# Bending Cattle Panels?



## whitney (Sep 20, 2005)

Can you bend these? If so HOW?


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## Miniv (Sep 20, 2005)

Are you talking about PIPE PANELS???? If so, I wouldn't think you could without breaking the metal.

MA


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## whitney (Sep 20, 2005)

These panels are used for making pens. There made out of heavy gauge wire.

I'm trying to make hay feeders out of them, but I want to bend them instead of cutting them so I don't have any sharp edges.


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## minimule (Sep 20, 2005)

They could probably be bent but you would need something VERY heavy to place on the one side and then either a sledge hammer or something else very heavy to bend the other.

Sounds like a lot of work though.




You could always cut them and then grind down the sharp point until smooth.

One of my friends is using the metal milk crates for their hay feeders. Looks like it works really well.


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## justaboutgeese (Sep 20, 2005)

It can be done. There are many ways to go about it. I have no idea of what you have avalable for tools or equipment. I have used a break to bend them to fit several times. Are you bending with or without a warp (vertical) wire. If not you can heat and bend each wire separatly , its slow but requires the minimum of effort. You can also bend them by just clamping and using a lever. If all else fails most welding shops will do your bending on their brake for just a minimal fee. I sometimes think that the fee is more than worth it.


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## yankee_minis (Sep 20, 2005)

Bend or curve? Well, I guess you wouldn't need advice on HOW to curve them!

But my husband did bend one panel. Not sure why...I guess he thought it would attach better to the wooden fence. Looked like a lot of work. He used a cement block as a base and a hammer.

It was 6-12 inches toward the end of the panel, so if you wanted to do this in the middle...I would think it would be much more difficult.

Use a hack saw to cut it in half and put a post in there.


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## REO (Sep 20, 2005)

We bend those heavy cattle/stock panels.





I'm a heavy gal and I stand on them while hubby lifts up one end. A little at a time it is bent. Then we both push on it and finish the bend.

No tools needed, just my fluffy self!





You can lay it across a log/post where you want the bend and push on it to get it started. I can go take a pic of one of ours that we bent if you'd like.

I'm just saying we have done it with no special tools.


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## Jill (Sep 20, 2005)

I'm thinking she might mean not pipe pannels but those wire mesh panels where you can get the cattle ones that are like 48" or so tall and 16' long, or the hog ones that are shorter.

If that's what she's talking about, they are not hard to bend but takes two people, like if you're making a round pen or something.


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## Jill (Sep 20, 2005)

Okay, I read the thread better now I'm more up to speed.

I've seen some people make hay feeders out of thin PVC pipe. I'm not totally for sure howt hey do it, but I"m thinking that the thin (but strong) PVC pipe goes over nails or screws.

That might be an easier way to do it (? but I probably would spend a year trying to figure it out!!! Not crafty at all unfortunately for me.)


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## Miniv (Sep 20, 2005)

REO said:


> No tools needed, just my fluffy self!
> 
> 
> 
> ...






Too Funny! No special tools??? I'd say YOU were pretty darn special!





MA


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## REO (Sep 20, 2005)

LOL! Thanks MA!



I make a good paper weight too!

I tried to take pics of the corners we bent into the panels, but they didn't come out well enough. *sigh*


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## Billy G (Sep 20, 2005)

Lay them out flat under a garage door where you want them bent ,and lift up one end. Really pretty easy.


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## Ashley (Sep 20, 2005)

Yep, put it up in the horse pasture. Leave it a few days, let the horses scratch there butts, and walah a bent cattle panel


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## whitney (Sep 20, 2005)

Billy G thats a GREAT idea. I'm making small hay feeders out of panels that are made like cattle panels but the openings are 2" x 4" I've cut out each feeder now I just need to bend them. Thanks I will try it tommorrow.

Justaboutgeese: If this doesn't work I will be heading to the nearest welding shop.


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## Tommy (Sep 20, 2005)

I would suggest getting the help of someone that has the machinery to heat up the metal where you want to bend to help in the bending process and help in holding it's shape afterwards.

Tommy


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## painthorse61 (Sep 21, 2005)

My husband made a couple of feeders for me using these. He cut it down in height and length and then bent it around lengthwise to meet itself and welded it together. We just ground down the cut edges. It works very well for me!


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## Baptism (Sep 21, 2005)

My solution is similar to Ashley's.

We just put the best panels in the fence line. When the wind blows down a tree, that is where it will go. Of course you have less control about what shape you get but they bend very well.

Also try elevating one end, put a board across where you want it to bend and drive your truck across the board. I, however, am sililar to REO so I would just stand on the board!

Justaboutgeese has the least painful most precise method, I think. Breaks do a very neat and quick job in the exact place you need it done.


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