Home made sheet metal bender

[Endacy]

Here is my home made sheet metal bender. I think it's fairly self explanatory. Steel channel base, 50x050x8 angle with reinforcements of 50x5. I used an angle grinder to make the edge of the top part pointy, then had it milled perfectly straight. Unfortunately when I welded the flat in it bent the angle, so I made the back piece with a bolt in it to bend it back! Worked a treat. I made the hinges bolt-together and was glad I did, it distorted slightly on welding and needed a small aluminium shim in the left one to sort it out.

 

[Endacy]

Results. Small bit is 1mm aluminium. Large bit is 1.2mm steel. I think I adjusted the top bit wrong so it made a rounded bend, no worries it's for a land rover footwell, not the sharpest bend anyway

 

[wyn]

Thats a nicely made bit of kit
The hinge looks good and a straight forward design.

 

[Endacy]

Thanks! The hinges are made from 50x20 steel and 27mm steel bar. The photo underneath shows the possibly overcomplex way of keeping the bolts from turning that clamp the top piece down. It allows the nuts to be done up with only a wrench (wheel nut wrench actually!).

 

[eil]

Looks very beefy, what length of sheet will it bend ?.

 

[Endacy]

Umm, not sure, can't remember, thinks it's about 500mm, will measure the distance that actually fits tomorrow but i'm pretty sure that's about right.

 

[Welderpaul]

Looks good. very similar to one i made.

 

[Endacy]

I took inspiration from ones I found on this forum, it may have been yours I used for the hinge design...thanks!

Oh and I measured it today, it can have a sheet up to 590mm wide in it.

 

[The Buddah]

Nice thread.