Black Hills Drifter Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Our club recently invested in a plasma cutter. We purchased several 3/8”, 4’x8’ sheets of AR500 and cut our own targets. My question pertains to some older 3/8” AR500 targets that have become warped. The surface is in good shape. Could a press be utilized to flatten these old targets or is it time to take them to the scrap yard ? We will be monitoring the new targets for warping and reverse the mounting bolts when appropriate. Thank you in advance for any suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Reb, SASS #54804 Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Cut them into smaller pieces and make shotgun knock downs out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Try turning them around and use the back as the face of the target. In time the curved target plate will bend flat then curved again in the opposite direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Matt Dillon Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Turn er over luke! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 30 minutes ago, Cliff Hanger #3720LR said: Try turning them around and use the back as the face of the target. In time the curved target plate will bend flat then curved again in the opposite direction. This is what we do. Works very well. Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 We have a couple hundred AR500 targets and have dealt with this problem for many years. The targets curve away from the front. As they are continually shot the metal stretches in the center and they curve to the back. If you are diligent to begin with and turn the targets at every match you will not have the problem. We take our targets to place that runs them through a larger rollers and flattens them out again. It cost us $20 per target, but that is better than the $100 per target for new ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlesnake Slim Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 1 hour ago, Snakebite said: We have a couple hundred AR500 targets and have dealt with this problem for many years. The targets curve away from the front. As they are continually shot the metal stretches in the center and they curve to the back. If you are diligent to begin with and turn the targets at every match you will not have the problem. We take our targets to place that runs them through a larger rollers and flattens them out again. It cost us $20 per target, but that is better than the $100 per target for new ones. This above would be the answer. We had one of our volunteers take some of Winter Range's targets to flatten on a hydraulic shop press and it was no-go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripsaw Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 We alternate sides on our targets. As we paint the fronts, we paint a white "X" on the back. Next match we shoot the "X" side, paint the new X on the back. Repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 6 hours ago, Rattlesnake Slim said: This above would be the answer. We had one of our volunteers take some of Winter Range's targets to flatten on a hydraulic shop press and it was no-go. Just curious. When you say the hydraulic shop press was a no go, do you mean they wouldn't attempt to do it or that the press won't work flattening the plates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Sandor, SASS #74075 Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 46 minutes ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said: Just curious. When you say the hydraulic shop press was a no go, do you mean they wouldn't attempt to do it or that the press won't work flattening the plates. I tried this with one of our old targets - admittedly with a Harbor Freight shop press. With the plate supported at the corners, the convex portion would flatten out under full pressure, but would spring right back when pressure was released. A diligent attempt to force the plate past flat in order to compensate for the spring-back failed, as it resulted in the top I-beam on the press being forced into a lovely -and permanent - upward arc! Being no metallurgist/engineer, I wonder if the resistance to being straightened is some form of work-hardening of the steel. CS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 AR500 has a 4% springback factor. 4% across a 12" target in 1/2" of flexing past flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlesnake Slim Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said: Just curious. When you say the hydraulic shop press was a no go, do you mean they wouldn't attempt to do it or that the press won't work flattening the plates. The plates just sprung back like Count Sandor said. Given that the metal face has stretched as Snakebite noted, just pressing on them won't actually do anything permanent. His rolling method is probably your best bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Skinner, SASS#60697 Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Well, you CAN turn them over... Or just shoot the other direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 21 hours ago, a d said: Howdy, I am following this with great interest..... What type of roller are you talking about, is this something a machine shop would have? AD We have it done a Structural Metal Fabrication shop. They do Laser cutting, Shearing, rolling etc. They are large industrial metal rollers. I doubt that a regular machine shop would have such equipment. I would look for someone that specializes in large metal fabrication jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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