How do I bend this metal???

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My father wants to make something similar to what is in the picture. Neither one of us can figure out how to make the leaves. It is a taco shell BUT it has a little backwards bend to it. We don't have a fabricating background and need help. Any ideas?My $120 Mig - Harbor Freight 151T 220VMy $300 Plasma Cutter - Rattler 40A  110V/220VCurrent project (Miata Trailer):http://www.lightweightmiata.com/trailer/
Reply:You're fcked.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Since I don't know enough to know it can't be done, I'd either cut a piece of wood shaped like that and hammer shape it or weld a couple of pipe nipples spaced out a little and use my hammer. I've done similar with using my vice opened 1/2-3/4" and use a piece of steel to make it begin to fold. Either way will take a little elbow grease and imagination. It looks like sheet metal, so should not be too hard.Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:What gauge material do you want them shaped out of? What do you have for tools? Do you have torches? One way would be to take two pieces of round stock welded side by side then bent to the radius you want the leaves. Cut out the leaves to the size you want bent them over a piece of plate to get the center Vee vein started. Next place them over the bent round stove with the vee in the area that you get withthe two round stock pieces side by side. Use a soft faced hammer to form the reverse curve over the bar stock. I hope this makes sense...TimLast edited by moose; 01-20-2014 at 03:23 PM.Timmetalcraft by mooseSoutheast Michiganhttps://www.facebook.com/Metalcraftbymoose  Stupid Hurts!!
Reply:Not to shoot your hopes down, but its gonna be difficult if you've never worked with metal art before... You'll more than likely give up before the first flower is completed... that backwards bend is a pain... Good luck if you give it a try!Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
Reply:Angle iron would work. And lot of heat. Check out www.anvilfire.com.  They have  tutorials on leaf making.  Not difficult and many ways to get that project completed. You end up with a lot of tooling and time in getting the first one done..  Sent from my SPH-M830 using Tapatalk
Reply:Sounds like my dad has a lot of work ahead of him! Yes, we have torches.My $120 Mig - Harbor Freight 151T 220VMy $300 Plasma Cutter - Rattler 40A  110V/220VCurrent project (Miata Trailer):http://www.lightweightmiata.com/trailer/
Reply:Order them pre-stamped?  http://www.frankmorrow.com/Products/...layCategory=11
Reply:Use lead, no problemo!!!Hobart 125 EZHobart Handler 140Everlast STH 160Generic 210 Amp Welder/GeneratorHobart Air Force 500i plasma cutterChinese 50 amp plasma cutter! Youtube Channel : Henrymac100
Reply:I am going to disagree with the other posters and say that this is not difficult.  I would do this in the following way.  Depending on the thickness, I might do it cold or red hot. 1. Cut out the shape of the leaf.2. Fold in half along the length  (Note that you could, if you so desired, do steps 1 and 2 in the reverse order.)3. Start hammering the outer edge (not the fold) to get the desired leaf curvature.   I would use a blacksmith cross peen hammer and an anvil.4. Open up the leaf with a knife or a sharp chisel or whatever tool you like.   You might end up making a pointed "stake" or two, that you could put in a vise.  You should have a leaf, and just need to weld on the stemIn the jewelry world, this would be considered a very simple fold form.  You might want to look up foldforming, perhaps the only new jewelry technique developed in the last fifty years.It will take you a few trials and errors to get the desired effect, but it should not be difficult.There are other ways to do it, but based on the photo, I think that this is the easiest and fastest way.The web site below explains it better than I did, and includes photos.  Amusingly, the site below references Travis Ogden, who I know.http://www.jewelrymakingdaily.com/bl...etal-leaf.aspxRichard Originally Posted by rmcelweeMy father wants to make something similar to what is in the picture. Neither one of us can figure out how to make the leaves. It is a taco shell BUT it has a little backwards bend to it. We don't have a fabricating background and need help. Any ideas?
Reply:If i could not order them i would make a simple stamp die set for my ironworker to shear them and press them into that shape. It could just as well be done with a harbor freight press and some elbow grease. Good luck!
Reply:After looking again, if I had no real equipment and had to make these, I would roll or heat  a piece of 1.5" square tubing into the correct radius on edge (place the tubing up like a diamond, then take a cut off wheel or plasma and start cutting and deburring them untill they are the correct shape!
Reply:look at blacksmithsdepot.com under leaf stake. that aint thge one youre lookin for but twill give you the idea..search for the right one or make it..you can build up an area with weld and grind it down and get the shape you like..
Reply:youtube forging and anvil leaves and flowers.
Reply:These are relatively easy to build. I haven't built any just like these but close. I cut them out of 2 1/2" exhaust tubing. The round of the tube gives you the outer bend in the leaves. I welded two pieces of 1 1/4" pipe together for a jig. Place the leaf length wise on the pipe and hit it with a brick chisel. The chisel is longer than the leaf and will crease it length wise by pushing it into the "V" between the pipes. After you do some you will have your technique down pat. Good luck.
Reply:just take thin gauge metal and heat treat it till you can bend to desired shape.clean it up and throw some finisher on it.Last edited by Ghost; 01-21-2014 at 02:36 AM.
Reply:Those are machine made.Here's a starthttp://www.archirondesign.com/Components/Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Here's da leaveshttp://www.archirondesign.com/Compon...LEAVES-STAMPEDBubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:I don't think those are the same leaves Burpee. These are thicker. Those you referenced are only .020, and are a pain to work with.