- Thread starter B1N9S
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CRB
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Somewhere on here http://retrorides.proboards.com/ is a simple bender and an excellent tutorial.
There are numerous other more sophisticated machines on the net, but it really depends on what you intend doing, and how often, and what with.
Wrong computer, so sorry but no links.
There are numerous other more sophisticated machines on the net, but it really depends on what you intend doing, and how often, and what with.
Wrong computer, so sorry but no links.
marlinspike
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There are a few threads on the forum showing how people made theirs. I think we made ours using the bmwtony design and threads like this which have good photos, which I found helped a lot:
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/simple-bender.15516/
Tonybmw's description of how to make one is on page 3 (on my phone anyway) of the Making Panels thread:
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/70135?page=3#973572
I wish we had made one right at the start of our car project as once you have one you don't know how you managed without it.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/simple-bender.15516/
Tonybmw's description of how to make one is on page 3 (on my phone anyway) of the Making Panels thread:
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/70135?page=3#973572
I wish we had made one right at the start of our car project as once you have one you don't know how you managed without it.
How does Tonys bender actually bend stuff?? It just looks like a long vice to me ..
So it is what I thought a big vice...lol
mr migwire
It's more fun with metal.
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mr migwire
It's more fun with metal.
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slim_boy_fat
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Those links are from 2007 and don't work any more? 
http://www.axminster.co.uk/adjustable-vice-jaw-benders
Try that. I might buy a set to fit in my press when I make it up...
Try that. I might buy a set to fit in my press when I make it up...
slim_boy_fat
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Looks like a decent compromise if a bigger one isn't available. I have 30x3x3mm angle so fancy a go at making one [maybe 14" ish].
Damn, yet another thing added to the 'projects' list........
Damn, yet another thing added to the 'projects' list........
Sorry that one doesn't due to their site rebuild. http://www.axminster.co.uk/york-sheet-metal-bender is the new link.
Obviously flavour of metal, sheet thickness and even bend radius effect things but regardless 1200mm is gonna need to be 'beefy'. A lot beefier than the designs for something 5 - 600mm long. As folder length increases they tend to get (almost) exponentially heavier to stop the thing flexing in use and producing bends that aren't crisp or a even radius over their length
I use a home made jobby for largish radius bends that's ~1m long and uses my welding table (old cast iron surface plate) as a base. For a 1.5" ish bend radius a length of 1/4 wall tube is stiff enough for the hold down bar/bend die and forces are lower for larger bend radii so everything is easier. Try the same with some 1" solid bar for a 1/2" radius (more like 5/8" due to springback) and the thing just flexes unless the 1" bar is stiffened by welding it to some heavy wall box or the like. With 2mm 1050-h14 (soft aluminium) it still bows the bends very slightly at full length capacity. And in the process 250+kg of welding table gets moved whether i want it to or not as it's not bolted to the floor
Wendelspanswick
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I built a 1600mm long folder to fold 0.7mm copper sheet when I did the copper roofing on our house, I used 75mm x 50mm angle 6mm thick and it still struggled to maintain the bend over its full length, I ended up welding reinforcements to it and it still needed a heavy duty G clamp to stop the middle flexing and opening up.
I still have it and I will post a picture later.
I still have it and I will post a picture later.
