What type of tool can be used to bend this aluminum?

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Hello,I was looking to buy/make a tool that can bend this aluminum so I can make a cooler rack that is similar to this one for my jet ski.  What kind of bender do you guys recommend that I could purchase to be able to bend the aluminum like how they bent it in this rack.  http://www.greenhulk.net/forums/atta...6&d=1277577156http://www.greenhulk.net/forums/atta...9&d=1277577178
Reply:Looks like it may have been hand bent - no crisp bends to show it was a actual bender. If you not needing to do a lot of bending , you could bend this by clamping the flat stock down and hand bending it. I would recommend using 5052 alum. it is less prown to cracking when bent. If you want a tighter bend clamp it down on a corner of your welding table and put a little heat on it - then it will bend a tight bend.
Reply:Bending will be the easy part.  Getting all your bends in the same plane and lined up with the other strap will be the hard part.  I'm thinking a plywood form would be handy here.  Clamp your strip to it and wrap all the way around.  Mark a cut line on it before letting it spring back.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Thanks guys! I will give it a whirl and see what the outcomes will be like
Reply:I did a brief little tutorial on how I make bends in flat bar and round stock for misc. projects with nothing more than some crap that was laying around on my work benches. Here is a link to it http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=36978 A cheap compact bender (about 75-80 bucks at Harbor Freight) would make repeatability to the bends a little easier.I am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39I did a brief little tutorial on how I make bends in flat bar and round stock for misc. projects with nothing more than some crap that was laying around on my work benches. Here is a link to it http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=36978 A cheap compact bender (about 75-80 bucks at Harbor Freight) would make repeatability to the bends a little easier.
Reply:hossfeld bender will make these bends easy over and over. i have one i knowIf you like my stuff you can find me on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/theangryanv...ngryanvilforge
Reply:the rounded bends like like those from a compact metal bender350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:You could use a bend press. It is kind of a bench mounted press brake. you can make sharp bends with a vblock die, or generous arc bends without. I use one in my shop for these type of bends. Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by krouchchocolate Is it pretty easy to bend 1/8 thick aluminum?
Reply:that looks to be a lil closer to 1/4 inch i wouldn't think 1/8 would be anywhere near strong enough for a full cooler bouncing around on the water 350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off