90 degree bend in a cattle panel
 

How would I do this without the use of heavy equipment, and by myself?

I am making a dog kennel and need to put three 90 degree bends in the panels- 3 separate panels

I was thinking a 2x4 on the bottom and another clamped together. But I can't see how it would keep from moving while I tried to bend it.

Another thought was to attach it to a tpost already in the ground and bend it around. It won't be a sharp corner, but it will work.

The only other thing I can think of is using bolt cutters- this does not sound appealing because of the difficulty in cutting panels as well as sharp edges.

Any other thoughts?

Lay it on a trailer bed or table and screw a 2x heavy to pinch if down on the edge where you want the bend

Or just make it sort of roundish??

my guess is your talking about welded wire panels,

I cut and then wire them back together,

90 degree bend in a cattle panel
 

cut them with bolt cutters and reattach with hog rings

Cut and welded together----a sawzall or a metal cutting blade to cut the sections. This Picture is a cage I built to move hogs. Trying to bend it square is not going to be easy.

Drive a t post into the ground directly against a sturdy wall, then drop the panel between the two and bend away.

DaleK that's one wY I was thinking.
I have no trailer, no tractor, no winch, I've no vehicle to assist -like a p/u bed- my car is a Honda Insight, and Ive no one to help me do this.

Cutting still sounds the best way to get a perfect angle; but I cut a few of those white wire shelves once- that was not easy and I'm thinking the panels are tougher!

The bending sounds tough too, and, frankly, I envision myself bending it and having it slip from my hands. Now if I'm in a funny mood, all that happens is I go flying backwards- AFV video worthy - but if it's bad, the wire snaps back and "off with her head!" I've suddenly won a Darein Award!

Haha.

I'll try the bending first and if that dosent work I'll cut.

Thanks all!! Have a great day and I'll report back with the end result in a few weeks .

It would be even more helpful to make a tool to give you leverage at the bend. Say something like two uprights you could fasten together on either side of the panel just beside where you want the bend, one with a long perpendicular handle so you can get leverage when you bend it.

If you can live with a less than 90 degree bend just pile a lot of weight on it and lift the free end. I doubt that your dog will care. Just make sure that the bend is as close to the center of the mesh as possible.

Or maybe just make the pen in a big circle.

If you decide to cut it , bolt cutters make easy work of it

I am a 74 yr old woman and have cut those heavy duty cow panels "easily" with bolt cutters. Then using those ?? (forgot name but it is a small round heavy-duty metal clamp that bolts around the panels to connect two panels together). It would only take 3-4 at each cut to attach it to other cuts. (A lot easier...for me...than trying to bend it as I've tried the bending thing.)

I bend them all the time. Lay them on the ground and use your feet to press the metal the way you want it to bend.

It depends on the gauge of the panel. The heavy ones are hard to bend without some sort of robust fixture or hydraulics. I think cutting and wiring together will give a really good result while not being overly difficult for one person to achieve.

Here's what I'd try.

I'd take some 3/4" plywood. I sandwich part of the panel between two pieces, leave 1-2 inches of panel then sandwich the rest. Then I'd raise one of the sandwiched sides to 90 degrees and prop it there while I took the plywood off.

Cutting torch or possible a little butane torch. Heat it up until it's red and bend away.

WWW

The large diameter "cattle panel" panels are not going to be bent free hand satisfactorily if you are particular. Cutting with a large bolt cutter http://www.harborfreight.com/36-in-b...0698-9480.html can be accomplished however. Fastening the cut panels with worm clamps is rather simple and not cost prohibitive and the clamps can be used to make a pivoting door and latch http://www.ebay.com/itm/25pcs-1-2-3-...6c92b7&vxp=mtr as well as allowing the kennel to be stored in a collapsed manner

Yes those "worm clamps" is what I used and they work great!

Take it to a place with a brake press.
Heat it with a tourch
And the most work of all , use a pipe wrench and cheater pipe to bend the top wire a few degrees move down to the next one repeat. Then start at the top again and repeat till you have the bend you want.

I have a bolt cutter, 24" and perhaps that's why it was so hard to use on those shelves; not enough leverage.

It can't be round- I'm converting my perennial garden and it's against the house. I can get buy with angles everywhere but the one side - one side is the house and one side is a deck.

Thanks again all:)!

................Lay the panel on the ground , then lay a 2x8 ,10 , 12 across the width . Since your car is rather small , take 2 , say 2x8's about six feet long and position them on top of the 2x? such that your Honda can drive up on them . Now , attach a 2x4 securely on the end that will be "bent" . Get a length of maybe half inch diameter nylon rope and attach to each end of the 2x4 . Now all you have to do is simply PULL that end UP until it is vertical . The car should firmly hold the other half , flat on the ground . , fordy

"I have a bolt cutter, 24" and perhaps that's why it was so hard to use on those shelves; not enough leverage" You are so correct. Get two pipe extensions and place the extensions over the handles of the existing 24 inch bolt cutter and the panels will cut readily.

I built a 'dog kennel'/goat transport pen, out of 4"x4" cattle panels, by getting the cutting torch, and heating up the same location 'quickly' at each junction, and bending perfect 90's.

Given the info you provided I would just make a round pen/kennel. It's a lot easier to do that than go through the hassle of 90 degree corners.

I'm hoping to get the materials this weekend. Since I have just my little car, I have to have them deliver (which tractor supply does not do- so an employee who does it on his own time is supposed to call me back)

The section that will give me the most heartache is the part next to the house. That's honestly the only corner I have to use- I was planning on bending it so it sits directly against the house 1+ foot so no one escapes from that corner, and then goes out from there.

I went to TSC yesterday and picked up a panel. I'm wondering now if the pressure against the house is enough to provide a sufficient bend.
I'll take pics when it's done - it ain't gunna look pretty, that's for sure. But I've got to contain those pups of mine!