Station: [26] Bending


Let me come out right away and say: "bending" and "bevelling" are the same thing. When bending or bevelling, the sheet metal is deformed in a straight line – one of the metal roofer's most common operations.

There are several ways in which this can be done: either you take the workpiece, place it on a straight edge of an anvil and carefully strike the area to be bevelled with a hammer – until it drops.

But of course there are also special bending or bevelling tools: hand bending tools that resemble pliers. They have a profile at the front that determines how the sheet will bend. You apply the tool to the place where you want the metal to bend, squeeze the grips and slowly guide the workpiece in the desired direction.

The simplest and most effective method is certainly bending or edging or with a machine called a bending brake. It's particularly suitable when longer sections need to be bent. You insert the sheet metal into the machine, align it with the edge, clamp it and tilt the front part of the machine upwards. The clamped sheet tilts along with it and is bent. Easy peasy! 

We have a small bending brake here at this work station. But towards the rear of the room, behind the long work table, you'll see several large, professional brakes. Operating them without supervision is unfortunately not allowed, however.

 

All depictions: © Europäisches Klempner- und Kupferschmiedemuseum, Foto: Klaus Hofmann