Bending Aluminium Sheet 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 aluminium sheet at home.

Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. Aluminium cuts surprisingly easy with a decent table saw especially when you use a blade designed for cutting non ferrous metals. Learn how to bend sheet metal so you can complete home and hobby projects easily without using a sheet metal brake. For this you will need a table saw with a blade that has as many carbide teeth as possible and preferably sharp.

Let s consider a challenging job. Say you re bending 0 25 in thick 6061 t6 aluminum to a 100 degree external angle 80 degree internal angle. With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. For most applications with stainless steel or aluminum you can get away with a zero radius bend on anything under 0 050 thick.

A bending brake is a specialized metalworking tool used to create precise linear bends and folds in light gauge sheet metals like the kind used to make flashing for doors windows and roofs. Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal. A brake is a device that allows you to bend a piece of sheet metal at a particular angle.

This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. You d probably air bend by using a 3 0 in. Video demonstrating a diy way of bending thin gage aluminum coil stock by making a simple roller using a soft skateboard wheel.

When working with sheet metal one particularly useful piece of equipment is the brake. 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. This involves making a score or cut line on the sheet where you want the bend to start.