Bent stock?

[Kai]

Hi folks, so i received my steel order for some shelving. Delivered right to my door, great price and excellent service as always.

However. One of the "uprights" of my shelving, which i was intending using as is, is a bit bent at the end. It's angle and the last foot or so is "splayed out" by quite a bit.

Question is, is this pretty normal to receive stock with a bit of a kink in it? I haven't been doing this for long and maybe i've been lucky before?

And, with no fancy tools, whats a good way to straighten it out?

Thanks!

 

[Wendelspanswick]

It's part and parcel of purchasing steel, you tend to get bent stock in smaller orders. Smaller orders equals smaller thinner bundles on the truck. Depending on your stockist they are normally pretty good, FR POWELLS would always send out a replacement and not take back the bent length.
Usually you can arrange your cuts around the bend, leaving the bent piece in the offcuts.

 

[Kai]

Yeah normally i would just lop it off. But the steel is in 3m sections and they are the uprights for my 3m high shelving!

So i'll need to try and straighten it out. Any tips on how?

 

[grandads_shed]

depends on the thickness and size of it ,, but what about clamping it with some g-clamps against some thick box sections or some thing ??

 

[Kai]

Its 40mm X 40mm X 3mm angle. I have more than one piece, would clamping it to another piece work or is that more likely to bend the other bit?

Do i need to heat it? I don't have access to any proper torches bar a standard aerosol style butane torch.

Thanks.

 

[GrahamGKD]

I would have thought you should be able to straighten it cold but if you simply clamp it to another piece it will spring back when you release it - do you have some heavier stock you can clamp it (or just the bent section) to with some kind of packing such that you can 'over bend' the damaged section. I have found that I can usually manage with such problems but it may take a bit of experimentation and progressing carefully so as not to over correct. Good Luck.

 

[Kai]

Thanks. After writing that last reply i was wondering if maybe i put 2 or 3 sections together on the inside, then the bent section on the outside and maybe another straight section on the outside again. Cable tie it all together and then clamp it down. If i heat it at this point and leave it to cool, would it have less chance of springing back?

Or i could clamp it to a piece of CLS stud timber with some packing to overbend it like you suggest.

 

[madkayaker]

if you heat it with cable ties in place you will just end up with a sticky mess. a small butane torch is going to struggle to get any real heat in it. i bet if you clmp it correct in a bench vice or to something thats no going to move you will be able to take the bend out by hand pulling stock etc. bend slightly passed straight to allow for spring back.

 

[Welderpaul]

You are over thinking. 40X40X3 is nothing. Clamp one end (ideally in a vice) at the worst part of the bend then push your weight against it to straighten. Look down the line of it and repeat if necessary. Heat and clamping to things is not necessary.
With a vice is would take a few minutes to sort out.

 

[Jim Davey]

If you haven't got access to oxy/fuel heating equipment you're likely to struggle. The idea of using another piece of the same angle to pull the other flat against won't work, because both pieces are the same strength and will bend together.
I'd explore the avenue of a return to the supplier for some undamaged stock.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Agree with welderpaul, a vice and some gentle pressure will sort it with ease no problem, it's light stock and that's why it's probably bent in the first place.

 

[Kai]

Thanks guys i'll have a go at straightening it out with your suggestions! Cheers!

 

[gordon stephenson]

As welderpaul says, definitely over thinking, 3mm thick is easy to sort out,either by pulling manually or giving it a few bats with a hammer while keeping an eye on it.Clamp one leg in the vise and tap other leg straight. careful blows with a 4lb hammer not a toffee hammer, then do the other leg the same..

 

[zardoz]

a big vice and a 1kg hard rubber mallet (or a lump hammer wrapped in cloth, so you dont dent the bar) might do the trick.

 

[brightspark]

-the vice a pair of stilsons and a decent hammer work wonders thats it

 

[bigegg]

it's 3m long! if you put one end in the vice, there should be enough leverage to bend 40x40x4 angle double, let alone take out a little bend.