rolling a tight radius in sheet metal

[Josh in Pa]

I would like to roll a 9" piece of sheet metal (16 ga?) with a 1" radius back onto itself. I am trying to duplicate a pickup truck bedside, and the top is a roll. What kind of machine would do this? My local metal shop is very good at fabrication, but didn"t know how to do this. Any help is appreciated.
Josh

 

[Anonymous-0]

If it's a roll under the edge of a flat top I would weld a pipe under the edge. Unless it's a show truck, judged, etc, I don't think it would look too bad from a few feet after it was ground and blended in.JMHO

 

[rustyfarmall]

There's gotta be a way to do it, 'cause it was made that way when it was new. You can probably buy the panel you need ready made but that is probably pricey and beside that making it yourself would be more fun.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'd go to my finger brake with the flat steel and a round rod or pipe about a 1/16" under the inside radius I wanted. I'd put the flat steel on the bottom and the round on top under the fingers. I might need to extend the thickness of the apron to the full radius of the bend, then I'd bend as normal.

Or I'd to my press with a base made of a couple pieces of inch or larger square bars anchored to a base plate space the finished outside dimensions and I'd have that round bar again. At least 1/8" less diameter than the spacing of the square bars. I'd lay the flat sheet across the bars where I wanted it bent, then I'd lay the round bar exactly over the space between the square bars and I'd push down with my press making a U shape in one pass.

With the finger brake I might have to fold up two corners and weld them together, if I could weld. And I do know super welders so I don't have to know how to weld, just how to write a check.

Gerald J.

 

[Joe(TX)]

The originals were made in a flange rolling machine similar to the machines that roll continuous gutters.

 

[Dick L]

I have not done 16 gage but have on 18 and 20. I take 2" X 4" tack the ends with a scrap board with the width I need between them and use my hydraulic press with a piece of pipe the needed diameter and press the metal between the 2" X 4"'s with the pipe. Without having a form at the bottom I have to use a slightly smaller pipe or steel bar to get the correct diameter. I use C clamps to keep the outside from spreading. If I was to do it I would give it a try on the 16 gage