How To Bend Copper Sheet Metal

A cutout or the edge of your flange to your bend.

How to bend copper sheet metal. The inside bend radius should be equal to the thickness of the material that you re forming. Otherwise the sheet metal is almost certain to shift as you bend it resulting in a bad bend. In other words if you re bending 1 8 sheet use a tool with a 1 8 radius to form the inside of the bend. Yes you can rig it by bending the metal over an edge like a board but the bend is not the same.

Determine your minimum bend by measuring the distance from your closest feature i e. While you can bend this copper with your hands to get a sharp 90 degree bend you must use a sheet metal brake. Monkeys spinning monkeys by kevin macleod. Here s a good rule of thumb for most materials.

Simple sheet metal bender using a hand roller clamps and plywood. In order to bend adjacent sides you will need a box and pan brake. If you re bending 0 020 thick material use a 0 020 radius. Choose a bend radius that matches your minimum bend.

20 gauge copper can be cut with heavy duty snips or sheet metal shears. To clamp efficiently lay your sheet metal on the top surface of your straightedge with the drawn line perfectly aligned with the outside edge of the sheet metal. To remove irregularity or improve uneven bends place a hardwood piece lengthwise along the bend and hit the bend with increased strength using a heavy duty hammer or mallet. Standard sheets are 96 or 120 inches long so you also have a seam or two to address.

Now you can bend one side after another has been bent without damaging the first bend. If you have any questions or want to discuss your design contact us.