How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal?

monkeyboy · 07-19-2010, 07:18 PM

I've got a lot of stainless steel sheets laying around. And was wandering how some of you made your custom body accent panels? Now... I'm not on a mission to make a Delorean

. But my old marathon body has seen better days. And I figured most everyone likes shiny stuff. So why not use the stainles steel.
I've seen some carts with chrome diamond plating on them. Is that actually metal or the plastic stuff?

WGW Foods · 07-19-2010, 08:18 PM

Mine is metal. I bent it by hand and rachet straps over the old front end.

monkeyboy · 07-19-2010, 08:24 PM

I'm thinking about covering the whole kick plate under the seat on mine. And possibly making new back fenders. Mine are a little short since my wheelbase is longer from the ATV frame in the rear. I think I remember hearing that you can't weld stainless steel to regular steel right? I have a Clarke 310EN mig (electric only)

rifter · 07-19-2010, 09:22 PM

You can weld Stainless to carbon but you should use 309 alloy welding rods. I have bent metal with 2X4s, a vice, C-clamps and a rubber hammer. Lay out your bends, and get your 2X4s C-clamped on each side of the metal on the line, clamp the whole thing in a vice and hold pressure with one hand in the direction you want to bend and start working it with the rubber hammer, it will work, it's just a poor boy sheet bender-- I know.

TheNewGuy · 07-20-2010, 07:38 AM

Like Rifter said, wood, c-clamps, bars, pipe etc.

This is the hood for my Geep1 cart.

scottyb · 07-20-2010, 07:57 AM

Okay so all we need is some 2x4s and a rubber mallet and a Forklift !?

Nice Rounds Bends, Ron.

Hey M-boy, I have a set of medalist rear fenders 4 sale/trade. Could you extend the pair you have with another pair? You know what I mean?

popatop · 07-20-2010, 08:47 AM

The spaces in a wooden deck floor work great to make bends in diamond plate kind of a Hick Vice but it works

DavidP · 07-20-2010, 11:12 AM

That's a beautiful setup that "TheNewGuy" is using to get those bends for his jeep hood ...
Wish I could do that ... but I don't have a forklift ... so mine is a much more modest attempt ...

I've been using 2" cast iron water pipe (2.5") getting smooth bends in 20 ga sheet metal by attaching it to the bench with C clamps and gradually forming with a soft 'deadblow' hammer along the 4' length

Amazing ... the quality of the bends you can get with the right size of pipe and a little patience ...

monkeyboy · 07-20-2010, 03:53 PM

I got a forklift at work

. But I think I can work something out in my garage. I was just afraid of kinking the bend in the metal. But pictures say a thousand words. I'm pretty confident I understand how to do it now. Any time I ever though about metal work I always remembered this show on how they made nascar bodies. They had alot of expensive tools... I was hope-ing there was a cheaper way.

monkeyboy · 07-20-2010, 03:57 PM

(scottyB) Yea, that's what I was going to do for my fenders anyways. My neighbor has another marathon sitting out back that he won't get rid of

I'll have to measure my buddies work horse. It looks like those fenders would come out close.

07-19-2010, 07:18 PM	#1
monkeyboy Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: southern, Indiana Posts: 93	How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? I've got a lot of stainless steel sheets laying around. And was wandering how some of you made your custom body accent panels? Now... I'm not on a mission to make a Delorean. But my old marathon body has seen better days. And I figured most everyone likes shiny stuff. So why not use the stainles steel. I've seen some carts with chrome diamond plating on them. Is that actually metal or the plastic stuff?

07-19-2010, 08:18 PM	#2
WGW Foods Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 168	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? Mine is metal. I bent it by hand and rachet straps over the old front end.

07-19-2010, 08:24 PM	#3
monkeyboy Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: southern, Indiana Posts: 93	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? I'm thinking about covering the whole kick plate under the seat on mine. And possibly making new back fenders. Mine are a little short since my wheelbase is longer from the ATV frame in the rear. I think I remember hearing that you can't weld stainless steel to regular steel right? I have a Clarke 310EN mig (electric only)

07-19-2010, 09:22 PM	#4
rifter rifter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Orlando Florida Posts: 4,055	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? You can weld Stainless to carbon but you should use 309 alloy welding rods. I have bent metal with 2X4s, a vice, C-clamps and a rubber hammer. Lay out your bends, and get your 2X4s C-clamped on each side of the metal on the line, clamp the whole thing in a vice and hold pressure with one hand in the direction you want to bend and start working it with the rubber hammer, it will work, it's just a poor boy sheet bender-- I know.

07-20-2010, 07:38 AM	#5
TheNewGuy Admin/Moderator Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 18,055	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? Like Rifter said, wood, c-clamps, bars, pipe etc. This is the hood for my Geep1 cart.
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07-20-2010, 07:57 AM	#6
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,419	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? Okay so all we need is some 2x4s and a rubber mallet and a Forklift !? Nice Rounds Bends, Ron. Hey M-boy, I have a set of medalist rear fenders 4 sale/trade. Could you extend the pair you have with another pair? You know what I mean?

07-20-2010, 08:47 AM	#7
popatop Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 894	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? *The spaces in a wooden deck floor work great to make bends in diamond plate kind of a Hick Vice but it works*

07-20-2010, 11:12 AM	#8
DavidP Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: GTA, just North of Toronto Posts: 15	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? That's a beautiful setup that "TheNewGuy" is using to get those bends for his jeep hood ... Wish I could do that ... but I don't have a forklift ... so mine is a much more modest attempt ... I've been using 2" cast iron water pipe (2.5") getting smooth bends in 20 ga sheet metal by attaching it to the bench with C clamps and gradually forming with a soft 'deadblow' hammer along the 4' length Amazing ... the quality of the bends you can get with the right size of pipe and a little patience ...

07-20-2010, 03:53 PM	#9
monkeyboy Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: southern, Indiana Posts: 93	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? I got a forklift at work. But I think I can work something out in my garage. I was just afraid of kinking the bend in the metal. But pictures say a thousand words. I'm pretty confident I understand how to do it now. Any time I ever though about metal work I always remembered this show on how they made nascar bodies. They had alot of expensive tools... I was hope-ing there was a cheaper way.

07-20-2010, 03:57 PM	#10
monkeyboy Getting Wild Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: southern, Indiana Posts: 93	Re: How do you make smooth bends in sheetmetal? (scottyB) Yea, that's what I was going to do for my fenders anyways. My neighbor has another marathon sitting out back that he won't get rid of I'll have to measure my buddies work horse. It looks like those fenders would come out close.

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