Thread: Heating 5 mm Steel Prior to Bending

Hello All,

I will have to bend some 5 mm metal plate into a "C" shape to form new mounting points between the truck chassis and the cabin. The vertical sections are 80 mm high and 90 mm across the horizontal span. Length is about 120 mm.

Should I heat the area to be folded prior to bending the material? It will be wedged between heavy angle iron and hit with a large hammer (read "FBH") to make the folds.

Or I could rig up a form and see what sort of grunt my shop press has? Despite either technique - should the metal be heated prior to bending?

I have included a screen shot showing a bloke restoring a V8 Series 3 Stage 1 who is bending 2.5 mm galvanised sheet for a patch panel for their Land Rover chassis. No heat was used prior to folding/ The photo shows the hammer technique - accessed 23rd November 2020 from Lockdown Land Rover Rebuild chassis 6.2 Chassis repairs - YouTube . Ideally, should this 2.5 mm sheet be heated prior to the bends being formed?

Kind regards
Lionel

Here is a bending jig I made up for my 20T press using scrap steel. And a lower shock mount a made on the weekend (in 5mm plate).

You don't specifically need heat, it just makes it easier. Cold formed bends are no issues structurally.