CNC metal folding machines can make all kinds of creations, and if you need new flashing for your home, you can make that on a CNC machine as well. As almost everything is automated, the process may be easier than you think. Here's an overview of the steps:

1. Measure your roof.

To make your flashing, you first need to measure your roof. Create a sketch with the shape of the roof where you want to place the flashings, and make sure that you note a measurement for each line of the flashing. When dealing with angles, you may want to use a protractor to make sure that you draw the angles correctly. Note that the drawing should be a side view of the flashing, and it really just needs to be a very simple line drawing indicating where the flashing is straight and where it bends.

2. Enter your drawing in the machine.

Once you complete your sketch of the flashing, take your drawing back to the CNC folding machine, and enter the drawing. With many machines, you can simply replicate the drawing right on a screen, and the relevant information gets sent to the folding machine. With other machines, you may manually enter the lengths, angles, and other numbers rather than the drawing itself.

3. Load the machine.

After you enter your measurements or a copy of your drawing, the CNC folding machine should prompt you on which type of sheet metal to use. Grab that size of sheet metal, and load it into your machine. Most folding machines are easy to use — you simply open the lid and place the piece of sheet metal down. Then, push the metal so that the back edge touches the back edge of the machine.

4. Start the machine.

Finally, start the machine. Many CNC folding machines have operational pedals, similar to a piano. That allows you to tap the start button easily with your foot while keeping an eye on what's happening. The machine will make the first fold for your flashing. With some folds, the machine will automatically progress to the second fold, but in other cases, the machine will stop, and you will need to push the metal to the back edge again.

After a few folds, your metal will be done. Then, you can remove the flashing from the machine and go install it on your roof.

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