Bending aluminum

[Meanie]

I want to bend a 3" long, 1/4" thick x 2" wide flat stock aluminum bar to roughly a 7" radius "U" shape which will give me a 14" (ID) gap between ends. I'm reading methods of bending aluminum and some say heat while others say bend cold. Since it's not a tight bend, I would think cold bending would be fine, but obviously uncertain. I'm also uncertain if it's best to use 6061 aluminum or, as I read, a softer 5052 which is easier to bend. The overall use will not reach the rated tensile and yield strengths of either grade, therefore, the only issue is price.....5052 is more expensive.

Anyone experienced with this type of work?

Thanks

[DanG]

I would bend 6061 cold. You will probably need to use something smaller as the bending form as the material will have "spring back". It will require some experimenting to discover where to clamp the piece and what to use for the bending. I assume you meant 3' not 3" to end up with a

14" gap. 1/4" will require substantial force to create a smooth bend.

[nestork]

I would take that piece of stock to any place listed under "Wire & Wire Products" in your yellow pages phone directory. They bend steel wire up to 1/2 inch diameter right here in Winnipeg into various forms needed for different purposes. They also bend 1/2 inch steel rebar into circles and connect those circles by wiring them to straight pieces of rebar to make steel reinforcing for concrete fence post footings. See if the stuff they're bending has to be round. If not, they can probably bend your aluminum if you give the guy a $5 tip.

[clare]

I would anneal the 6061 to T0 or close. T6 will be VERY hard to bend and has a lot of spring-back. It ( annealed) will return to pretty close to T6 in a short time after - and the OP says he does not need anywhere close to the strength of 6061 anyway.

[DerbyDad03]

3? long?

[clare]

You definitely won't bend plate or bar stock with a re-bar bender

[rbowman]

A long time ago I was working on one of my little scheme and acquired a length of 6061 T6 stock under the mistaken impression it would be easy to work. 3003 might work but I don't know how it's priced compared to 6061.

[Stormin Mormon]

There is usenet group rec crafts metalworking. The folks there know this kind of thing. Sadly, I don't get RCM on my computer.

[trader_4]

It probably goes with the 3" nipple in the other thread.

[RobertMacy]

also, watch the 'grain' we had quite a few the workshop bent along the wrong direction, they all cracked over time. Envision a wood grain, you get the idea.

[clare]

6061 in T0 configuration bends like butter (well, not quite, but easier than CRS) In T6, it makes CRS look soft.

[clare]

The peice described would definitely allow the bend he wants to make "with the grain" unless it was sawed off the wrong side of a piece of plate - - -

[Guv Bob]

Looks like he followed your suggestion.