Bending aluminum

[Wyattboche]

Has anyone attempted to bend aluminum before? Going to try to bend up some 1" square tubing, but will it kink being its so soft?

[Lance-W]

Nope, never tried to bend any kind of aluminum ever 

[Carlriddle]

use the dies, just like for round tube.

[fabr]

Check with the die vendor first tho.

[WelderPat]

What alloy and temper do you plan to bend ?
T-6 Will not bend . It is to hard it will break.
If you are bending sheet 3003 is very bendable.
For tubing look for something in the 60XX alloy T-4

[Punkur67]

I bent the aluminium radiator lines for my fairlane and buggy.

[fabr]

I like that!

[dsrace]

ya way to go that looks real clean!!

[Wyattboche]

Not really sure on what type of square tube I want bend. I see that pro armor makes a set of half doors for the Polaris Razor's, and they want close to $600. Figure I could try to make a set ether full or half doors.
http://www.proarmor.com/Pro_Armor_RZR_RZR_S_RZR_XP_Doors_w_Sheet_Metal_NO_p/p081209.htm

[Doug Heim]

First off, The picture is showing it made from Round tube. If using square your better off mitering and welding. Furthermore... $600 is not bad for what you get in quality. Hardly believe you can make it that noce for that price as a one off project with all the trial and error and cost of die.

[pipelayer]

when I bend alum. I use DOM but it bounces back a bunch so it gets hard to be consistent with bends
its 6061 but if you use extruded 6061 it will split and crack easy. and the price will be more then double most of the time, so it is a wash if you are going to build something that is already made by a large company like Doug said

[vidio1]

My Ol'e pappy used to say; It's hard to beat a man at his own game....

[Grimm Reaper Racing]

What alloy and temper do you plan to bend ?
T-6 Will not bend . It is to hard it will break.
If you are bending sheet 3003 is very bendable.
For tubing look for something in the 60XX alloy T-4

I bend T6-6061 all the time Pat.  Now I know your not going to bend it as tight as say 3003 or 5052, but you can bend it.  If it was say 7075 or 2045 you would have some real issues in the T6 state.  Likely the issues would include breaking and swearing.

[trans man]

I bent the aluminium radiator lines for my fairlane and buggy.

SWEET!!!

[Wyattboche]

First off, The picture is showing it made from Round tube. If using square your better off mitering and welding. Furthermore... $600 is not bad for what you get in quality. Hardly believe you can make it that noce for that price as a one off project with all the trial and error and cost of die.

Now after pricing everything out, I will Have to agree with you. Not having a tube bender, Knowledge of bending, and the cost of alum. Later on when I get my tube bender I'll practice with mild steel. Also looking at it there is a ton of goofy angles.