Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

MrFightGuy wrote:
Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for a
reasonable price .
--
Snag
Learning keeps
you young !

"MrFightGuy" wrote in message
...
Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to
24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum....

Nathan

Saw off a narrow strip and experiment.

Isn't 6061 good enough?

jsw

"Snag" wrote in message
...
... I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for
a reasonable price .
--
Snag

The rollers on the 30" 3-in-1 sheet metal machine can barely handle
0.062" (1.5mm) 6061. The rolls deflect so the ends curve more tightly
than the middle. 0.050" 5052 is noticeably easier to shear, bend and
roll.

jsw

On May 24, 5:45*pm, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:
"MrFightGuy" wrote in message

...

Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to
24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum....

Nathan

Saw off a narrow strip and experiment.

Isn't 6061 good enough?

jsw

Nope. I've made swords out of 6061, and my 7075 swords pulverize them
with little effort. It's gotta be 7075 so that the shields can stand
up to the beating that my swords dish out. And no, I can't start
making swords out of 6061. It just doesn't have the tensile strength
(and therefore the durability) I want in my products.

On May 24, 5:39*pm, "Snag" wrote:
MrFightGuy wrote:
Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. *I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. *Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. *I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? *I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

* I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for a
reasonable price .
--
Snag
Learning keeps
you young !

Thanks, yeah, but I'm trying to keep this purchase under $300. The HF
bress brake/slip rollers are way out of my range, and their 12" slip
roller is way too small for what I'm trying to accomplish.

On Thu, 24 May 2012 16:37:37 -0700 (PDT), MrFightGuy
wrote:

On May 24, 5:45*pm, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:
"MrFightGuy" wrote in message

...

Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to
24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum....

Nathan

Saw off a narrow strip and experiment.

Isn't 6061 good enough?

jsw

Nope. I've made swords out of 6061, and my 7075 swords pulverize them
with little effort. It's gotta be 7075 so that the shields can stand
up to the beating that my swords dish out. And no, I can't start
making swords out of 6061. It just doesn't have the tensile strength
(and therefore the durability) I want in my products.

I see nobody with great knowledge answering your query. I'm not an
expert but 20 tons has to be a great plenty to press AL to the curve
you desire.

Of course if you have the dies, getting press work would be trivial
and inexpensive. My query would be how to make dies without the huge
expense of machining from billet.

Karl

On Thu, 24 May 2012 19:39:52 -0500, Karl Townsend
wrote:

On Thu, 24 May 2012 16:37:37 -0700 (PDT), MrFightGuy
wrote:

On May 24, 5:45*pm, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:
"MrFightGuy" wrote in message

...

Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to
24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum....

Nathan

Saw off a narrow strip and experiment.

Isn't 6061 good enough?

jsw

Nope. I've made swords out of 6061, and my 7075 swords pulverize them
with little effort. It's gotta be 7075 so that the shields can stand
up to the beating that my swords dish out. And no, I can't start
making swords out of 6061. It just doesn't have the tensile strength
(and therefore the durability) I want in my products.

I see nobody with great knowledge answering your query. I'm not an
expert but 20 tons has to be a great plenty to press AL to the curve
you desire.

SWAG: I'd think aluminum has a higher strength than that.

pi x r x r = 3.14 x 12 x 12 = 452.16 sq. in. /88.46426 psi.
I'd tend to disagree that the 20T press would work, but how much of
the bending -would- it do, I wonder?


Of course if you have the dies, getting press work would be trivial
and inexpensive. My query would be how to make dies without the huge
expense of machining from billet.

Home casting, I'd wager. My buddy cast some nice little sprockets
after machining one from plate. He likes piston aluminum for most
things he cast. My CNC router holder is one of his castings that we
machined. Maybe Nathan has beaucoup 7075 scraps and shavings, so he
could cast from them. It beats a $2/lb return from the scrappers.

--
When a quiet man is moved to passion, it seems the very earth will shake.
-- Stephanie Barron
(Something for the Powers That Be to remember, eh?)

On Thu, 24 May 2012 16:41:58 -0700 (PDT), MrFightGuy
wrote:

On May 24, 5:39*pm, "Snag" wrote:
MrFightGuy wrote:
Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. *I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. *Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. *I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? *I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

* I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for a
reasonable price .

Thanks, yeah, but I'm trying to keep this purchase under $300. The HF
bress brake/slip rollers are way out of my range, and their 12" slip
roller is way too small for what I'm trying to accomplish.

What's the actual shape of the objects? Maybe the aluminum
distributors or manufacturers could tell you the pressure required for
the doming, which I'm sure is the higher pressure requirement.

--
When a quiet man is moved to passion, it seems the very earth will shake.
-- Stephanie Barron
(Something for the Powers That Be to remember, eh?)

On 05/24/2012 04:37 PM, MrFightGuy wrote:
Hey all:

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Ask the fighters in the SCA how they make dished shields and stuff.
Go here and look around until you find a group near you, then visit
and ask questions.

http://www.sca.org/geography/


technomaNge
--
I'm a warrior's page in Meridies.

Do you really mean "bend" or do you want to "dome" the piece?
If you want a 2 or 3 inch high "dome", lay the piece on a flat hard
surface, like an anvil and just start hammering in ever increasing circles,
from the center of the piece with a slightly rounded hammer and the piece
will start to dome. More ever increasing circles = more doming, until or
unless the material work hardens to the point where it starts to crack. I
don't know that alloy very well, but if you can anneal it now and then, you
can keep going.

A farrier's hammer would be a good one to use. A ball pein hammer has too
much rounding and will simply make a bunch of little round dents. Even
those dents will work, but the result will not be pretty.

If you are not making a lot of these, assuming that "doming" is what you
want to do, call around to body shops to find someone with an English wheel
and ask if you can get a lesson or two and then rent it. Slower, but
pretty.

Pete Stanaitis
---------------

On May 24, 11:21*pm, technomaNge wrote:
On 05/24/2012 04:37 PM, MrFightGuy wrote:

Hey all:

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Ask the fighters in the SCA how they make dished shields and stuff.
Go here and look around until you find a group near you, then visit
and ask questions.

* * *http://www.sca.org/geography/

technomaNge
--
I'm a warrior's page in Meridies.

I have made inquiries with some of the big web suppliers for the
Society for Creative Anachronism. Everyone except one or two
suppliers makes shields in 6061, which is infinitely more pliable than
7075. Those who do sell shields made of 7075 tend to sell them in
flat shapes. This in and of itself is not disheartening, as the SCA
uses weapons that are either light practice schlaegers or larger
weapons made mainly of rattan. They don't need shields stronger than
6061. I'll check out that link though... you never know...

Thanks,

N

P.S. What's "Meridies"?

MrFightGuy wrote:
Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

Nathan, By curve do you mean a domed surface?
(Like this? http://www.museumreplicas.com/images...medium/643.jpg )

Or a straight shields with a curve lengthwise?
(like this http://www.museumreplicas.com/images.../medium/23.jpg )

Different methods for each one, with the crusader style being much
easier in a small shop using a simple roll bending press that you could
build easily.

--
Steve W.

"Pete S" wrote in message
.. .
...More ever increasing circles = more doming, until or unless the
material work hardens to the point where it starts to crack. ...

Pete Stanaitis

That's what the test strips I suggested will tell you, without
wrecking large sheets.

My ultralight tent has poles made of 7001 which cracked when strapped
to a motorcycle.

On May 24, 4:37*pm, MrFightGuy wrote:
Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. *I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. *Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. *I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? *I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

http://www.suppliersonline.com/prope...075.asp#Videos
(no video)

From the above link, it seems that spring-back will be a problem.
You'd probably need the ability to anneal the piece at 900 deg.F for 3
hrs and do controlled cooling. Also the link says that it helps to do
forming at 200 - 250 deg.F.

On May 25, 8:46*am, "Denis G." wrote:
On May 24, 4:37*pm, MrFightGuy wrote:









Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. *I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. *Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. *I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? *I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

http://www.suppliersonline.com/prope...075.asp#Videos
(no video)

From the above link, it seems that spring-back will be a problem.
You'd probably need the ability to anneal the piece at 900 deg.F for 3
hrs and do controlled cooling. *Also the link says that it helps to do
forming at 200 - 250 deg.F.

Ooops -- Anneal at 900 deg.F for 2 hrs followed by water quench.

On May 24, 7:41*pm, MrFightGuy wrote:


* I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for a
reasonable price .
--
Snag
Learning keeps
you young !

Thanks, yeah, but I'm trying to keep this purchase under $300. *The HF
bress brake/slip rollers are way out of my range, and their 12" slip
roller is way too small for what I'm trying to accomplish.

I think Snag is suggesting the English wheel sold by HF. An English
wheel is what I would try to produce a domed shield. Maybe someone
here that has an English wheel will step up and relate their
experiences. Or maybe someone would be willing to let you ship them
some aluminum to see how well their English wheel works.


Dan

wrote:
On May 24, 7:41 pm, MrFightGuy wrote:



I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for a
reasonable price .
--
Snag
Learning keeps
you young !

Thanks, yeah, but I'm trying to keep this purchase under $300. The HF
bress brake/slip rollers are way out of my range, and their 12" slip
roller is way too small for what I'm trying to accomplish.


I think Snag is suggesting the English wheel sold by HF. An English
wheel is what I would try to produce a domed shield. Maybe someone
here that has an English wheel will step up and relate their
experiences. Or maybe someone would be willing to let you ship them
some aluminum to see how well their English wheel works.


Dan


I would expect the HF one to bit a bit lightweight for doing 1/8"
aluminium even in a soft condition. I have a much heavier wheeling
machine and that did dish some 5mm 1050 but it was hard work and the
piece required quite a dish so in the end I just resorted to using a
domed former to push the aluminium into a piece of pipe with a piece of
5mm UHMWPE between the pipe and aluminium to spread the load and prevent
marring of the surface. This was done in a fly press so blows could be
done quickly and controlled and allowed the dished pieces to done quite
fast. Once I got it set-up and done a practice piece I could do a 250mm
blank to a 250mm radius in about 5 minutes with repeated blow going
around the piece. Not a job I would want to do with a hydraulic press
due to their speed.

On May 25, 1:58*am, "Pete S" wrote:
Do you really mean "bend" or do you want to "dome" the piece?
* If you want a 2 or 3 inch high *"dome", lay the piece on a flat hard
surface, like an anvil and just start hammering in ever increasing circles,
from *the center of the piece with a slightly rounded hammer and the piece
will start to dome. * More ever increasing circles = more doming, until or
unless the material work hardens to the point where it starts to crack. *I
don't know that *alloy very well, but if you can anneal it now and then, you
can keep going.

A farrier's hammer would be a good one to use. * A ball pein hammer has too
much rounding and will simply make a bunch of little round dents. *Even
those dents will work, but the result will not be pretty.

If you are not making a lot of these, assuming that "doming" is what you
want to do, call around to body shops to find someone with an English wheel
and ask if you can get a lesson or two and then rent it. *Slower, but
pretty.

Pete Stanaitis
---------------

Pete:

Um...yes.

I'm going for domed rounds and curved heaters (pentagonal shields) and
kites (shields with an elongated triangular shape). And yes, a 2-3
inch curve is what I'm going for. Any more, and it makes the shield
trickier to use. And yes, I'm looking to eventually make lots of
these. The Society of American Fight Directors includes sword and
shield in its curriculum, so a lot of their certified teachers want
lighter alternatives to heavier steel weapons.

Thanks for the advice. An english wheel may indeed be the way to
go....

Nate

On May 25, 12:36*pm, "Denis G." wrote:
On May 25, 8:46*am, "Denis G." wrote:









On May 24, 4:37*pm, MrFightGuy wrote:

Hey all:

I'm wondering what it will take to put a 2-3 inch curve in a 21 to 24-
inch wide sheet if 1/8 inch thick 7075-T6 aluminum. *I ask because I
run a business making stage weapons out of 1/4 inch 7075 plate, and
would like to be able to offer shields as well. *Flat shields are
fine, but curved shields are more user-friendly. *I realize that 7075
is not an alloy that is friendly to forming operations, but we're
talking about a slight curve in a relatively large, thin piece.

Specifically, will a 20-ton shop press (with a shield-sized stamping
mold attached, of course) do this job? *I say 20 ton, because that's
the smallest size press that will accommodate a work piece at least 21
inches in width, and it's about what's in my price range.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to make both square shields and dished rounds,
but if these operations require heavy industrial rollers and spinners,
then I'd rather not spend the dough on such a large press. Does anyone
have any advice to give?

Thanks,

Nathan

http://www.suppliersonline.com/prope...075.asp#Videos
(no video)

From the above link, it seems that spring-back will be a problem.
You'd probably need the ability to anneal the piece at 900 deg.F for 3
hrs and do controlled cooling. *Also the link says that it helps to do
forming at 200 - 250 deg.F.

Ooops -- Anneal at 900 deg.F for 2 hrs followed by water quench.

Sorry, but my workshop is tiny (10-12 square feet stuffed into the
spare room of my Queens, NY apt.) and annealing is out of my reach.

On May 25, 3:57*pm, David Billington
wrote:
wrote:
On May 24, 7:41 pm, MrFightGuy wrote:

* I believe HF sells a roller setup that will do what you want for a
reasonable price .
--
Snag
Learning keeps
you young !

Thanks, yeah, but I'm trying to keep this purchase under $300. *The HF
bress brake/slip rollers are way out of my range, and their 12" slip
roller is way too small for what I'm trying to accomplish.

I think Snag is suggesting the English wheel sold by HF. *An English
wheel is what I would try to produce a domed shield. *Maybe someone
here that has an English wheel will step up and relate their
experiences. *Or maybe someone would be willing to let you ship them
some aluminum to see how well their English wheel works.

Dan

I would expect the HF one to bit a bit lightweight for doing 1/8"
aluminium even in a soft condition. I have a much heavier wheeling
machine and that did dish some 5mm 1050 but it was hard work and the
piece required quite a dish so in the end I just resorted to using a
domed former to push the aluminium into a piece of pipe with a piece of
5mm UHMWPE between the pipe and aluminium to spread the load and prevent
marring of the surface. This was done in a fly press so blows could be
done quickly and controlled and allowed the dished pieces to done quite
fast. Once I got it set-up and done a practice piece I could do a 250mm
blank to a 250mm radius in about 5 minutes with repeated blow going
around the piece. Not a job I would want to do with a hydraulic press
due to their speed.

Okay...keep in mind for the rounds, all I need is a 2-inch deep dish
on a 21 - 24 inch piece. HF has a pneumatic planishing hammer that
sells for just over 100 bucks and gets good reviews from customers,
but I don't know if it'll even put a dent in 1/8 inch thick 7075.

On 05/25/2012 01:06 AM, MrFightGuy wrote:

P.S. What's "Meridies"?


The world is divided into kingdoms, I reside in Meridies.

See

http://misfit-robots.com/sca/map/index.html (world map)

then

http://misfit-robots.com/sca/map/meri.html (Kingdom of Meridies)


technomaNge
--

"MrFightGuy" wrote
...
Okay...keep in mind for the rounds, all I need is a 2-inch deep dish
on a 21 - 24 inch piece. HF has a pneumatic planishing hammer that
sells for just over 100 bucks and gets good reviews from customers,
but I don't know if it'll even put a dent in 1/8 inch thick 7075.

If you can't make them, maybe you can buy them as tank heads (or
rejects):
http://www.bakertankhead.com/products/tank-heads.htm
http://www.cmforming.com/tankheads-s...d-non-code.htm

jsw

MrFightGuy wrote:
Sorry, but my workshop is tiny (10-12 square feet stuffed into the
spare room ...

Surely you mean 10-12 feet square? 10-12 sq ft is 3 x 4 +-. Bob

On May 26, 5:21*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
MrFightGuy wrote:
Sorry, but my workshop is tiny (10-12 square feet stuffed into the
spare room ...

Surely you mean 10-12 feet square? *10-12 sq ft is 3 x 4 +-. *Bob

Yes, but 3x4 is about as much room as I have to move around in, as the
rest is crammed with tools and supplies from top to bottom!

MrFightGuy wrote:
On May 26, 5:21 pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
MrFightGuy wrote:
Sorry, but my workshop is tiny (10-12 square feet stuffed into the
spare room ...
Surely you mean 10-12 feet square? 10-12 sq ft is 3 x 4 +-. Bob

Yes, but 3x4 is about as much room as I have to move around in, as the
rest is crammed with tools and supplies from top to bottom!

Hey, I can relate to that!

On May 26, 7:20*am, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:
"MrFightGuy" wrote

...
Okay...keep in mind for the rounds, all I need is a 2-inch deep dish
on a 21 - 24 inch piece. *HF has a pneumatic planishing hammer that
sells for just over 100 bucks and gets good reviews from customers,
but I don't know if it'll even put a dent in 1/8 inch thick 7075.

If you can't make them, maybe you can buy them as tank heads (or
rejects):http://www.bakertankhead.com/product...d-non-code.htm

jsw

Interesting idea, but I'm not seeing anything in the right
configuration on those sites, and I'm guessing that buying a tankhead
and then modifying it is going a heck of a lot more expensive than
trying to find a machine shop to spin/roll some pre-cut sheets of
aluminum.

"MrFightGuy" wrote in message
...
On May 26, 7:20 am, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:

-Interesting idea, but I'm not seeing anything in the right
-configuration on those sites, and I'm guessing that buying a tankhead
-and then modifying it is going a heck of a lot more expensive than
-trying to find a machine shop to spin/roll some pre-cut sheets of
-aluminum.

If one of those tank head makers is near you maybe you could convince
them to press small blanks in larger dies.

jsw

Found this chart about minimum bend radius for various kinds of
aluminum. It includes 7075-T6, and includes specs for the approximate
thickness (.128 inch, or 8 gauge)

http://www.thesheetmetalshop.com/pdf...end_radius.pdf

Can anyone interpret this?

It says that for 7075T6 in 0.128 thickness the minimum bend radius is 5-7t,
or 5*0.128 to 7*0.128, or 0.64" to 0.896". So to be really safe a minimum
radius of 1".

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames
"MrFightGuy" wrote in message
...

Found this chart about minimum bend radius for various kinds of
aluminum. It includes 7075-T6, and includes specs for the approximate
thickness (.128 inch, or 8 gauge)

http://www.thesheetmetalshop.com/pdf...end_radius.pdf

Can anyone interpret this?

On 2012-05-30, MrFightGuy wrote:
Found this chart about minimum bend radius for various kinds of
aluminum. It includes 7075-T6, and includes specs for the approximate
thickness (.128 inch, or 8 gauge)

http://www.thesheetmetalshop.com/pdf...end_radius.pdf

Can anyone interpret this?

The first table says that for 0.128" thick "t" 7075-T6 aluminum,
your minimum bend radius is between 5 and 7 times the thickness (so your
minimum bend radius will be somewhere between 5/8" and 7/8". And if it
is "clad sheet", it will accept slightly smaller radii.

I wonder whether this is one of the alloys which has a "grain".
bend it parallel to the fine lines found in it (on too small a radius)
and it will start to crack along those lines, bend it at right angles to
the grain, and you can get away with a tighter radius.

Experiment with scraps to see what I mean.

The rest of the pages probably don't matter to you for this
task.

Good Luck,
DoN.

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