How to bend aluminum - all grades and shapes

[bonks]

I wanted to start a thread here because there is so little info on the forum and on the net about the differences in bending certain types of aluminum. I am trying to do a tube framed buggy out of 6061 and wish there was more info out there.
So I am going to order up some 6061 small dia. tube, rod, and plate and try different bends in ea and post pictures with results.

The theories/techniques I am going to try first:
#1 Freeze alum tubing before bending to prevent cracks in the wall?

#2 Use torch, turn alum black from soot, then apply clean flame till soot burns off and then bend alum?

#3 Bending alum plate that is thicker than .05 will tend to crack in a sharp bend? Will try up to .125...hope it works

#4 instead of using sand inside a tube, I wanted to try tight bends with a fiberglass rod permanently installed inside the tube to add rigidity and to prevent crushing/folding during a bending process and by trail carnage

#5 When bending plate in a vise or break, how thick of material can be bent and how slowly it needs to be worked to prevent cracking, i.e. using a rubber mallet, torch, speed of bend, etc.

OK guys, hope you post some comments on your experiences with 6061, 6063, and 5052 alum of whatever shape.

[ghtpdm5]

on aluminum tube i've been using yoshi's (seen in his DD build thread) bolt cutter method. basically use the 3 bolts that form the pivot mech as a bender. useful and easy for links when you don't have a vice handy. it makes a very controlled bend in either rod or tube. also, instead of sand (which can be a real downer if it gets crushed into a bend), pack the tube with table salt. a small piece of brass rod to ram it works very well. after you get done with the bending, simply run water to wash all the salt out.

[Duuuuuuuude]

I've bent 5052 .125" sheet just fine. Just clamp tight and fold over with a hammer.

[C*H*U*D]

Just watch the grain when bending aluminum. Bend perpendicular to it or it will crack.

And I've bent 6061 1/4" rod before with no heat.

[binaryterror]

Don't heat it, you'll anneal it by it cooling slowly.

[bonks]

6061-T511 or T51 means the aluminum was tempered and or straightend. I am looking at buying non tempered 6061-0 and doing all the bending and welding first, and THEN having the frame baked in an oven at 800 degrees to temper it.

[Gen3_Teg_88]

Originally Posted by binaryterror

Don't heat it, you'll anneal it by it cooling slowly.

would quenching be a nono?

[crawlerlover]

Originally Posted by Gen3_Teg_88

would quenching be a nono?

I would personally say no.

[crawlingfolife]

Does alum have to be soild for this to work am trying to do light weight roll bars thsnjs for help

[Jeepfixer1]

I have made my own aluminum links out of 1/4x.049wall tubing purchased from my Lhs. I use a handheld bender for brake line and such purchased at an auto parts store. Have had no problems bending it 90 degrees. I made the lower links on my wraith making a similar double bend in the tubing and has turned out to be very strong. After about half a year a jumped off a set of steps (7 tall) and landed on the right front wheel, bending a lower link. When I tried to do a trailside repair and bend it back it did crack. For what it's worth it has worked well. There is a thread on making these links if you want to search my threads.

[electraglidebiker]

Finally something I know a little about. Your #2 option. Annealing occurs by the diffusion of atoms within a solid material, so that the material progresses towards its equilibrium state. Heat increases the rate of diffusion by providing the energy needed to break bonds. The movement of atoms has the effect of redistributing and destroying the dislocations in metals. This alteration in dislocations allows metals to deform more easily, so increases their ductility. The three stages of the annealing process that proceed as the temperature of the material is increased are: recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth. The first stage is recovery, and it results in softening of the metal through removal of primarily linear defects called dislocations and the internal stresses they cause. Recovery occurs at the lower temperature stage of all annealing processes and before the appearance of new strain-free grains. The grain size and shape do not change. The second stage is recrystallization, where new strain-free grains nucleate and grow to replace those deformed by internal stresses. If annealing is allowed to continue once recrystallization has completed, then grain growth (the third stage) occurs. In grain growth, the microstructure starts to coarsen and may cause the metal to lose a substantial part of its original strength. This can however be regained with Hardening. Now to undo the effects of Annealing. Precipitation hardening is a process where particles are distributed throughout the metal and cause resistance to slip dislocations. This is achieved by first heating the metal to a temperature where the elements forming the particles are soluble then quenching it, trapping them in a solid solution. Had it been a liquid solution, the elements would form precipitates, just as supersaturated saltwater would precipitate small salt crystals, but atom diffusion in a solid is very slow at room temperature. A second heat treatment at a suitable temperature is then required to age the material. The elevated temperature allows the dissolved elements to diffuse much faster, and form the desired precipitated particles. The quenching is required since the material otherwise would start the precipitation already during the slow cooling. This type of precipitation results in few large particles rather than the, generally desired, profusion of small precipitates. Precipitation hardening is one of the most commonly used techniques for the hardening of metal alloys.

[winnerone23]

Awesome info! I didn't understand too many of the BIG ones, Can you repeat in English with mostly 4 letter words.... F.M.L.

I kid I kid.. :thumbup:

[electraglidebiker]

Originally Posted by winnerone23

Awesome info! I didn't understand too many of the BIG ones, Can you repeat in English with mostly 4 letter words.... F.M.L.

I kid I kid.. :thumbup:

Heat it but don't melt it, bend it, cool it, heat it slightly and cool it. And your done!!!!!!

Thats (9) 4 letter words. (6) 2 letter words. (3) 3 letter words, and one big word that means "tiny bit"