Background Summary

As a scratch builder of the Zenith Zodiac CH601XL aircraft, I was faced with the challenge of making accurate
a bending brake. From my online conversations with others, I learned I was not alone.

As an aside, the design for my bending brake came from Dave Clay, a Texas builder of the same type of airpla
brake provide a straight-forward and cost-effective means of making straight bends in metal in your own shop.
his website at http://www.daves601xl.com and look under "Tools." The only modification I made was to extend
decrease the pitch (spacing) between rivets to add strength for the longer hinging action.

After much trial and error, I picked up my copy of Tony Bingelis' excellent book "Sportplane Construction Techn
his section on "Making Fittings." This is where he goes into great detail to describe the mathematical process
of sheet aluminum into a piece with a flat web and two flanges. This involves a 7-step process (shown on tab
quite time-intensive if done manually. I decided that this was the perfect place for an Excel spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet labeled "Bingelis DL Calculator" is the result of that effort. To the best of my knowledge it is a
intended.

After going through that process, I then re-read the Construction Manual for my airplane. This is a Chris Heint
experience in aircraft engineering is evident throughout the plans and the final product. On page 12 of that ma

Starting with that much simpler formula, I then created the worksheet tab labeled "ZAC Single Bend DL Calcul
modifications I was able to produce the "ZAC Double Bend DL Calculator" worksheet. By comparing that work
Calculator" it is possible to see how incredibly close the Heintz approximation is to the more-complicated Binge
whichever method works best for you.

A future addition I hope to make is additional tabs for triple and quadruple bends. On the 601XL there are sev
web, aileron stops, cross stiffeners and standard "z" angles). Two parts -- the gear channel and heel support As time allows, I hope to modify the spreadsheets to accommodate those calculations. Any help from others in
appreciated. If you would like to share your findings, I'll be glad to incorporate them with credit.

Of course, as with all matters pertaining to experimental aircraft production, you are responsible for all decision
take and the parts you make. I'm not an aeronautical engineer, so these formulas and worksheets may contai
discretion. For the sake of others, please report any errors you find and I'll be glad to make corrections.
Larry Winger
Tustin, CA
larrywinger@gmail.com
2006-09-01

Of course, as with all matters pertaining to experimental aircraft production, you are responsible for all decision
take and the parts you make. I'm not an aeronautical engineer, so these formulas and worksheets may contai
discretion. For the sake of others, please report any errors you find and I'll be glad to make corrections.
Larry Winger
Tustin, CA
larrywinger@gmail.com
2006-09-01

enge of making accurate bends in sheet aluminum with

e.

of the same type of airplane. His plans for an 8' bending

n metal in your own shop. For a copy of his plans, visit
tion I made was to extend the length to 10 feet and to
ion.

plane Construction Techniques" and read (and re-read)

he mathematical process needed to change a flat piece
p process (shown on tab #4) that is very precise but also
Excel spreadsheet.

est of my knowledge it is accurate and works as

ane. This is a Chris Heintz design and his long

ct. On page 12 of that manual he writes:

C Single Bend DL Calculator." With only slight

. By comparing that worksheet with the "Bingelis DL
e more-complicated Bingelis formula. Feel free to use

n the 601XL there are several triple bends (center spar

hannel and heel support -- require four straight bends.
s. Any help from others in this area would be
with credit.

esponsible for all decisions regarding the advice you

d worksheets may contain errors. Use at your own
o make corrections.

esponsible for all decisions regarding the advice you

d worksheets may contain errors. Use at your own
o make corrections.

Assumptions:
mm
Length of Flange A
Length of Flange B

inches
18 mm
18 mm

Degree of Bend
Radius
Thickness

90 degrees
0.125 inches
0.063 inches

Results:

32.81 dl in mm
16.41 Bend Line (sight line) in mm from A edge

08-2006 Spreadsheet by Larry Winger

Feel free to direct comments or questions to
larrywinger@gmail.com

Formula:
DL = A + B - (R/2 + T)
Bend Line = A - R/2

Assumptions:
mm
Length of Flange A
Length of Flange B
Length of Web

Degree of Bend
Radius
Thickness

Results:

inches
18 mm
18 mm
80 mm

90 degrees
0.125 inches
0.016 inches
112.01 dl in mm
16.41 Bend Line (sight line) in mm from A or B edge
79.19 Distance between bend lines (in web)

08-2006 Spreadsheet by Larry Winger

Feel free to direct comments or questions to
larrywinger@gmail.com

Formula:
DL = A + B + C - (R + T*2)
Bend Line = A - R/2

Assumptions:
mm
Length of Flange A
Length of Flange B
Width of Web C

Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
Step 5:

inches
18 mm
18 mm
80 mm

Degree of Bend
Radius
Thickness
Setback

90
0.125
0.016
3.581

degrees
inches
inches
mm

Subtract Setback from Flange A

Add Bend Allowance
Subtract Setback from both sides of Web B
Add Bend Allowance
Subtract Setback from Flange C

14.42
5.27
72.84
5.27
14.42

mm
mm
mm
mm
mm

Formula:

SB (Setback) = R (Radius) + T (T

BA (Bend Allowance) = ((.01743*

Results:
Step 6:
Step 7:

Add all figures to obtain developed length

Draw Brake or Sight Line
Distance between bend lines (in web)

112.21 dl in mm
16.51 bend line (sight line) from edge of flange in mm
79.19

* Based on the process described by Tony Bingelis in "Sportplane Construction Techniques" (EAA, Fourth Printing 19
in the section on "Making Fittings" (pp. 38-47)
08-2006 Spreadsheet by Larry Winger
Feel free to direct comments or questions to
larrywinger@gmail.com

SB (Setback) = R (Radius) + T (Thickness)

BA (Bend Allowance) = ((.01743*R)+(.0078*T))*degrees of bend

) from edge of flange in mm

echniques" (EAA, Fourth Printing 1998)

Bend Allowance Table

Radius
Gage
0.016
0.025
0.032
0.040

1/32
0.060
0.00067
0.067
0.00074
0.071
0.00079
0.077
0.00086

0.051
0.063
0.072
0.081
0.090

1/16
0.109
0.00121
0.116
0.00128
0.121
0.00134
0.126
0.00140
0.134
0.00149
0.142
0.00158

3/32
0.158
0.00176
0.165
0.00183
0.170
0.00188
0.175
0.00195
0.183
0.00203
0.191
0.00213
0.198
0.00220
0.204
0.00227
0.210
0.00234

0.125
0.188

1/ 8
0.207
0.00230
0.214
0.00237
0.219
0.00243
0.224
0.00249
0.232
0.00258
0.240
0.00267
0.247
0.00274
0.253
0.00281
0.259
0.00288
0.284
0.00315

5/32
0.256
0.00285
0.263
0.00292
0.268
0.00297
0.273
0.00304
0.281
0.00312
0.289
0.00321
0.296
0.00329
0.302
0.00336
0.308
0.00343
0.333
0.00370

3/16
0.305
0.00339
0.312
0.00346
0.317
0.00352
0.322
0.00358
0.330
0.00367
0.338
0.00376
0.345
0.00383
0.351
0.00390
0.357
0.00397
0.382
0.00424
0.426
0.00473

0.250

Radius Multiplier
Thickness Multiplier

Legend:
x.xxx
x.xxxxx

0.01743
0.0078

Light yellow = Bend allowance for 90 degree bend

Light green = Bend allowance per degree of bend

* Based on the formulas described by Tony Bingelis in "Sportplane Construction Techniques" (EAA, Fourth Printing 1
in the section on "Making Fittings" (pp. 38-47)

7/32
0.354
0.00394
0.361
0.00401
0.366
0.00406
0.371
0.00412
0.379
0.00421
0.387
0.00430
0.394
0.00437
0.400
0.00444
0.406
0.00451
0.431
0.00479
0.475
0.00528

1/ 4
0.403
0.00448
0.410
0.00455
0.415
0.00461
0.420
0.00467
0.428
0.00476
0.436
0.00485
0.443
0.00492
0.449
0.00499
0.455
0.00506
0.480
0.00533
0.524
0.00582
0.568
0.00631

9/32
0.452
0.00503
0.459
0.00510
0.464
0.00515
0.469
0.00521
0.477
0.00530
0.485
0.00539
0.492
0.00546
0.498
0.00553
0.504
0.00560
0.529
0.00588
0.573
0.00637
0.617
0.00685

echniques" (EAA, Fourth Printing 1998)

5/16
0.501
0.00557
0.508
0.00564
0.513
0.00570
0.518
0.00576
0.526
0.00584
0.534
0.00594
0.541
0.00601
0.547
0.00608
0.553
0.00615
0.578
0.00642
0.622
0.00691
0.666
0.00740

11/32
0.550
0.00612
0.557
0.00619
0.562
0.00624
0.567
0.00630
0.575
0.00639
0.583
0.00648
0.590
0.00655
0.596
0.00662
0.602
0.00669
0.627
0.00697
0.671
0.00746
0.715
0.00794

3/ 8
0.599
0.00666
0.606
0.00673
0.611
0.00679
0.616
0.00685
0.624
0.00693
0.632
0.00703
0.639
0.00710
0.645
0.00717
0.651
0.00724
0.676
0.00751
0.720
0.00800
0.764
0.00849

7/16
0.698
0.00775
0.704
0.00782
0.709
0.00788
0.714
0.00794
0.722
0.00802
0.731
0.00812
0.737
0.00819
0.743
0.00826
0.749
0.00833
0.774
0.00860
0.818
0.00909
0.862
0.00958

1/ 2
0.796
0.00884
0.802
0.00891
0.807
0.00896
0.812
0.00903
0.820
0.00911
0.829
0.00921
0.835
0.00928
0.841
0.00935
0.848
0.00942
0.872
0.00969
0.916
0.01018
0.960
0.01067