I am poor, and only have hand tools. But! there is hope, I recently came across someone who wants me to make sign rotators for him, for like 8 bucks a pop.

I have figured out everything except, how to make a little "u" braket.

basicly, i need to cut strips of 1/16 steel perfectly straight, and bend them at 90 degree angles using only hand tools.

can anyone offer some advice?

get a job

get a job

come on, serisouly, don't you think i'm trying to do that? can we please stay on topic.

at anyrate, i was thinking of cutting a 90 degree "L" in a piece of hard wood, then using another block and a hammer to bend it into shape.

Hello,

I'm not really sure what type of sign rotator you're trying to make. Could you could explain it or the part that you are trying to make in more detail ?- how wide the strips would be and their purpose.

Perhaps you could find something at the hardware store that could be adapted.

If you describe the part further I may have other suggestions.

-Jason

It sounds like you need two pieces of angle iron and an arbor press for the bends. As for the cutting, you'll have to get really handy with a hacksaw or buy a cheap chopsaw, maybe.

depends on the gage and material - hand bending is EASY so long as its a light gage and/or not a super long bend (the force required is a combo of the two + material type). for example i easy hand bend 1" wide 20 gage steel, but 1' wide is a problem. also, material obviously has an affect, half hard brass is easier than stainless for example. appropriately sized sq bar held in the vice and a leather sheet metal mallet can to a lot. next up is a set of bending bars as shown in the link below - all you need is a drill press to make them. If its more than a mallet can handle, I've seen homemade simple brakes made of angle iron right (search dave gingerly sheet metal brake)up complex finger brakes , but that's a big commitment in building one. Here's an example of some handwork in sheet metal I've done

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15801&highlight=brass+gas+tank

edit: sorry, missed the 1/16 steel part - that's heavy, but the answer still depends on how wide a strip, bending bars & mallet may work if they are narrow enough