Bending Steel

[Ralph]

As you can see from the photo we have a couple of steel stair tread plates bent down,  we think it happened during the welding and the fabricator did not notice. 

 

I'm thinking of having a go at bending it back to true myself, we're having trouble getting the fabricator back on site. 

 

I don't know if putting heat on it then whacking with a mallet is a good or bad idea. I don't want to make it brittle and the heat may well make a mess of the paintwork.

 

Any thoughts on how to go about it?

 

[markc]

No need for heat, acro or jack underneath and push them up.

** do not whack it, that will cause paint damage and additional distortion.  Slowly push them into place.

Edited November 29, 2021 by markc

[Ralph]

27 minutes ago, markc said:

No need for heat, acro or jack underneath and push them up.

** do not whack it, that will cause paint damage and additional distortion.  Slowly push them into place.

Good point, I don't have an acro but a piece of timber and a trolley jack might to the job.

[ProDave]

You definitely don't want heat, unless you want to re paint the whole thing.

 

If you have a heavy steel bar or a scaffold pole, I would just bolt it to the bent step and use the leverage it gives you to bend it back to shape.  Nuts and bolts through the stair fixing holes.

[Ralph]

3 minutes ago, ProDave said:

If you have a heavy steel bar or a scaffold pole, I would just bolt it to the bent step and use the leverage it gives you to bend it back to shape.  Nuts and bolts through the stair fixing holes.

Good idea, that would avoid any slipping mishaps. I'll see if I can borrow some scaffold.

 

Edited November 29, 2021 by Ralph

[Mr Punter]

If the staircase is well secured, use a long piece of 6" x 2"and attach one end to the wing of the tread support with screws or bolts through the fixing holes, then lever up or down.  Archimedes is your friend here, not brute force.

[Ralph]

3 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

If the staircase is well secured, use a long piece of 6" x 2"and attach one end to the wing of the tread support with screws or bolts through the fixing holes, then lever up or down.  Archimedes is your friend here, not brute force.

Actually that could be the simplest way, I will give it a go. Thanks

[SiBee]

How is the stair case fastened down? if the plates are 10mm thick steel that might take some force to bend. I have a picture in my head of you lifting or jacking the whole staircase off the floor without the wings even deflecting. Be careful where you press on too. The plate will bend at the weakest point and this wont necessarily be at the point where you want the steel to bend from.

I presume the wooden steps will be removed to do this. You will have to "over bend" a bit to allow the steel to rest back to the position you want it.