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Bending sharp edges on brass strips


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Dear All,

 

Can anyone recommend tools or tips on how to create sharp edges on brass strips? I am creating hinges and other small brass parts for cannons. I can bend the metal but the edges are too round. I saw people are talking about special pliers etc. but I could not find them on the internet? Any advice would be really appreciated. My metal work looks kind of ugly at this moment...

 

Thank you!

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Mr Laza,

 

Have a look here and here

 

you might find them closer to home if you search a bit. Most brass will have a somewhat roundish edge, you could try and file it slightly down to a sharp shape. Having said that, bending will always leave a round edge, you can get a straight sharp edge by soldering two pieces at e.g 90º The size in modelling, however, has it's limitations ... at least that's my experience as an amateur

Edited by cog

Carl

"Desperate affairs require desperate measures." Lord Nelson
Search and you might find a log ...

 

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As Carl relates it is quite difficult to get brass to not round over when bent. As you did not state the thickness I have to assume it is less than or equal to 0.5 mm for your application. If you heat it, it will bend more satisfactory. You can use a small table top vise to crimp the fold and get better results yet. The combination of both should prove even more satisfactory.

Joe

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Sandor 

If you use a small vice, smooth jaws are a must as knurled faced jaws will mark your brass. A light flat faced hammer will easily bend the brass over and will create a sharp 90' bend for you Cut the pieces to length before bending as cutting after the bend is in will not work well at all even drilling any holes is much easier while the material is flat. If you are making a few of the same item's make a jig in the vice jaws to ensure the parts all fold at the same point.

Andy 

Current Build

HM Granado CC

Past builds

 HMS Chatham CC, HM Convulsion CC,  Duke William German Kit, Fair American LSS, The Wright Flyer MS

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Sandor, the key is to first anneal the strip by heating it to just starting to change color and then quenching in water; this will soften the brass. Then with small duckbill pliers straddling a rod slowly form the strip while pushing down and squeezing at the same time.

There is a picture on page 9 of my Constitution build of this.  Hope this helps.

Ken

Current build: Maersk Detroit"
Future builds:  Mamoli HMS Victory 1:90
Completed builds: US Brig Niagara, Dirty Dozen, USS Constitution, 18th Century Armed Longboat
https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/11935-uss-constitution-by-xken-model-shipways-scale-1768/

 

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If the brass has any thickness, file a 'V' on the side you are bending toward. There will still be a slight radius, but it will be much less than a bend where that has not been done.

Bending sheet metal.psd

Edited by druxey

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On 18/05/2018 at 10:43 AM, cog said:

Mr Laza,

 

Have a look here and here

 

you might find them closer to home if you search a bit. Most brass will have a somewhat roundish edge, you could try and file it slightly down to a sharp shape. Having said that, bending will always leave a round edge, you can get a straight sharp edge by soldering two pieces at e.g 90º The size in modelling, however, has it's limitations ... at least that's my experience as an amateur

Thank you, it is a good idea! I will try it!

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On 19/05/2018 at 10:36 PM, druxey said:

If the brass has any thickness, file a 'V' on the side you are bending toward. There will still be a slight radius, but it will be much less than a bend where that has not been done.

Bending sheet metal.psd

Thank you, I tried this yesterday and works great!

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On 18/05/2018 at 4:07 PM, xken said:

Sandor, the key is to first anneal the strip by heating it to just starting to change color and then quenching in water; this will soften the brass. Then with small duckbill pliers straddling a rod slowly form the strip while pushing down and squeezing at the same time.

There is a picture on page 9 of my Constitution build of this.  Hope this helps.

Thank you, I followed the link, your build is absolutely stunning! I will follow your thread it is truly educational!

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When I had to make sharp bends into thin brass sheet, I made a simple jig of 6x30 mm iron bar.  First I cut suitable pieces of the bar, milled straight the two mating edges, made the holes and threads and screwed parts together so that the other jaw is fixed and the other can be moved a couple of millimeters:

20180529_073411.thumb.jpg.a5f20ed7ea0cc18ebf8c7d88a935e59f.jpg

 

20180529_073422.thumb.jpg.e7b0c0d5b22cfa34216db682c9c72baa.jpg

 

 

 

Then I was locating a piece of brass sheet between the "jaws", tightened the allen screws lightly and put the jig between the jaws of my workbench:

20180529_073634.thumb.jpg.efd8cd8fef8f8f1831507d2fc572314e.jpg

 

 

 

Bent first the brass piece with fingers, and finally tapped it slightly with a hammer to get sharp bend:

20180529_073704.thumb.jpg.a162ddbc5701efd2c54e1b82df00c7ae.jpg

 

 

And voila, you have a rather sharp bend. This works with brass of thickness, say 0,1.....1,0 millimeters. And with this jig it is possible to make "angle iron" of brass sheet up to about 20 cm length:

20180529_073739.thumb.jpg.913a19feeaf4f7c2b5d05612016af58e.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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