Slicing, welding and grinding seems a PITA but it'd certainly leave a nice strong bracket, the weld should be at least as strong as the material it's attached to...
Does this seem like a good idea? I'm thinking especially for making one off brackets of various sizes.
I've attached a drawing of a strip viewed from the edge
[img][/img]
How about just bending the strip? Seems like a lot of work to do welding
quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
How about just bending the strip? Seems like a lot of work to do welding
Depends. Your going to get a heat affected zone near each of the welds... Whats the application?
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
Slicing, welding and grinding seems a PITA but it'd certainly leave a nice strong bracket, the weld should be at least as strong as the material
it's attached to...
seems a fair enough way of going about it, but depends on the application. Not sure I'd want to used that kind of bracket in a heavy duty application. I'd want a solid bracket, but then I'm not an expert welder.
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
Slicing, welding and grinding seems a PITA but it'd certainly leave a nice strong bracket, the weld should be at least as strong as the material it's attached to...
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Bending device = vice and f'ing big hammer?
When I bent mine in the vice I found that the side I had bent up got in the way when I tried to bend the other one. The easiest way was to cut the face off square tube after it was cut into bracket widths.
I made my suspension brackets with a vice and a big hammer. The bend radius was still quite large and nut very even. They are OK.
I made another bracket for something else cutting a 1.5mm deep slot into 3mm thick metal and bending using a vice and hammer. The bend is crisp and
the weld fills up the cut slots nicely. I can't comment on how the weld affects the metal, but aren't the brackets welded to the
chassis?
Make sure the slots are on the outside for easy welding.
Is it not better to just buy U channel in lengths and cut them down??
That way there's no stress in the steel from bending.
Steve
Did you see this thread here the other day?? Looks a damn site quicker and easier to me.
Linky thing
quote:
Originally posted by coozer
Is it not better to just buy U channel in lengths and cut them down??
That way there's no stress in the steel from bending.
Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Paul TigerB6
Did you see this thread here the other day?? Looks a damn site quicker and easier to me.
Linky thing
Given the choice, I always go for the simple -lazy - solution. Anywhere possible I always use square tubing and cut off one side. Tons easier than bending it from flat. Also, if you drill the holes before cutting off the one side, the alignment will be perfect.
I was making brackets the other day to support cooling pipes so not structural . Using 25 x 3 mm steel strip from Homebase I found the outside of the
90 deg bend had crystalised and fissured.
I managed to make a couple of satisfactory ones by grooving the inside of the bend and using heat from a blowtorch but I wouldn't trust them for
anything vital
Huh! Mine were 4mm thick stainless 
You ought'a see the size of my 'ammer
Paul G
Rescued attachment 000_0306-s.jpg
just to settle it couldnt you just make one of each, get a big press and but stresses on it in different places see which one snaps first?
What about something like this bender. They're AU$35 so they should be cheap as
chips in the UK.
Just a thought,
Dominic
You could just make the bracket as 2 flat plates with holes in and weld them to the chassis tube using a spacer between them as a jig, i think the
main reason for using U section is convenience .
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by TheGecko
What about something like this bender. They're AU$35 so they should be cheap as chips in the UK.
Just a thought,
Dominic
quote:
Originally posted by paulf
You could just make the bracket as 2 flat plates with holes in and weld them to the chassis tube using a spacer between them as a jig, i think the main reason for using U section is convenience .
Paul.
I cheated - I paid a local blacksmith to make my brackets. Bent hot, so should have no stress cracking.
Not a stupid price, IIRC - especially after I said that I wasn't in a hurry, so he could fit them into his work schedule as and when it suited
him.
If you can't get square section tube in the right size, could you get a bigger one and pack it out with washers?
It would be easy to make a jig from a bit of bar cut to width and drilled through the middle or even a stack of washers the required thickness, then
the brackets positioned either side and a bolt put through whilst welding.
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
I think it also helps to ensure that the holes are in line as well, whereas the 2 flat plats would need something through the holes before welding to hold them in the correct alignment.
This is something I've wondered about because you often see the two flat plates method use with round tube chassis where the bracket plates have 'birds' mouths' cut in the end.
Interesting stuff
John
I took some bigger U-profile 3mm thick. Next is drill holes after putting some wood into it to prevent bending. Then cut them off.
So no extra heat or bending failure there.
If you take bigger ones you can use the extra room for adjustment for caster.
Grtz