How To Flatten Thin Aluminum Sheet

Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one.

How to flatten thin aluminum sheet.

With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. Or a thin sheet of rubber on work bench. 6000 series like 6061 or 7000 series like 7075 you are out of luck. Learn how to bend sheet metal so you.

How to cut thin aluminum. If is not 2000 series like 2024. Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. Then when you undo the clamps you will have a nice flat sheet of precious metal.

Soft surface several layers of cloth on top of work bench. The first question is which aluminum alloy you have. First anneal the sheet then grip the sheet between two sheets of 1 8 thick flat stock steel sheet gripped tightly using steel g clamps then anneal the steel sheets until they are dull red and let it cool without quenching. Item 168753 model 11786.

All the other alloys are work hardened and there s not much you can do to flatten them after they are bent and warped other than by careful hammering best left to an expert. On a molecular level the increased heat causes the molecules of the sheet metal to become excited. Hillman 12 in x 24 in cold rolled steel expanded sheet metal. Use wood as a backing piece to help push the chisel through the metal and prevent the chisel s tip from wearing.

The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot. One involves using a blow dryer or a paint stripper which emits heat to warm the metal of the dent. This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.

If it is that small you may be able to flatten it by placing it on a somewhat soft surface and running a roller over it. You may have to experiment with the thickness of the soft material and the diameter of the roller. If you re cutting a line in a sheet of aluminum you can skip the vice and cut your way down the sheet on a flat surface. 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.

These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife.