanting to make rings of steel and aluminum, make right angle bends or something in between? If you would give us a idea of what you want your bends to look like, it would be easier to help.

Randy
 
Many Thanks Randy,

What is am trying to make is something that would resemble a planter type hook. Something that would have a U shape bend, maybe a 1-2 inch radius with the upper front or rather the beginning side of the...... U to curl over slightly over on itself. And the
other side of the U the ending side (?) of this to extend up more then the beginning side. Let me try and find a picture that would show this better then I can explain. Yes, here is a picture I found and I am sending along as an attachment. This particular shows that it is twisted too, but I do not need it twisted.

Thanks so much for your help on this Randy.
Victor

Hook picture.jpg
 
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Great, this is perfect Bill. Thanks so much...
Victor
 
I have one of the Harbor Freight benders, I find it quite useful. I've bent 3/16" x 1 1/2" flat bar and 1/2" round without any problems. It's not a tool that's easy to use until you figure out all the set ups. Be prepared to throw some material away learning how to use it.
 
I have a HF bender and it works good for me. I built my own on the same principle first to twice the capacity of a HF but traded it for some other tooling and bought the HF to replace it. I've bent 5/8" round in a 90* with the square attachment already. My first bender was made of 1/2" x 2" flat stock with about 4" inside dimension and approx. 10" clearance and was built using my 20 ton press that the bender is mounted to. :)

shop tools 004.jpg
 
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I agree with buying the HF bender. At 49 bucks it can't be beat. I have bent over 100,000 parts on mine. I found that getting longer pins and doing the bending on top of the frame is best. You can see what you are doing and get the bent parts out easier...Bob

shep hoook1.jpg hanger2.jpg
 
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Victor,
What you show in your photo was forged, probably a blacksmith. It was heated red hot and formed using simple blacksmith tools, such as a hammer, an anvil and a simple bending jig.

You are going to have a hard time making such with aluminum. Aluminum is hard to cold work and is not typically shaped using black smithing techniques.

Randy
 
author=Mayhem link=topic=2695.msg22340#msg22340 date=1313574424
Out of curiosity, what does the HF one weigh?

Prob 15 or 20 lbs with the supplied dies for the bench model. The floor one prob is 25-30 lbs...Bob
 
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I cannot recall where I found these but they will be of help to you.

[attachurl=1]
[attachurl=2]

Thank you Simon!
I've been looking for these plans for about 6 months.

Uglydog
 
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