Got a need to bend some aluminum bar stock into some circles. The stock is
1/2x1 and I need to bend the hard way into a diameter of about 14". Talked
to a guy at the blacksmithing shop where I'd expect that they'd be able to
do this in steel and the guy said good luck! He can do smaller stuff into
wagon wheels or hot bend to any desired shape but not in aluminum.
I'd figured that he'd have a 3 roll setup to do and diameter that he wanted
to do but apparently, he never did such. He did mention that he's tried
doing some smaller diameter work with his wagon wheel roller but it quickly
became impossible as the metal wouldn't feed in the roll.
Am I trying something impossible or is it just that blacksmithes don't
really do such work as they have other ways to do so in steel?
I'm also going to have to do another ring of 1"x3" the easy way. Both rings
will be welded into a continous circle.
Would it be better to grab a big chunck of plate and mill out the excess?

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