I have had good success with aluminum channel bending without it crimping or tearing by first filling it with a solid so the aluminum has a filled but also moveable core to assist in the process. For this I use Victory Grade microcrystaline wax as it can be melted and poured in and later heat removed and cleaned out fairly easily. I use the Victory grade as is, but the wax also comes in many other grade hardnesses. It has the same cellular qualities as bees wax, but is a petroleum product and goes for about $2.50 and up per lb. (Depends on the quantity you buy and from whom, I get it in 50 lb. cartons and about 500 lb at a time as it is also what I use for lost wax metal casting.) Usually comes in 10 lb. blocks. There is a whole chat on waxes and sources at:

http://www.artmetal.com/village/chat/main/transcrp/980423MN.htm

bpfink

I agree Rich, I roll angle and channel w/ my Universal 3 Wheel roller from time to time. Both- leg/s in and leg/s out are possible but you do need a roller that supports the legs and the spine during the rolling.
And considering that it's such thin channel....I was also thinking about a fill like BP suggested.....I'd even suggest a piece of 1/2"aluminum solid bar. IF it didn't fit, I'd sand it down a lil till it did. Then the channel with the solid fill could be bent cold around something with the same radius. But not knowing how tight of a radius is needed it's hard to say which approach is best.

If it's a real tight radius it would be very hard to roll or bend it. And may only be achieved by making a series of saw cuts in the legs of the channel until it removed enuf material for the spine to conform to the radius. I'd suggest a jeweler's saw for this approach.

best of luck with this Gerron, let us know how it works out.
Bill

I used to do realy tight radii in thin aluminum angle for frames for interior signage. 1/2" x 1/2" x /16" anodized aluminum, bent to a 1/2" radiuis for the corners. Ths required cutting out a specially shaped segment of the web on one side, to allow the outside to bend around the segmented web. The cutout looked kind of like a mushroom shape, as I recall. If I were to do it again, I'd ave to experiment to get the cutout shape just right, as I no longer have the little template I made for marking them. They were cutout with a jeweler's saw.

It worked slick as can be. When you bent the outside around, the inside leg just closed up to look like a miter joint and a quick tack with the TIG weldere made it indestructible. I'll bet I made five thousand of those over the years I owned the sign company.

Filling the channel might work, but I think you'd still need a roller that contained the legs from spreading outward. For small stuff like that, it would only take a few hours on the lathe to make a dedicated rolling machine.

Hi, I have been reading your interesting items and have a similar problemI need also to bend !/2" X 1/2" X .093" Wall
Aluminum channel to a very large radius to match the slight curve on the top of some side windows on a car. I thought I might make up some hard wood formers and clamp the channel at one end then with the channel under load heat it some so thaaat it relaxes down onto the former. although it needs to be hot it should not be so much that the wood will be destroyed. I have only got to two for the front windows and two for the back. so I think the formers will survive ok. What is your opinion.
Regards Alan Fisher