Metal bending on hive tops

[VolunteerK9]

Im using rolled metal flashing on my hive tops and its eating my lunch on getting it bent and nailed on nice and neat. Anybody got any tips on this little procedure other than go to a migratory top?

[AllenF]

You can make straight bends with a metal break.   But for up cheap guys, I nail one side down and bend it with a board and hammer it down.  Bees don't care much on looks, just keeping the rain out.

[Bee Happy]

You can make an improvised metal brake out of a couple planed 2x's (so they have hard square edges) and some clamps.

[contactme_11]

Cut the metal with good long tin snips fold with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Malco-24F-24-Inch-Folding-Tool/dp/B00028954M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1239578149&sr=1-2

Did I mention I used to do sheetmetal fabrication for a living?

[VolunteerK9]

Kinda makes me look like a complete idiot by answering my own question but I found this:


http://www.ch601.org/tools/bendbrake/brakeplans.pdf

Hey, its ok to talk to yourself just as long as you dont start an argument, right?

[David LaFerney]

Those are both great links.  I've seen a home made brake like the angle iron one that was made out of wood that actually worked great - it had a 45 degree rip on the edge of the clamp bar so that you could bend past 90 and hem the edge if you wanted to.  I don't think you could do that with the angle iron one.  Very cool though.

[Jim 134]

      STOP USEING METAL TOPS  I use marine grade plywood 3/8" inner and 5/8" outer covers and ONLY PAINT NO TIN on the outside of the telescoping covers.Got telescoping covers over 30 years like this. I use all medium all 10 frame boxes 6 5/8" for about 25 years.


   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  

[Michael Bush]

Mine are just plywood dipped in beeswax and gum rosin, but I've bent a bit of metal with and without a break.  Of course the clamp and board works pretty well.  You can nail one edge and then bend it over the top with a board and a hammer to make that bend then repeat on the next edge and nail that one... doesn't work too bad, but it's very noisy and not perfect...