5052 or 3003 Aluminum for multiple tight bends on tool boxes?

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Looking for an aluminum where I can make several (3-4) 90 degree bends close to each other for the lips of tool boxes without it tearing.  Material will be 1/8".  Will 5052 work fine for this?Craig MontgomeryM&L Fabrication, LLChttps://www.facebook.com/pages/ML-Fa...8228829?ref=hl
Reply:5052 is a lot harder to bend ( has much more tensile strength at least in typical rolled condition I've gotten it in, which I think was "H32") than the 3003 I've dealt with.  I believe 3003 is generally weaker (easier to bend) and more malleable, although regardless of which alloy you get, if you can find it in a less work-hardened condition, that will make a big difference in how easy it is to work (and how malleable it is too).Aircraft spruce has a chart with various aluminum alloy (and for various work-hardened states ) including minimum bend radii, if that's what you're interested in (this would answer the question of whether a given thickness, alloy and work hardening condition could be cold-bent to a certain diameter reliably, without cracking - a function of the material's malleability). Tensile strength would be the measure of how much force it will take to get it to bend (the less psi tensile, the easier to bend).Link: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...minumalloy.pdfAfter reviewing the charts, annealed (-O condition) material would be best regardless of whether it's 3003 or 5052 or even 6061.  (And I believe 3003-O especially would bend like butter.)For a really tricky bend area, you could potentially anneal it before starting if the material you got wasn't already annealed  (or anneal it partway through bending) to restore malleability and eliminate work-hardening in the area you anneal.  Might warp a bit though, so maybe best to consider it as a "back-up plan" if you run into a problem after you get started.  Probably a big propane weed burner would do the annealing pretty easily.Last edited by jakeru; 10-25-2013 at 02:10 AM.
Reply:Great, thanks a lot for all the information!  I think I will go with 5052-0.  Looks like that would be best for having some tight bends, yet still have some hardness for areas without bends.Craig MontgomeryM&L Fabrication, LLChttps://www.facebook.com/pages/ML-Fa...8228829?ref=hl
Reply:Originally Posted by montgoc3Great, thanks a lot for all the information!  I think I will go with 5052-0.  Looks like that would be best for having some tight bends, yet still have some hardness for areas without bends.
Reply:Actually ended up going with 14ga 3003, as they did not have 5052 in "0", only in H32.  Will reply back here with how it goes.  I will be bending these on a 8' Chicago manual finger brake.  Only ordered one sheet at this time, to make sure I am happy with the results.  There will be framework as well, so I think the 3003 will work out fine.  Time will tell. Thanks again for your help!Craig MontgomeryM&L Fabrication, LLChttps://www.facebook.com/pages/ML-Fa...8228829?ref=hl
Reply:Set your top leaf about 1.5 x thickness and be ready to pull like hell, but 3003 will bend nice. Shouldn't have any problems with cracking.