Rolling mills: how to flatten metal

The rolling mill is a machine with two steel rollers that reduce the thickness of metal as it passes between them. It is used to make sheet and, with grooved rollers, wire.

Types #

• Manual: with a crank; the most common in the workshop.
• Electric: to work more metal with less effort.
• Flat and grooved rollers: grooved rollers make square, round and half-round wire.

How to use it #

1. Anneal the metal (heat until red and cool) if it is hard.
2. Set the gap between the rollers.
3. Pass the metal through in successive passes, reducing gradually.
4. Anneal again when the metal hardens and gets stiff.

Textures #

Paper or fabric can be passed through with the sheet of metal to imprint textures.

Care #

Keep the rollers clean, dry and oiled, and do not pass hard metals or solder. Scratches transfer to the metal.

See also #

• Metal ingots and casting grain
• Draw plate
• Forging and hammering metal