How To Straighten Aluminum Sheet Metal

Weston bye author.

How to straighten aluminum sheet metal.

Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. Heat straightening does not symmetrically straighten the metal and is a gradual process. 18 gauge 0 050 in. The process of straightening metal is one that while seeming easy is actually a fairly difficult thing to do correctly.

The reason for this is that metal tends to stretch when it is bent. With the right tools you can easily straighten aluminum yourself rather than spending money on a new piece of metal. 15 gauge and 0 063 in. In order to counteract this stretch you have to be able to shrink the metal back to its original position.

As with a steel part a good start is made by pushing or bumping out with the appropriately contoured tool. The vast majority of aluminum automobile bodies made before 1970 were of either 1100 or 3003 half hard h14 sheet in varying thicknesses of 0 040 in. A bending brake is a specialized metalworking tool used to create precise linear bends and folds in light gauge sheet metals like the kind used to make flashing for doors windows and roofs. Sheet metal isn t all that different from a car s bodywork so most methods which will remove dents from a car work for sheet metal.

Aluminum sheet gauge numbers differ from steel sheet gauge numbers. Its characteristics such as low density and corrosion resistance make it a popular and useful material. The fabricator does not heat this metal to the point where the metal undergoes molecular changes. Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one.

If you do inadvertently bend a piece of aluminum don t assume it is ruined and throw it away. Aluminum is also 100 percent recyclable and easily can be repaired. Stretching hot shrinking annealing metal finishing cold shrinking hot work planishing. In order to straighten it.

Aluminum is a versatile metal used in construction transportation and aeroscience. However hammering should be done. In addition the stresses added to this metal do not surpass the yield stress of the metal in the heated condition which is the point at which the metal deforms into an undesirable shape. Put a nice matte finish on the piece but it wasn t flat anymore.

Purchase a metal bending brake online or at your local hardware store. One involves using a blow dryer or a paint stripper which emits heat to warm the metal of the dent. Straightening tempered aluminum sheets key words. Don t know about flattening but i found that sand or bead blasting one side of sheet aluminum will put a bow in the metal bowing toward the blasted side.