In this modern age, where bending of metals are fully automated, only few metal shops can afford sophisticated types of bending tools because of high cost. Hence, improvised means of bending tools are adopted. Such tools are bending forks and jigs.
Bending forks are used to form a scroll or an irregular curve. A simple fork can be made by bending a piece of rod with a diameter of 12 mm. or less into the shape of a U. The opening in the U should be just large enough to allow the metal slip to pass through easily. Another type of bending fork is made from a square metal block in which holes are drilled at varying distances. Two steel pins are made to fit easily into these holds. These pins can be moved to allow different metal thickness and types of scrolls (Ferrer, 1979). This is where flatbar bender was designed for.
Another type of bending tool is the bending jig. Several bands can be made on single rod or by devising a shop-made bending jig. Jigs such as these must be designed and built whenever bending is involved in a mass production activity.
At present, a hydraulic flat bar bender is being developed to make the bending of metal to form angles, scrolls, circles, curves much easier by just pumping the device that would make the bending mechanism, move to the metal to be bent.
An excerpt for the project study by Engr. Fernando C Lacsina and Engr. Romel Z. Martinez