4 Metal Fabrication Hacks For Beginners

Metal fabrication can be described as a range of processes and techniques used to create various products. This range includes folding, stamping, drilling, and machining. If you’re new to metal fabrication, you might wonder how to make more precision cuts. Luckily, plenty of metalworking hacks are available to help you get started. These hacks will help you get the best results every time.

Keep things square:

Making things square is a simple concept, but it is also one of the most difficult. The challenge comes in making the pieces fit together with exact measurements. Keeping things square is essential for the accuracy of your measurements and saves you time during setup. You can add flare to the part only after you complete the major fabrication and fit it to the final piece. Also, by testing the fit of your finished piece, you can catch mistakes earlier.

Determine what the exact temperature is for your material:

Annealing is a basic metal fabrication step, but some tricks make it easier. First, determine the exact temperature for your material. You can use a heat source or a programmable heat-treating oven to achieve the right temperature. The temperature should be around 1450 F or higher. If you are unsure, contact a steel supplier. They can give you a recommended annealing temperature for your specific grade of steel.

Use jigs and fixtures:

The main reason for using jigs and fixtures in your metal fabrication operations is to increase the efficiency and accuracy of your work. Unfortunately, using traditional methods, jigs and fixtures are often expensive and difficult to create. Thankfully, 3D printing can eliminate this problem and significantly reduce the cost of production. With this new technology, you can create metal fabrication jigs and fixtures with minimal cost and time investment.

Calculating bend allowance:

Calculating bend allowance is an important step in the metal fabrication process. This material is added to the bend region of a flat pattern that extends the piece’s overall length. There is no limit to the amount of material you can add to a bend; however, it is a good idea to calculate the bend allowance using a simple bend allowance chart. To create a bend allowance chart, you will need to know the angle of the bend, the radius of the bend, and the thickness of the material. Once you have a bend allowance chart, you can implement it into your project.