Bending Stainless

[AndyP]

Need to make another few of these (left one) for one of this sites welders to tig up for me. Been struggling a bit this time to get the 40x3 walls to bend to the right radius (75mm to make a 150 wide pot) and was looking for a few pointers.

Thanks in advance
Andy

 

[Hitch]

What are you using? A roller or former... whats the difficulty ?

 

[AndyP]

What are you using? A roller or former... whats the difficulty ?

I was using a 40mm thick former identical to the base and a couple of pins to try and fine tune it but was making an **** of the job

 

[Hitch]

Ah, what you want is a former smaller than the size you want... a piece of tube, im guessing, about 120mm diameter, to allow for some spring back.

As you are bending by hand, if its an option, leave one end of the flat over length and cut back after. You will need to do it in one smooth movement ideally, and keep it pulled in tight with one hand while pulling it around with the other. And finish off by taking just past 180degs.

If its only a few, it could easily be fine tuned with a soft mallet. either between two blocks, of over a single block.

 

[AndyP]

Gonna take them over to Tig Paul tomorrow and let a professional do 'em

 

[Paul.]

Well I can see why you struggled to bend them by hand, that is one very springy piece of stainless, Its cut from sheet along the grain by the feel of it, a flypress tool soon sorted it though, with a final tweak in the bending horns.
Anyway here's the first 2,

 

[weldingscotty803]

looks good paul. what they for then?

 

[Paul.]

Top secret, Andy might say, its his job.

 

[AndyP]

Top secret, Andy might say, its his job.

Looking good Paul, just as I expected them to

They are for making these

 

[weldingscotty803]

that looks like caviour (cant spell)

 

[AndyP]

that looks like caviour (cant spell)

It's lead shot