"rolling” an aluminum channel

[SmokelessJoe]

Does anyone know if it is possible to “roll” an aluminum channel, say 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2, into the typical curve of the Airstream interior wall?

If so, how is it done?


Sergei

[lewster]

Sergei,

It CAN be done with the right machinery. IIRC, you should find the right bender on Eastwood Company: Auto Tools, Body Repair, Classic Car Restoration, House of Kolor Paint, Powder Coating. The process involves alternately stretching and shrinking the edges of the metal to achieve the curve.

I've done it many times in precious metal when wearing my other professional hat (custom goldsmith) but have never done it on the large scale that you need. Eastwood should have it!

[Aerowood]

Yes it is possible. I,m guessing you want to make a curved channel for a partition to nest in. If you have access to a slip roll that will open wide enough and use a softer alloy aluminum and then fill the channel with sarifin you can roll it. If the channel is soft enough you can bend it in a gentle curve by hand. Give it a try you might be surprised how easy it can be.

[SmokelessJoe]

Areowood:


I'm guessing you meant Paraffin, right?

Let's see if I understand: you fill the U channel with wax, then feed it through the slip roll ( providing that you can get the steel rollers to open to 1/2".

Is that it?

Thanks.

Sergei

[Aerowood]

No, I meant sarafin, it is a metalized wax. But paraffin would work. It is also used in tube bending to keep the tubing wall from collapsing while bending. And yes you have the jest of it

[brandok]

hey i was in my local metal dealer looking for so 2024 for my as and ran across some sheet alum that they called a o temper so it was soft engough that you could bend with you hand and was still 2024 alum. my thought would be that you could make a mdf template of the shape you are looking for and slowly wrap your piece around it i would guess you would have some wrinkling on the btm but nothing major i think. but i am not a metal man and i am guessing that it would work so anyways good luck to you and let us know how you do it

[Aerowood]

"O" materail is annealed and dead soft with absolutly no load carrying ability. This materail is used to form complex parts around a form as stated above. MDF however would not hold up for a thin channel. we use hardwoods or phonolic to make the forms. The O materail is formed around the mold and then heat treated. 2024-0 heat treats to 2024-T4

[brandok]

you must be a metal worker thanks for the info this is a great site for learning. i am a finish carptener/ furniture builder and use mdf for vener molds and bent ply forms.

[Aerowood]

Yes, I've been doing aircraft sheet metal since the mid 70,s

[SmokelessJoe]

Thanks to all of you, and to MARKDOANE who PM’d with me, for the Metal Working 101.

I quickly realized that unless I was willing to hunt all over the county for a shop that might have a slip roller, for a person that might take the time, for someone that would do it for less than the cost of an arm and a leg, I had better think of something more practical.

I decided on white PVC molding, commonly available and easily bent. It too fits my design ideas.

When I said the above to Markdoane he replied:

“I sometimes need to stop myself and say what is practical, and what is just gilding the lily. I think I would go with the plastic.”

The result is pretty nice. Go here to see it, post # 124

http://www.airforums.com/forum...e-18448-9.html


Sergei