Straighten 1/2" steel

[AmericanTractorDriver]

Hello,

This part is from a Leinbach Line plow. I am trying to straighten the arms. Thoughts? I do not currently have a shop press.







I am making new brackets that bolt to this - the originals were bent, similar to this part.

Thanks.

 

[CliffordK]

A torch, hammer, and anvil.

A good vise can also help with straightening (or bending) steel.

I think I'd try to bend it hot, otherwise you would run the risk of cracking it, especially since it has already been bent once.

 

[Code54]

Also may want to check out a local welder or metal shop, they maybe able to square you up very inexpensively, if not heat and a big hammer will work.

 

[tcreeley]

Prettier with an anvil and forge - heat it clamp in vise, twist it straight, touch up with a hammer.

You probably could do it cold on an anvil with a 3 lb hammer- functional.

 

[DJ54]

Too bad you don't live close, we'd have fired this bad boy up, and bent it in my handy dandy press brake in the background, to the upper left...

 

[Xfaxman]

I would do it cold with my 24" cresent wrench.

Two big pipe wrenches will work, one to hold it, twist with the other.

 

[Blaneypark]

No matter what you use to help you straighten this part. HEAT is going to be your biggest friend.

 

[mrmikey]

That looks like 3 x 1/2, 3 x 5/8 hard to tell with nothing to compare it to, either one you're going to be hard pressed to take the twist out of it cold. Straighten you could do cold with an anvil and an fbh, untwist you're either going to have to heat it and anchor one end and use a big adjustable wrench to untwis itt. Doing the untwist cold it's going to need bigger anchor and a bigger wrench....Mike

 

[sixdogs]

Clamp in a vise, heat that puppy up and either pound straight or get a big mother pipe wrench or adjustable wrench and bend straight. No problem if you have a torch. I've bent lots of metal like that and yours looks easy.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you don't have the tools to heat and straighten it, just use a grinder with a cutoff wheel and cut the twisted ear off, bevel the edges and weld the ear back on straight. Hammer it out after it is cut off to flatten it out any twist or kinks. Likely to take less time and energy that heat'n and a beat'n.

 

[Baby Grand]

Heat.
Hammer.
Repeat.
Sixdogs gave good advice - clamp it solidly in a vise, then heat with a torch to cherry red.
You will be able to straighten it by hand (wear heavy gloves!) or with some gentle hammering.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought!

 

[tcreeley]

When you straighten it by hand, - clamp the short piece and grab hold of the cool end! Let it cool slowly- quick water cooling can stress steel if it has any carbon content - that's sometimes when you get cracks!

This is my portable forge and blower. The forge is a brake drum with 3 1/2 square rods welded across the opening, a offset inlet for air, a cookie sheet for the table, and rods for legs. Works great.View attachment 308843 I grabbed an old picture- quality is not so good. The blower I got from a friend circa 1900 and fixed up. The anvil was part of a swap - 189 lb circa 1840. I'd advise everybody to have these in their shop!