Hand bending 1" square 18 gauge steel tubing to a 4-1/2" radius

The key to this jig is a piece of 1/8" square wire, which is roughly centered on the outside of the jig. The wire could actually be round and anywhere from 1/8" to 3/16" for this job. The idea is to push the inside wall of the tubing in, and once it's going the right direction, it will take care of itself. Without the wire or something even more elaborate, you won't be able to bend this material tighter than about 15" radius without kinking.

If you look closely, you might notice that the straight part of the tube that I'm bending from ends up slightly curved also. If this is a problem, you can overbend the material slightly, and then carefully unbend the side that you used as a lever. But if it has to be perfect, then go buy a big expensive machine.

Oh, and doing this sort of thing is why I now have arthritis.

For more info on hand bending, see http://www.metalgeek.com/bend

Category:

Science & Technology

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• hand
• bending
• steel
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• tubing
• diy
• bender

[gioraver]

thx !!! I wodering , it's more easy bend aluminium tubing 1 x 2 x 0.062 inches .  regards .

[hotmetalshards]

Generally speaking, aluminum bends easier (with the exception of 6061 - but most square and rect. is 6063). But rectangular is tricky. It kinks a lot easier than square due to the physics involved. 1/16" wall tube also kinks easier than 1/8". I'm not sure, but the minimum bend radius on 1/16" would probably be 2 to 3 feet, and that's if you bend it the easy way. Punching the inside wall in (as in the video above) doesn't do much for rect. tube. I can't explain it better, but that's how it works.

[gioraver]

Material ? ? ? ? ? , looks so easy

[hotmetalshards]

1" square 18 gauge steel tubing. Regular old P&O mild steel.

[hotmetalshards]

It should be possible, but I haven't done that exact size. I've made a bunch of little jigs out of 1/4" steel that are shaped like little footballs, so the idea is the same as the jig above. That would work fine on 2", and you can bend that pretty easily if you have a long enough lever.

[meatball15683]

very cool! i am going to make one like this...might try a 2" radius just to see if it will work.

[gioraver]

Very Helpfull your comment i'll a bending of 6in radious , if got good results , i prommes to share to you my video . Gracias .!

[artgoat]

I'm trying to figure out a good way to make a gate arch (about 48") out of 2" 16ga square. I don't think I'll be dong that by hand, though!