sheet metal bending aluminium 1

[ag-123]

i'm an amateur maker meddling with diy electronics etc. i've been wanting to make my own cases and i'm thinking about using aluminum sheet metals for that purpose.

google searches leads me to things like bending allowance and K values

https://fractory.com/sheet-metal-bending/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bending_(metalworking)#Bend_allowance

however, bending allowance and K values say nothing about the minimum internal bending radius smaller than which the material/metal/sheet would simply break rather than simply yield and bend

lets assume that i prefer to use aluminum sheets (i'm not sure about grade but lets say grade 300x, on the notion of the most common)
some of those bending tables i stumbled into with google searches includes

https://www.nalco.co.nz/sites/defau...e TECHNICAL 2009 P17-20 Bending Aluminium.pdf

https://www.ullrich-aluminium.co.nz/rolled/rpbend3.php

lets say i prefer to use 0.8mm - 1mm sheets (31 mils - 39 mils)
base on the tables found above, i'm getting 0 (zero) or none (blank not specified) for those sheets 0.8mm - 1mm

now my question is:
do 0 (zero) or none (blank not specified) for 0.8mm - 1mm thickness aluminium sheets means that there is no minimim bending radius I can simply hem it without leaving any radius.

or do 0 (zero) or none (blank not specified) means that 0.8 - 1mm aluminium sheets cannot be bent?

thanks much in advance !
p.s. i won't be using a sheet metal brake, i'm using the most primitive tools of them all, possibly angle bars and a mallet / hammer

 

[kingnero]

They certainly can be bent. Radius will be depending on the bending method, but near zero is very well possible.
Google around for home made bending jigs, because you'll want an even evolution of the force throughout the bending process. I can't see that happening using hammers.

 

[IRstuff]

A single bend isn't going to break aluminum.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

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[moon161]

Harbor freight makes a small brake, not for a full hem though.

https://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-bending-brake-39103.html

They've got a lot of sheet metal forming tools, you might look through their webpage and see if they have something you can use.

 

[MintJulep]

"Project boxes" of plastic or aluminum are stupid cheap.

https://www.allelectronics.com/category/490/project-boxes/1.html

for example.

Seems a prime example of buy being better than make.

Or reuse re-purpose trash.

If you insist, then making your own break for 1 mm aluminum isn't a bad project in itself. Plywood would be good enough.

 

As a practicing metallologist (of the heavy variety), I can attest that aluminium is not a real metal.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."

 

[IRstuff]

It certainly misleads people into thinking it's a stiff material, particularly in optics. When you're trying to hold microradian-level angles, it doesn't

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[SnTMan]

Not much to do with little boxes though

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[ag-123]

thanks for all the responses !

 

[msquared48]

So transparent aluminum is not possible? My world is crushed!

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA, HI)