Break press? 90° bends in 5mm x 25mm mild steel bar

[SweetAs]

Hi,

Pretty much as the title suggests. I need to put 90 Deg bends into some 5mm x 25mm mild steel bar. If needs be I can go down to 3 or 4mm but would rather keep the 5mm for rigidity. The sizes for the bar will be as follows..

600mm long with a small 90° bend in one end at approx 25mm from the end

810mm long with 2 90° bends @ 270mm from both ends x 4

The 1st design will be used to mount products on and the second as a frame with a threaded rod through the center. These will then be staked into the ground.

I've spent years as a wood worker and only recently started getting into metal working so figured I would ask on here to see if anyone has any ideas.

Up until now I have a been using a back garden forge to heat the bar and then bend it in a vice but Im going through charcoal and coke like there is no tomorrow for a relatively small amount of work, hopefully there is an easier way!

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Freddy0309]

Have you thought about using one of those Induction heaters?

 

[blenkie1]

Do them induction heaters not heat things up in one place? If it was me and I was wanting a nice tidy job go to a local fab shop with a decent press brake. Other than that cut so far in with a grinder, bend and weld the cut back up, assuming you have a welder and grinder.

 

[MoreWellie]

I made a small unit and use it in my chinese 20ton press, can bend 6mm x 40mm to a right angle although it is a rounded 90 degrees

Please don't look at the welding this was a very early attempt at stick with a buzz box and not pretty but it works

 

[sardine]

You've drawn attention to it now.

 

[Paul.]

A bar bender would be the easy way without spending too much money, loads on ebay example here clickme, If its only for a one of job then either knife and fork it in the vice as above (no heat needed on 25 x 5) or pay someone with a press a few quid to knock them up, I would do it on a flypress, for the small quantities listed above it would cost no more than a contribution to the tea fund.

 

[optima21]

if you can weld, how about cutting it 3/4 of the way through, bending it up and then welding the bend.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I agree with Paul, 25 x 5 would be dead easy in a fly press. No need for any heat.

 

[piman]

Hello Josh,

in reality 25mm x 5mm is light and is easily bent cold in a vice, if you have only a few to do. I hope you are not using your carpenters hammer as that is too light, you need a decent 1 1/2 or 2 lb ball pein hammer. the bends will need some dressing to look neat but it's not difficult.

Alec

 

[sardine]

25 x 5 can be done in a big vice.

Make your own charcoal, its easy.