bending brass D strip

[Boatasaurus]

Hi
just want to know if 1/2" 'brass D section strip can be bent by hand over a timber block to approx 80 degrees with a tight fit to both surfaces into the corner..... will it stretch enough ....or will it bend in a larger arc .......or will it break? or does it need to be heated? any advice appreciated.

thanks in advance.

[BobL]

Hi
just want to know if 1/2" 'brass D section strip can be bent by hand over a timber block to approx 80 degrees with a tight fit to both surfaces into the corner..... will it stretch enough ....or will it bend in a larger arc .......or will it break? or does it need to be heated? any advice appreciated.

thanks in advance.

It will break. Minimum turning radius with heating is typically between 2 and 2.5 times a tube's diameter.

[Boatasaurus]

thanks Bob, assume this applies to solid brass strip also, Will probably cut and butt together, will be on keel/transom of small boat and should be ok.
cheers David

[BobL]

thanks Bob, assume this applies to solid brass strip also, Will probably cut and butt together, will be on keel/transom of small boat and should be ok.
cheers David

Sorry I just assumed it was tube.

If you could live with the fact that it would be thinner at the corner I reckon you could do it but you would need to anneal it several times because it will work harden as it is bent. I guess you have nothing to lose by trying it out. Brass is annealed by heating to about 500ºC for for a few minutes to anneal. This is not red heat so its hard to judge and if you heat it too much it will melt.

A piece of steel cut to the right angle with the right shaped corner would be handy, heat, bend, heat, bend, etc. Then to make the corner tight, anneal it and hold it against the steel former and hammer it into shape.

Don't forget to anneal it when you finish otherwise the stresses will remain making it brittle and likely to break.

I have "mucked about" with brass but I would not call myself a pro so I would suggest seeking further advice, especially if you wanted the thing to last for a long time. Maybe someone else can chip in here?

[Woodlee]

Best to heat it in a dark area so you can see the colour change .
Heat until it just starts to get a red tinge to it , then chill it in water .
Bobs idea of a pre cut jig to bend it around is a good idea .


Kev.

[BobL]

Best to heat it in a dark area so you can see the colour change .
Heat until it just starts to get a red tinge to it , then chill it in water .
Bobs idea of a pre cut jig to bend it around is a good idea .


Kev.

Onya Kev, and good idea about using a dark area. :2tsup:

[Boatasaurus]

thanks, will let you know how it goes.
cheers David