# bending jig for top covers?



## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

Hi all,

Getting ready to make some top covers, and I want to do a neat job of bending the metal pans (neat corners, no sharp edges).

I've got a few ideas, but want to benefit from the blunders of others...I prefer to make original blunders where possible!

deknow


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Get yourself one of these:

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRV34IoUV1o8NCkBeD88I2mEuZns7IH8AX0zbFqjRxWuxx_e-P5

For the long bends, any sharp edge you can bend over works fine unless you're using some really heavy gauge material.


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

...not looking to bend anything very heavy duty, but since they are all going to be the same, i'd like to put together a jig or system that does exactly what i want it to do without measuring each bend.
that's a good start, but not really what i'm after...thanks.

deknow


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

One thing I found to be helpful is to score the aluminum with a cutter before starting the bend.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

deknow said:


> since they are all going to be the same, i'd like to put together a jig


Unless you have a sheet metal shop, you're going to have to do a fair amount of hand work. You can easily make a jig for the layout. Cut a piece of plywood that has a rectangle cut out of it the size of lid and is 1-1/2" "frame". Lay it on top of the piece of metal and trace the bend lines on the inside and the cut lines on the outside. Beyond that It's all hand work.

Here is a bend/cut diagram. Solid lines are cuts, dash are bends.


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## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

Deknow,

After reading some of the posts on here regarding making and installing metal covers for telescoping tops I called my local paper the Santa Fe New Mexican and asked if they had any used printing plates as discussed by some in the forums. Sure they said how many would you like? So I drove down there and they had piles of them neatly stacked in two different sizes. The price is the same for each he said we get $1.00 each. They are used aluminum printing plates. They also recycle them back to the supplier at the same price. The plates cleaned up very easy with a damp cloth and I proceeded to make one for a new telescoping top. I measured the top and layed out the dimensions on the plate and cut it with a pair of scizzors (no need to use metal shears) they cut easily. I allowed for a 1" overhang onto the sides of the top coers and simply layed a metal framing square on the line and bent it up with a hive tool working my way all the way down. You do not need any special tools to make the bend, just a flat straight edge will work fine. The bend created a very nice sharp crease. I was amazed at how easy they were to make up. If all your telescoping tops are the same size I suppose you could cut all the aluminum sheets the same but in my case I measure each one as the size does vary slightly and I wanted mine to fit tight. I will take a picture if you'd like to show you how mine came out. I like the aluminum as opposed to the heavy galvanized sheets as they are so easy to work with. One word of caution, after you cut the sheets use sandpaper or a fine file to take the edge off the sheet, as they are very sharp. Once you nail them to the top covers your good to go. You can also read the old news when your in the bee yards. Good luck.


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

At Lowes you can buy rolls of alum. flashing in 10 ft or 50 rolls. The 20 inch wide flashing does well with the bender shown above in the 2nd post.

Just be careful when you unwrap the roll at it will want to unroll real fast.


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## dixiebooks (Jun 21, 2010)

FWIW, just today I picked up 50 sheets of aluminum from my local paper. They're much too narrow to use on regular hive covers. Maybe I'll make some for nucs. BTW, they charged me .33 each for them.

-james


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

deknow said:


> ...not looking to bend anything very heavy duty, but since they are all going to be the same, i'd like to put together a jig or system that does exactly what i want it to do without measuring each bend.
> that's a good start, but not really what i'm after...thanks.
> 
> deknow


A door jam makes a good break for thin metal. You will have to cut slots in the door for the two sides that are previously bent. If you are going to make this jig use a couple of heavy hinges and a hardwood board as the break edge. You can put whatever radii you want if you don't want a sharp bend.


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## whix (Feb 3, 2002)

I also use old aluminum printing plates. I can get two lids from one plate at a cost of 50¢ each lid. I score the plate ONCE with a box knife and bend over on the score. The metal will tear on the score. Rub the cut with a piece of hardwood to remove the burr or you will filet your fingers. (don't ask how I know). 
I made a bending jig from a piece of hardwood a little longer than the longest side. I made a thin kerf cut along one side to the depth of the fold. I also cut off a 45 degree angle along one side (just cut off half of one of the corners). This cut allows you to fold more than 90 degrees.
Cut the plate to the size of your lid and the folds, I have a scrap piece of plate cut the depth of the fold that I use to centre the lid on the metal on all sides. That way I don't have to measure. Put the plate to the bottom of the cut and fold over in the direction of the 45 degree cut. The plate bends very easily. I do the long sides first and then flatten one fold with my thumb to get the metal in the jig for the short side, the other end sticks out. I only do three sides with the jig, although if you are accurate enough with the cutting and have a uniform lid size you could do all four sides. The last side is folded over by hand as I install it on the lid. Tap with a hammer to fold over the corners and nail it on.
A word of advice, put the image side to the outside of the lid. The shiny side will make you go blind in the sun.


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

Dean, 
Befriend a roofer or someone who does siding.Ask if they have a trim brake.
Maybe someone in your club.
Precut your pieces per Barry's diagram.
Case of honey for 2 hrs of their time?
I personally use my fingers and then gently tap with a hammer and a wood block. The bees don't care.


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## Alexander (Mar 12, 2009)

I believe Whixen was talking about making a bar folder. You could make one out of metal or wood. Just something with a slit in it as deep as the bend is from the edge of the metal. Or you could buy a bar folder 18" or 24" long to bend the whole side at once. Or better yet make two that are each the same length as the sides on your hive top.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

A hand seamer can be made easily as well. Take two pieces of steel flat stock (1/16" thick), bolt the two together inserting a washer between the two to create a gap. Use as many bolts as necessary to keep together. Make a seamer/break for each dimension, that way you can bend them all in one shot. Make it wide enough so the distance from the long edge to the center bolt is the same as the width of the material needed to be bent.


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## beedeetee (Nov 27, 2004)

I use the 20" flashing from Lowes and I made a sheet metal brake from plans that I found on the internet somewhere. It is made from 2x4's.

Or look here:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249611


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

We have a home made bar fold that was made in the 40's from a wood base, two pieces of 2x2 ,a couple hinges, and two lengths of angle iron to reinforce the bending edge. The base has two nuts embeded in it, and two bolts where converted to cranks to clamp the material under a 2x2. The hinges are inset on the edge, past the width of the roof, and pivot the last 2x2. A short piece of pipe in a hole drilled in the bending 2x2 gives leverage. It is not pretty, but functions.

So yes, it ends up looking like a door in a way.
Crazy Roland


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Make the saw kerf how ever deep you want the bend to be - no more measuring.


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

Sweet!!!


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Jack Grimshaw said:


> Sweet!!!


Pretty hard to beat for simple yet effective.


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Who says the "wheel" cant be reinvented?

We now have the LaFerney Brake!

VERY sweet


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## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

I am going to try the 2x4 brake wery soon. What a beautiful idea.


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## gjd (Jan 26, 2011)

My house would have much nicer cornice flashing if I had taken up beekeeping two years earlier.


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## Jim 134 (Dec 1, 2007)

gjd said:


> My house would have much nicer cornice flashing if I had taken up beekeeping two years earlier.


 *LOL*



BEE HAPPY Jim 134


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Riskybizz said:


> Deknow,
> 
> After reading some of the posts on here regarding making and installing metal covers for telescoping tops I called my local paper the Santa Fe New Mexican and asked if they had any used printing plates as discussed by some in the forums. Sure they said how many would you like? So I drove down there and they had piles of them neatly stacked in two different sizes. The price is the same for each he said we get $1.00 each. They are used aluminum printing plates.


I have used these for a LONG time... have the original Sun Times plate from the front page report of jfk's assassination.. valued at 6,400 bucks... still on a hive today. Lol. Probably the most expensive hive top out there.  paid 5 cents a piece for them back in the day... have thousands...


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## guyross (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks I will call the local news paper. Have you ever considered allowing enough on the edges to accommodate 1/2 sheet insulation? I really don't know the benefit good or bad what do you think?


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## guyross (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks Barry.


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## guyross (Feb 18, 2011)

Take it to pawn stars


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

guyross said:


> Thanks I will call the local news paper. Have you ever considered allowing enough on the edges to accommodate 1/2 sheet insulation? I really don't know the benefit good or bad what do you think?


I have several like that, and I think the insulation has to be helpful - especially when the sun is really beating down. However, they sometimes get infested with ants in the styrofoam, and the only good way to deal with it is to remove the insulation board. So attach it with screws just in case.


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## guyross (Feb 18, 2011)

Good to know about the ants thanks. I put some in the inside of some covers but I feel I need to cover it with some 1/4 ply or something. There pressure treated 3/4 ply with rabbited 1x4 sides. I don't think the four I built this way need a rock to keep them from flying off The screws are a great idea.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Check out one of these for bending. http://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch-bending-brake-67240.html They have an 18 inch one but, that wont help you do the 22 inch side.

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

Of the big boy toy http://www.harborfreight.com/36-inch-metal-brake-with-stand-91012.html


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## beepopnc (Jan 10, 2012)

David LaFerney said:


> Make the saw kerf how ever deep you want the bend to be - no more measuring.


David,

I have been in the business of making the aluminum coil for almost 40 years and have never seen anything this cheap that works so well to bend aluminum sheet! I just hemmed and bent roofing for my two pitch-roof TBH's that are 50" long using your gadget. I needed a helper, but it worked great! 

Thanks for sharing...I was losing sleep trying to figure out how to do a good looking job without renting a "real" brake that would have cost me more than the hives. 

This forum is a great place to learn all kinds of new things...not just beekeeping!


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## lakebilly (Aug 3, 2009)

David,

I have a trim brake, but you can only do two sides. THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST. I DID 30+COVERS LAST YEAR(after seeing your pics). NICE NEAT BENDS.


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## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

David, how did you cut such a thin kerf? My local Wood Craft store doesn't have a blade that narrow for a table saw. Thanks


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

I also use a 2x4 brake. My metal comes from a place that manufactures metal roofing and they cut all my metal to exact size. The depth and length of the bend is predetermined with the 2x4 brake jig and works like a charm. I'm not bending thin aluminum with it either, I bend thick galvanized metal. WORKS GREAT!


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Fishman43 said:


> David, how did you cut such a thin kerf? My local Wood Craft store doesn't have a blade that narrow for a table saw. Thanks


I am sure it will work either way but if you want to you can put in a strip/s of metal to tighten it up. That way you will still be able to double bend or hem as they call it.


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## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

Ace- I am sure it would, but I would rather not goof around with shims to "tighten it up" if David can tell me how to get a thin kerf cut


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## tben (Dec 28, 2008)

Two steel carpenter's squares clamped together is quick and easy. The hard part for me was scoring to get a clean bend without the aluminum flashing splitting.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Fishman43 said:


> David, how did you cut such a thin kerf? My local Wood Craft store doesn't have a blade that narrow for a table saw. Thanks


It's not a particularly thin kerf - it just looks that way in the picture. It works fine even if the cut is quite roomy.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Clamping 2 straight edges together does work great, but this simple jig is very fast to use once it is made. You will get better results though if you don't score the metal.


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

David, do you have one made for the long side and one for the short? John


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Yes I do.


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## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

ok, so after you bend the long sides, do you cut the metal with snips to provide for the wrap around corner after you do short sides? John


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## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

The 2x4 brake works well. Have no complaints about it other that using spruce that a bit soft give not the clean edge I wanted. I purchased two folding tools, one 18" and one 24". They are pretty cheap and do a great job.

http://www.amazon.com/Malco-24F-24-...954M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331161218&sr=8-1

Very simple with no moving parts and no need to clamp a thing. It makes a 1" or 3/8" fold.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

David LaFerney said:


> It's not a particularly thin kerf - it just looks that way in the picture. It works fine even if the cut is quite roomy.


I said that but he didn't want to believe me. Thin kerf- in the olden days before carbide tipped saws, a rip saw would be thin kerf. You are making a rip cut so this would be the ticket, except if you were to hem the edge you would want more room for the double bend.

Scoring could cause aluminum to break depending on temper so I would not do it.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

jmgi said:


> ok, so after you bend the long sides, do you cut the metal with snips to provide for the wrap around corner after you do short sides? John


Yes. I like to fold the tab to the inside before bending the ends.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Acebird said:


> You are making a rip cut so this would be the ticket, except if you were to hem the edge....


It probably would, but unless i'm really making something special I keep a general use blade on my saw. Every saw I own for that matter. Those really thin blades can get so hot that you can see them deform on a table saw. There are so many on the market because they can manufacture them with less metal and then claim it as a feature - and charge more for an arguably inferior product.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

The difference between a rip and a cross cut is the angle that the teeth are sharpened. The heating of the blade has to do with how sharp the blade is, moisture in the wood, type of wood and grain structure. Using a cross cut blade for a rip function may heat up the blade because it doesn't remove the chip out of the kerf properly.
You are not alone in using a general use blade (combination) because changing blades would be a pia for most jobs. But now that chop saws are so prevalent you can have a cross cut in the chop saw and a rip in your table saw and have the best of both worlds.


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