Bend metal

[NYC Joe]

So I'm trying to figure out the best way to bend some metal.

Let me give you the story:
I live in the city and have a terrace. The lady bought 3 large planter boxes. And they're wood. I thought it would be a nice idea to hang them off the side of the terrace.

So I bought some planter box hangers. Basically a wrought iron looking bracket that would hang off the side. On the inside facing towards us on the terrace.
Spend an arm and a leg on them. I found out they don't fit.

So being adventurous. I took the bracket apart and have a straight L piece that I would want to bend in to a angular U shape.

Took a hammer against a U shape and started banging. Had some give but not enough.

Have 3 brackets. Each with 2 L's.
So 6 total. Any ideas? I'm out of them!


Thanx
-Joe

 

[jbjints]

Do you know anyone with a table vise? It would be a lot easier to bend the brackets using a table vise. Is there a local machine shop in the neighborhood or a contractor, possibly a GC?

 

[NYC Joe]

Great start. In sure someone I know may have one.


Thanx
-Joe

 

[garys reef]

u have to heat the metal to get it to bend use a torch

 

[DrAsTiC]

+1 you have to make the metal really hot to bend it. By beating it with a hammer it will not come out as nice.

u have to heat the metal to get it to bend use a torch

 

[NYC Joe]

Hmm blowtorch. Sounds fun.
Warm it up. How to bend. Do you think I'll be able to bed with pliers if it's hot enough?



Thanx
-Joe

 

[JimmyR1rider]

If you're going to go the blowtorch route(which I wouldn't I'd just have a metal fab shop bend it, it'll be just as much of a pain in the a$$ as playing with fire) you're going to need a second person and a jig of some sort to clamp the metal to to do it right if the metal is thick. If its thin you can do it much easier but I'd still have a for to wrap the bend around to make the bend real nice.

You heat the spot and about an inch or so around it to red hot and while heat is still being applied the other person can bend the metal with vise grips or a clamp that you can grab the metal with that will have a firm grip and will not slip and will keep your hand out of the heat.

A metal shop will have presses/torches and everything else to do it. You just have to find one that will take on a small, non-commercial job which is the hardest part sometimes depending on how the shop manager feels the day you ask him to do the job.

 

[NYC Joe]

I don't think there's any metal fab shops in manhattan. Theyre all out in bk and qns. Hard for me being in the city.
Wow thanx guys! A lot of great advice here.


Thanx
-Joe

 

[garys reef]

its not as hard as it sounds heat it up and bend it another person will helpbut i have done this by myself many times no problem when you have the final producy dip in water or oil and it will strengthen the metal