Pie cuts to bend square tubing?

[Rezarf]

Howdy-

I am going to give this a shot. I want to use some square tubing to make my fenders for my trailer. Will cutting a bunch of slits in the steel net a curve? I used this technique with wood before and I am thinking steel wouldn't be that hard?

What about heating the tubing up with a torch, would that be faster? Cleaner?

Thanks!

Drew

 

[treerootCO]

Relief cuts would be better than bending. The tube will crush if you try to bend it. Another trick I have heard of is fill the tube with sand before bending it. The sand is supposed to support the tube and keep it from crushing.

Howdy-

I am going to give this a shot. I want to use some square tubing to make my fenders for my trailer. Will cutting a bunch of slits in the steel net a curve? I used this technique with wood before and I am thinking steel wouldn't be that hard?

What about heating the tubing up with a torch, would that be faster? Cleaner?

Thanks!

Drew

 

[Beater]

root's right, section it, but not multiple cuts. and you will need to heat it. if you don't have a rosebud torch, you can use mine if you are victor. or bring it by
j

 

[IanB]

You can get dies for bending square tubing.

 

[beatdown83fj60]

I cut it on a bandsaw and weld it, but that's me. You can always grind the welds smooth and hit them with a flapper disk for a "one piece" look.

 

[SROR/AKA 2BAD]

drew,
i have a 1" square die to bend if you need to use it.
you can come get it and use it up at Ians.

 

[Rezarf]

Jim-

I might take you up on that!

 

[SROR/AKA 2BAD]

Jim-

I might take you up on that!

ask groucho how it works. we bent some roof rack rails last week.
y7ou can come get it and use it at Ians if you want.