Welding Tips and Tricks

Soooo, I have a 12" x 48" sheet of .063 6061 aluminum. Customer wants a 1 1/2" 90 bend on the bottom to make an "L". This will be an end piece for a 3 sided box. (think back wall)

Two "side pieces" are same .063, 12" x 24". They will require the same bottom bend plus a 1" 90 degree bend to wrap around the end piece. Then lap weld.

Tried on a standard brake...no go.

Is this even possible? Heat it?

Thanks,
Bill

eelman308 wrote:Soooo, I have a 12" x 48" sheet of .063 6061 aluminum. Customer wants a 1 1/2" 90 bend on the bottom to make an "L". This will be an end piece for a 3 sided box. (think back wall)

Two "side pieces" are same .063, 12" x 24". They will require the same bottom bend plus a 1" 90 degree bend to wrap around the end piece. Then lap weld.

Tried on a standard brake...no go.

Is this even possible? Heat it?

Thanks,
Bill

We just had a huge thread on this.

https://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/ ... =2&t=15944

Deals mainly with 5000 series, but you'll find applicable info there.

Thanks. My search for bending 6061 didn't get any hits, hence this post.

Now, I could get the 24" pieces in the oven, provided my wife isn't home , and make up some kind of home bender, but the 48" piece is gonna be a problem.

Any suggestions?

6061 doesn't bend so well, even when heated. Tends to tear the grain structure.

Well, hell

Gotta go to plan B. Maybe weld the 1 1/2 foot on the bottom? Then do a corner joint rather than a lap?

have you tried to stitch cut at the fold? (Not sure IF it will hold together when you bend it tho...pretty thin). Make sure you're at least room temp. When you're done with the fold, you should have an outside/inside corner to weld together with some tabs holding it together.

What is the temper of the sheet? 0, T3, T6? It makes a world of difference.

It is T6

And THAT is the problem. May as well try bending glass sheet.

Does the project require 6061 t6? I've been able to do some pretty aggressive spinning and bending with 5052 and I am not a huge metal working place, just a small marine service shop.

No. No specific material required. It's just gonna box in the far end of a tray. Basically just to keep stuff from rolling off the back and the sides at the back.

He already has the aluminum sheets so I need to make it work. Plan B is to weld the bottom foot on. Plan C would be to weld / bolt it to 1 1/2 aluminum angle. Might be more sturdy this way

Thoughts?

I would cut it and weld the outside corners.

How did it turn out? Can we see pictures? Did you end up welding it?

Project is in a holding pattern due to weather. Will have to disassemble the unit outside. I'm leaning towards using 1 1/2 angle on the bottom and doing a lap joint. That will give a strong corner and something to solid to bolt thru to hold it down. Otherwise it'll only be .063. Don't need it cracking around the holes.