How can i copy a metal part?

Sheet Metal Fabrication techniques, questions and help. "Tricks of the Trade"

Moderators: GlennW, Harold_V

User avatar
marcofsiny
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:15 am
Location: N.Y.

How can i copy a metal part?

Post by marcofsiny »

I have a piece of metal about 1/4" wide mainly that bolts to a cars valve cover. The part has a few 90* bends to make humps for mounting clips, a section to hold spark plug wires and some odd angles. The part is about 5 inches long (almost shaped like a cross) in its bent form maybe,,,but if i wanted to trace it onto flat paper i could hammer it totally flat, lay it on paper and draw around it to get the total length and a bending pattern. This would wreck the part i have which is somewhat hard to find.
What i tried was holding paper against each bend and cut it with scissors trying to keep the paper from sliding off. That didnt work well. Then i tried a paper plate which was firmer but kept pulling away as i made each bend.
Im thinking maybe i could try a thinner metal to bend along with my part? I think a soda can might be too springy?
Any ideas?
User avatar
warmstrong1955
Posts: 3568
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:05 pm
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

Try the attached.
You can measure the formed part, as is, and develop a flat pattern.

Bill
__Bend-O-Matic Calculator.xls
(47 KiB) Downloaded 778 times
EDIT: When I saved this file, from .xlsx (2010) to .xls (2003) , it had a couple glitches.
Those are fixed in the file below.
If you saved this one....can it, and use the one below.

:? Bill
Last edited by warmstrong1955 on Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
User avatar
marcofsiny
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:15 am
Location: N.Y.

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by marcofsiny »

Thanks for the quick response but i have no clue how to use that program. I opened it and didnt understand a thing. :(
Im a bent paper kind of guy.
User avatar
warmstrong1955
Posts: 3568
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:05 pm
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

Here's an example. (See attached)
FSS Actuator Bracket.pdf
(17.49 KiB) Downloaded 770 times
__Bend-O-Matic Calculator.xls
(64.5 KiB) Downloaded 734 times
Using the drawing made by measuring the formed part,(upper left) and then entered into the excel sheet, I develop the flat pattern shown in the drawing.(Lower right)
Dim's from the excel worksheet for the flat pattern are calc'd automatically, and hi-lited in blue. Shown, and numbered on the flat pattern drawing in red.
Enter only in yellow hi-lited cells.

Normally, I round off the dim's to fractional on the flat pattern. I didn't for this to make it easier to understand....I hope. :)

Take a look....let me know if that helps.

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
User avatar
ctwo
Posts: 2996
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Silly Cone Valley

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by ctwo »

You might be able to put masking tape on the part, trim the edges, then peel off.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by Steggy »

warmstrong1955 wrote:Try the attached.
You can measure the formed part, as is, and develop a flat pattern.

Bill

__Bend-O-Matic Calculator.xls

EDIT: When I saved this file, from .xlsx (2010) to .xls (2003) , it had a couple glitches.
Those are fixed in the file below.
If you saved this one....can it, and use the one below.

:? Bill
Please be careful with passing around Microsoft Office files. They can, and not infrequently, do carry viruses.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
User avatar
warmstrong1955
Posts: 3568
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:05 pm
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

BigDumbDinosaur wrote: Please be careful with passing around Microsoft Office files. They can, and not infrequently, do carry viruses.
Careful getting on the Internet BDD. It can, and frequently, carries viruses.

:wink:
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
User avatar
ctwo
Posts: 2996
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Silly Cone Valley

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by ctwo »

Hi Bill. Thanks for the file. Did you script it personally? I'll have to get some time to study how to use it, but I really love Excel and it's application to machining.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
User avatar
warmstrong1955
Posts: 3568
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:05 pm
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

ctwo wrote:Hi Bill. Thanks for the file. Did you script it personally? I'll have to get some time to study how to use it, but I really love Excel and it's application to machining.
You're welcome CTWO!
Yeah, my own creation. I made it a long time ago to save some time on figuring out flat patterns so I could get a drawing to the plate shop for them to burn & brake parts.
Saves some time over the old fashioned way, although, I did have one programmable calculator with the formula in it. It was only good for one bend though.

Wonderful tool Excel, for any kind of metal working or mechanical work!
I have others I've made.

:)
Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
User avatar
warmstrong1955
Posts: 3568
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:05 pm
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

Here's a couple more samples, less complex:
Angle Bracket.pdf
(10.94 KiB) Downloaded 760 times
U-Bracket.pdf
(12.63 KiB) Downloaded 739 times
Using the Bend-O-Matic for the 90 degree Angle Bracket:
(Note the dim's required are in red on the drawings)
-Row 3, enter the plate thickness, Inside rad of bend, bend angle, and the Length of 'L1'
-Row 10, plate thickness should automatically be there, Enter the inside rad of bend, and bend angle at '0', since there is only one bend,enter the length of 'L2'.
Boom. There is your flat pattern. From datum, to first brake line, to the end of the plate.

For the U Bracket, repeat as above.
Flat pattern done....like falling off a piece of cake....or something like that.....
90 Degree Bracket.xls
(38 KiB) Downloaded 714 times
I make these Excel things, cause I'm in a hurry....and....lazy I suppose... ;)

:)
Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by Russ Hanscom »

For odd angles or the computer challenged, I have had success making patterns using light cardboard and tape.
User avatar
marcofsiny
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:15 am
Location: N.Y.

Re: How can i copy a metal part?

Post by marcofsiny »

Thanks for the program but i ended up using masking tape. I thought it would stretch when taking it off but it worked well. I burnished the edges and that gave me a good outline. Then i cut/tore the scrap away, peeled it off and stuck it on thicker paper.
Post Reply