Is this possible to bend

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Over the summer i'm going to be building a 10' snow pusher box for my skid steer which is going to be plowing warehouse parking lots next winter. Now i'm not sure if its possible to bend 3/16" steel for the moldboard curve with just clamps. I would build the back frame first which would be made of 1/4" ribs that would have the curvature cut into it and there would be tubing and angle running the full width of the plow. Do you guys think its possible to bend the 3/16" sheet to the frames curve with just clamps and straps. Heres a quick drawing of the curvature that i would want to make. Attached ImagesHobart IronMan 230Hypertherm 45XP on a CNC table1.5HP 9x42 MillUNIBOR EQ35N Mag Drill
Reply:You could spring that shape with enough 48" pipe clamps but I doubt the shape would conform exactly to your ribs. It would get you close. Once you tack one end of each rib it may not be that hard to "work" the bend as you stitch up the ribs going across one stitch per rib before moving up to the next stitch.
Reply:Why go so heavy? The steel on my 9' and 10' Fisher plows aren't more than 1/8" at best, and are probably closer to 14 ga. It's the ribs that take the weight.Heavy steel doesn't get messed up as fast, but it adds a lot of weight. If you are using a small machine, weight will be your enemy. In a heavy wet snow, I can end up pushing a pile 2-3' high, 10' wide and 5-6'+ in front of the blade if the snow isn't rolling off the blade and stacking instead. If I'm not careful I can load up so much the truck can't push it any more. With a skid steer, weight is going to quickly become an issue.The frame/cutting edge is where you need strength. That's what is going to take the hits on curbs/inlet boxes etc., not the actual mold board if you are doing a ribbed design like I think you are similar to the design of mt Fishers. If you are doing a non ribbed design, you'll have to get the 3/16" rolled or bent in a press brake as that will become your major structural component..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Maybe the snow is different in Canada then here in the US   But I think 3/16" is way over kill.www.georgesplasmacuttershop.comPlasma Cutter and Welder Sales and Repairs--Ebay storeTec.Mo. Dealer Consumables for the PT and IPT torch's
Reply:Originally Posted by mechanic416Maybe the snow is different in Canada then here in the US   But I think 3/16" is way over kill.
Reply:Like Doug said, use much thinner material. Your best option is to pay someone to step brake it for you. Most places with a press brake wider than 8' can easily do this for around $100 or so, with you supplying the material. The last moldboard I did, I had a guy I know step brake it for me, then I drilled several holes in it is I could slide a threaded rod thru it to snug it up to the rib supports. Once I got everything lined up, I put tack welds on the spots where the moldboard met the ribs. Then, just MIG weld the holes shut.I believe I used 14 ga as well on that plow. As Doug also pointed out, if the blade is too heavy, and becomes weighted with snow, pushing it will become extremely difficult. He's very experienced at plowing so I would take anything he tells you to the bank as solid fact. Even trying to bend thin material on a long lateral line and get it uniform and straight without the benefit of a rigid set of dies will be a nightmare, and will likely look much the same by the time you're done. The force of a upper and lower die applying equal pressure along the section being bent creates a uniform crease and also provides some strength on the perpendicular axis. Rolling it also creates strength, but finding a local place with a set of rolls to handle larger materials like that usually isn't happening. They will probably have very high minimum processing charges as well.That's why you will often see large, thin sheetmetal panels or covers broke along two crossing diagonal sections forming an X pattern. This increases rigidity and helps the thin material to hold its shape over a larger area.Step breaking it is the easiest way to get it done. Mounting it to the ribs is cake afterwards.IMHO of courseExpert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:I second the step braking with thinner material,  one of the reason is if you roll it the wet snow will adhere to the flat round shape, with a polygonal shape it breaks the snow free.
Reply:I'd brake it also, don't know about the availability of a 10' brake around your parts, 8' is more common. Wondering if the reason for wanting 3/16" is for the extra down force weight or strength?  Op is using a skid steer not a truck, which will give a lot more traction and will also likely maybe be using down pressure instead of float mode.
Reply:Down weight would make more sense with a truck where gravity is the only thing other than blade geometry to apply down force. With a bucket/snow pusher, you should be able to stand the machine up on the blade if you want using the hydraulics for down force.Most snow boxes don't really touch the ground anyways. You don't have a trip like you do with a plow blade if you hit something. They often set them up just off the ground using the shoes, or use a rubber cutting edge that will still scrape the pavement, but deform if you hit a water box so the pusher still rides over it.A lot of guys use the pusher as an oversized bucket to stack the snow vertically so they can use less real estate in a parking lot. A heavy box means you can't "lift" as much snow for stacking..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Well the reason why i want to go so heavy is the skid steer im buying is a 10,000 lbs 90 hp skid steer so the weight of the blade does not matter. My boss has a little bit small skid steer and his moldboard is made of 1/4" with no back frame just ribs and he hit a curb and bent the blade to ****. So i want my blade to be a lot stronger then my bosses blade.Hobart IronMan 230Hypertherm 45XP on a CNC table1.5HP 9x42 MillUNIBOR EQ35N Mag Drill
Reply:With no ribs you would be better off with 3/16". My only concern would be the bend point, I'd rather bend the mouldboard then the loader arms.
Reply:His bent because their were no ribs or structure behind it.  Build the sub structure then skin it with thinner material.Miller 211 MIGThermal ARC 186 TIGHypertherm Powermax 30 Plasma
Reply:I've managed to Fubar all sorts of things on the 9' Fisher, but never bent to skin of the blade. I've managed to bend 3 sets of A arms fairly badly, each time going progressively heavier on construction. I've wallowed out pins, bent pistons on multiple occasions, and yet the blade skin is rusting out faster than I can destroy that.In a ribless design, it's the blade itself that gives you your strength. Thus you need a stiff material. With a heavy frame, you can go with a lighter skin. I think if you want to go with a heavy skin, rolling or a brake is going to be your only option. If it's flexable enough to bend without a brake, it's not going to be as strong as it sounds like you want it to be..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I would find a shop with a slip roller and have them just roll it for you. Im fortunate enough to have one at work, but even if I didn't I would probably spend the few bucks to have it done.I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:put the plate on 6x6's and drive the skid steer over the center. That's what my father in law did to make his plow when he lived in indiana.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Step break, or slip rolls is how these youngens do things.If you had a tractor torch, you could old school it.  Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Have someone with a brake bend it.  Then make the ribs to fit afterwards.My name's not Jim....
Reply:I think you guys have a point of building a heavy frame and just skinning it, maybe ill just use 11 ga for the skin.Hobart IronMan 230Hypertherm 45XP on a CNC table1.5HP 9x42 MillUNIBOR EQ35N Mag Drill
Reply:That's a big skid steer! Is the blade going to be spring trip? If not 3/16" wouldn't be too thick. Thinner material might be more of a pain to work with. Just have the steel supplier roll it. Snow will roll off a round shape easier than bent shape. Braking when done properly is very close to rolling but takes a lot longer and costs more. Rolling a piece like that would take about 10 minutes. Only thing, they might have to cut the piece longer and then trim it after rolling. Talk to your steel supplier or rolling shop, it's not a big expensive job.
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPStep break, or slip rolls is how these youngens do things.If you had a tractor torch, you could old school it.
Reply:Thorshammer beat me to my idea ,two blocks at edge drive a truck ,or in your case a skid steer down the middle .
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeHaha, I was gonna say check with CEP, he'll show ya how to heat shrink it. Yes, I would try this too. There are so many ways to actually do this with heat, dogs, wedges etc etc and a open mind. Even pure redneck, weld 4 pad eyes on it and stand it upright against a phone pole and tug away with a truck or tractor. Ingenuity and work with what you have.
Reply:Old oil tanks. Free material, already bent.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:A tanker trailer manufacturer will roll it for you if they aren't too busy!