Flat sheet strengthening

[mud90mike]

Hi Guys, I want to put some reinforcement 'lines' in a couple of projects such as the below fuel tank, but I don't know what the process is called so cant research the tooling needed can anyone help? Thankyou

 

[Maker]

You need a bead roller.

 

[AndersK]

If you dont want to put up the money for a bead roller (or jenny) you can cut a slot in plywood or mdf. Weld a steelball to a shaft ( or round the end of it). Place the sheet over the wood and start punching. Dont hit it like a blacksmith, take your time and run a coupple passes.

Another simple and faster method is to make the same form. Put a piece of urethane or thick rubber above the sheet. Place a piece of steel above the rubber and put the whole sandwich in a hydraulic press. The rubber will press the sheet down into the slot.

Ive made these parts with the press technique

The Zoom-Zoom is 0,5 mm stainless
Box is 1,5 mm aluminum

 

[harryb94]

If you have a look at the panel making thread on retro rides the guy on there uses a a piece of round stock welded flat onto some plate with the ends smoothed on the bar, then hits it onto the metal over a opened vice

 

[mud90mike]

Cheers guys, I have got a fly press so will give it go making a former myself. I looked at the prices of the bead roller and really cant justify it so will have a play!

 

[Leetig]

Hi mike does this project containing fluids ? If not you could drill holes and swage them.

 

[MattF]

Cheers guys, I have got a fly press so will give it go making a former myself.

If you have a flypress, it should be quite easy. Merely a length of rod welded onto a shank for the ram, at a right angle to it, and then as someone mentioned, a wooden former underneath with a groove cut in it. Can cut that with a half round chisel, a grooving bit in a router etc. Round the ends of the rod slightly so that it doesn't bite into the metal.

 

[mud90mike]

Tried that and just ended up bending the sheet of material rather than putting a groove into it. think I need to clamp the sheet down somehow.

 

[MattF]

Sandwich and clamp it between two sheets of ply. Cut the groove in the bottom piece of ply and have a slot in the top piece which allows the punch through. I'd use 3/4" ply.

 

[graffian]

Tried that and just ended up bending the sheet of material rather than putting a groove into it. think I need to clamp the sheet down somehow.

Where are you I have a bead roller. I am near Gatwick.

 

[mud90mike]

Just next to Burgess hill, For sale?

 

[colnerov]

Sandwich and clamp it between two sheets of ply. Cut the groove in the bottom piece of ply and have a slot in the top piece which allows the punch through. I'd use 3/4" ply.

Hi, instead of the punch use a rounded over bolster chisel.

Colin

 

[graffian]

Just next to Burgess hill, For sale?

Not far then.
It's not been used for almost 30 years and needs new rollers.
Your welcome to borrow it or bring the sheet round and roll the beads here, I always did my bead
rolling on my own, I guess it would be easier with someone turning the handle.
I will some new the rollers tomorrrow afternoon.

 

[cliff366]

There's a few vids on you tube where they use rollers to press patterns in to thin sheet by laying the template under the sheet

 

[cliff366]