Bending flat bar the hard way

I'm a hardened DIY'er, but this has the feel of a job that's worth taking to a blacksmith. It may even be cheaper than the cost of gas and building a temporary forge. Alternatively: cut it into sections, weld and grind (not really a serious suggestion). FWIW I've been repairing a lot of 1930s steel casements that the metal mice had been nibbling and have been surprised at how well shot blasting hides the welding and grinding marks once things are powder coated (I've outsourced the blasting and coating).

using a hammer and some sort of set, stretch the long side of the radius by hammering and thus thinning the one edge, which will bend the bar as reqd.It will require lots of flattening after this has been accomplished.

Charcoal brazier and a leaf blower? Appealingly ?old school? to my mind. ;-)

Tim

In message snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk>, John Rumm snipped-for-privacy@nowhere.null writes

I have seen a hand powered machine for doing that! Bit like the roller set your Grandmother used to use for squeezing water out of her washing:-)

I'll bet Brundles could have done it for you. Chat to any local fabricators, agricultural engineers etc. and see if they can point you somewhere with suitable tackle.

Consider the d-i-y element to be the skill involved in chatting up the shop foreman:-)

Well true, but part of the exercise here is to learn new stuff and push my abilities, plus have some fun while doing it.

Actually that is not as daft as it sounds - you don't actually need many segments to create the illusion of a curve...

Even my eight segment arch does a reasonable asymptote to a half circle:

Yup, and flap disks are wonderful for hiding all manner if sins as well :-)

Ah! I hadn't looked at the picture and didn't realise the plane of bend required. Not so easy:-(

Do you an old Arc Welder with brazing attachment that uses carbon rods? They can heat things up very well and quickly.

Beware of the UV it gives off, not such a good way to get sunburn!

Whack it. A lump of metal (RSJ offcut) or an anvil, a hammer, and either shove it in a fire or heat it with a gas torch, and whack it.

I have a feeling I bought one with my first arc welder about 30 years ago, and never found a use for it. Not sure if I still have it or not now...

I did contemplate making a bending jig to use a trolley jack to supply the bending force.

I suppose I have access to oxy-propane. Through I've used it more to straighten out steel, and of course to cut steel.

Redesign the project or get somebody who is equipped to make it for you? Brian

Your friendly local stockholder and fabricator might do the job for you. Fly press?

They are very good for brazing (also need a tub of flux and some bronze brazing rods).

Yes cover up and make sure you have a dark filter. "Sunburn" and arc eye are easy to get with carbon rod arc.

Not a simple jig for that job, though, and I suspect a trolley jack might not have the oomph.

Just as an example, this one from MM needs 12 tonnes to do 2 inch BSP

"Clarke CHV12B Portable 12 Tonne Hydraulic Pipe Bender"

I don't think I would start from your design; but if I had to DIY, I'd use heat.

Propane gets you to a good forging temperature, provided you control heat loss. Not so easy for that item.

Well that is one possibility - step changes in angle at the upright positions could look ok as well.

Now where would be the fun in that? You do remember the title of the group don't you? :-)