- Joined
- Jun 26, 2014
- Messages
- 619
I've been experimenting with bending square hollow section for a small project but not having much luck. I welded a nice radius and a couple of stops to some plate as a jig, heated the section and tried to bend it (like I would do for a solid bar) but it just pinched and buckled on the sides.
I was planning to use them as the 'shelves' (I'm sure there is a proper word but can't think of it) for a steel stock rack and just wanting to put a small kick in the end to stop any round section rolling off, maybe 30 degrees for the last 50mm. Section was 20mm x 20mm, 2mm wall.
I could just weld them on at a angle but I would prefer them to be horizontal with a turn up at the end if possible. I figure I'm going to have to go for a more elaborate jig, something with a radiused channel to support the sides of the section (should be easy enough to turn up on the lathe) and maybe a moving guide to bend it around like a proper pipe/tube bender.
Has anyone here done this and/or have any plans/photos of simple benders that have used for square tube?
Is hot bending the way I should go or would I be better to try cold bending them?
Any suggestions/comments appreciated.
I was planning to use them as the 'shelves' (I'm sure there is a proper word but can't think of it) for a steel stock rack and just wanting to put a small kick in the end to stop any round section rolling off, maybe 30 degrees for the last 50mm. Section was 20mm x 20mm, 2mm wall.
I could just weld them on at a angle but I would prefer them to be horizontal with a turn up at the end if possible. I figure I'm going to have to go for a more elaborate jig, something with a radiused channel to support the sides of the section (should be easy enough to turn up on the lathe) and maybe a moving guide to bend it around like a proper pipe/tube bender.
Has anyone here done this and/or have any plans/photos of simple benders that have used for square tube?
Is hot bending the way I should go or would I be better to try cold bending them?
Any suggestions/comments appreciated.