I'm going to get out my new bender that's been in the box on the shelf for years now. I used to have one made by Breakdown Industries. It's just one of the common ones with the dies that mounts on a stand.
When figuring the bends, and doing so as not to make three incorrect copies while arriving at one acceptable one, how does one calculate the amount that any given piece of metal will "grow" during the bend, so you can cut stock, make the bend, then have it come out right.
Or do you just make it, then cut the excess off, or stretch it if short?
Is there a guide of this kind on line? Also, figuring out and marking where to start the bends, and in general things that can help me rather than the old trial and error method, particularly at today's steel prices.
TIA
Steve