Hey guys, I've been reading about bending flats without a jig by scoring straight lines at the bend points.  Then I saw a few places sell "Easy Bend" flats which can be bent by hand along a cut line.

While I'm sure they are not as strong, I would think that after heat treating they probably would hold up just fine. Anyone have any experience with these?

thanks

never used one, but i'd say with the amount of cash and work going into putting it together, you'd be better off using a pre-bent blank

Do a pre-bent blank.  Cheaper, easier, and looks better in the end.  I've done both.  I have another pre-bent blank in the mail to me.  The easy bend is in a bucket in the garage to be used for scrap, testing the spot-welder, etc.  It was an expensive piece of scrap.  The bent blank requires fewer tools.  The only good thing about the easy-bend was it was an excuse to buy a welder.  

I got mine from GunsGutsAndGod.com.  Good stuff.

I have tried scoring three different flats with a dremel, junked them all. Finally gave up and saved the money (and more scrapped flats)and just ordered a jig. If thats not an option I would just do a 100% receiver.

ok so heres how it works...

the laser cut flats are the ones that yall are talking about, theyre basically made on a plasma deck at a metal fabrication shop and theyre run off of an auto cad template.

When you get them the sides of the flats are almost completely cut away from the bottom peice except for a few tabs holding it on there. (think of the plastic sheets full of parts on a model car set)

you bend the flat into shape with you hands in like 2 seconds and then you WELD THE SEAMS

somebody in that first post said he though that he could bend and heat treat it and be done. if you did this it would fall apart in 2 seconds. however welding in the seams actually makes it thicker at the seams and it builds a stronger sturdier receiver for half the cost and about an hours more time than the pre bent 100% receivers. in order to make one however you must have a mig welder and some practical knowledge on how to work the thing!

Just noticed the laser cut blanks I was looking at don't have dimples.  That means NO GO for me. No dimples, no deal.