# How To Bend A Heavy Duty L Bracket?



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Got a picture?
What's it going to be used for?
How thick is it really? And what's it made of? Heavy duty to you may not be the same thing as HD to me.


----------



## jmsheldon (Feb 22, 2013)

The one I need to bend is 1-1/8" thick. The ones that I need to open up the holes of are 1-1/4" thick.


----------



## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

1 1/8" thick metal would need an entire high rise building to sit on it to bend it. do you know a metal shop that can make the bracket that you need?


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

If those sizes are right that sure would be heavy duty.
I see no way a DIY is going to be bending that, even if you did there would be what's called elastic deformation. Which just means it would be no good once bent.
If I had to do this I would just have any machine shop make one up for me.
They can use a milling machine to mill the 22-1/2 deg angles or cut the plate on a horizontal band saw, dill the holes on a milling machine and weld the two plates together.


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i doubt they are over 1" thick. i bet they are over 1" in size. probably 1/16" thick. 

still, your not bending that without some tools. i would cut and weld it, but i have the tools to do that. could also heat and bend, but i have the torches to do that also.


----------



## jmsheldon (Feb 22, 2013)

My bad. That is what the receipt says. I think it is 1/4" and 1/8" thick. Just take a look at these pictures...

This is the one I have to bend: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b162j1zr3kpb0jf/2013-03-03 09.21.48.jpg?m
and
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fgvvusppjbpzmpo/2013-03-03 09.22.21.jpg?m

This is the one that I just need to open up a hole:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fgvvusppjbpzmpo/2013-03-03 09.22.21.jpg?m

The label on the smaller one (one I have to bend) said 6" x 1-1/8". 

The bigger one said 8" x 1-1/4"


----------



## jmsheldon (Feb 22, 2013)

Oh! The measurements that are on the label are length and width, not thickness.


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Huge differance!
Got a vice?
Trying to drill the hole bigger without one can be dangerest. It's going to want to spin and catch.
I'd be using a step drill to drill out the hole.


----------



## Dorado (Feb 7, 2013)

Arrange like this and hammer. You can also clamp on two additional legs to keep the legs straight.


----------



## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

you will want to place the bracket against something that has an opposite 90 degree to the bracket where you can have the pressure down near the bend, say an inch up past the 90 bend in your bracket. then just start tapping with the hammer and the bracket should start to spread. use a 2x4 set up on it's side and set the bracket with the outer bend facing upward, the inner edges of the bracket should cross the edges of the 2x about an inch or so from the inner bend. tap down while keeping the bracket positioned in place and it should bend...


----------



## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Put it in a vice and use a Ball Peen hammer. The best way to increase the size of a hole in relatively thin stock is a step drill, hands down. You can also use an end mill in a drill press. Most good vices have an anvil area on the back. Wear safety glasses. 

I thought you had an L bracket from an Abrams tank turret for a minute there.


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

yep = vice and hammer.


----------



## Dorado (Feb 7, 2013)

He'd have to hammer at least an inch away from the bend and the legs of the bracket would be more likely to bend than with my method.


----------



## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

do what joe caption mentioned.. if you modify it and something fails any engineers stamp will now be void


----------



## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

jmsheldon said:


> I have an L bracket and I need to bend it to be 45 degrees instead of 90 degrees.


What is it you need this bracket to do? Could be you're using the wrong item to solve the problem. 

Re-bending existing brackets is probably worse than just getting a flat piece of steel and bending it once. You greatly weaken the metal bending or hammering it. 

So it really depends on what you want to do with it?


----------



## Dorado (Feb 7, 2013)

Don't buy a step drill for this. Use a regular drill bit and feed it slowly, but clamp or screw down the bracket.


----------



## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Use two pipe wrenches to bind it!:thumbsup:


----------



## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

I find a spot on a garage slab that I don't mind chipping. I stand the ell on one leg and hit the other leg at the tip with 3 lb hammer. After little angle is established, I can hit it nearer the angle. If any part of the leg gets bent, straighten on 2x4.


----------



## brucem609 (Feb 6, 2013)

First s few the bracket to a vertical stud that will not move. Have the side you want to bens to be the free side. Next, use a piece of lumber and pull open the L portion of the bracket. You can micro adjustit a little at a time.


----------

