How To Strengthen Thin Sheet Metal

How to bend sheet metal without a brake.

How to strengthen thin sheet metal.

Rolling sheet metal edges with wire strengthens the panel in two ways that ordinary sheet metal bending doesn t. The metal in the areas where holes and slots are punched gets stretched and become more tensile which gives more structural rigidity to the sheet metal. One is that by metal being folded over itself it has doubled in thickness. Part 1 of 3.

The second is it benefits from the structural integrity that the wire hidden inside gives. Place the die over the draw stud before inserting the stud through the pilot hole. Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. To setup the punch first drill a pilot hole into a piece of sheet metal with a step drill bit.

Now fold the edge of the metal over the metal wire. When spot welding for instance each spot weld causes the sheet to expand 360 degrees around the weld. Wire edge this is done by putting a small piece of metal wire near the edge of the panel. Learn how to bend sheet metal so you can complete home and hobby projects easily without using a sheet metal brake.

The punch is then. Heat causes metal to expand and warp if you re not careful. In addition to strengthening sheet metal panel this method helps in enhancing the finish of the panel edges. Try rivets or brazing.

That is they essentially allow a thin part to behave like a. Another way of strengthening the sheet metal is by punching holes and slots. Preparing to bend sheet metal with a vise. To create bends you can utilize a body hammer dolly or a metal brake.

Welding sheet metal isn t always the ideal way to join sheet especially thin or non ferrous sheet.