Anybody have experience bending and forming aluminum sheet? I have in mind a design for a lower dash extension that will likely be very difficult (if not impossible) to form out of a heavy enough gauge of steel given the tools I have in my garage. Pretty sure I can do it with something along the lines of a .090" thick aluminum. Thinking of using 3003 alloy. Will this take a 90 degree bend with a fairly sharp radius? Can I pull it off with a cheap bench top bender? I don't mind having to "fine tune" it with a hammer. I want this bend to produce a lip through which I can affix it to the lower edge of the existing steel dash.
From there I will be forming into it some curvature and such using an English wheel, planishing hammer and a shrinker and stretcher tool. Will the 3003 alloy have enough yield for this type of thing? The old interweb tells me it should but I'm hoping somebody here might have personal insight.
Really want to go this way as opposed to making a mess with fiberglass and resin.
From there I will be forming into it some curvature and such using an English wheel, planishing hammer and a shrinker and stretcher tool. Will the 3003 alloy have enough yield for this type of thing? The old interweb tells me it should but I'm hoping somebody here might have personal insight.
Really want to go this way as opposed to making a mess with fiberglass and resin.