The fold is made on the bench, before the protector goes near the panel. Bending it on the pack puts the load into the panel edge, which is the thing the protector exists to protect, and it usually folds to the wrong angle because the panel resists. The sequence below is the one that produces a square corner that stays square.
The sequence
First, offer the piece up to the pack without folding it, and check that the notch sits exactly on the corner. If it is off by a few millimetres, the fold will be off by more.
Then take it to the bench, hold the long side flat on the table and fold the short side down with the palm, keeping the notch closed. The two halves should meet and stay closed.
Finally fit it to the panel, corner first, then press the legs onto the two faces. If the piece has to be forced, the inside width is wrong, not the fold.
Common mistakes and what they look like
Folding away from the notch: the legs buckle on the outside and the corner is rounded. It cannot be corrected, only replaced.
Folding twice in slightly different places: the leg shows two creases and weakens at the second one.
Bending a pre-bent piece: the leg creases at the old fold line and the angle opens up.
| Step | Action | Check |
|---|
| 1 | Offer up unfolded | Notch on the corner |
| 2 | Fold on the bench | Halves meet and close |
| 3 | Fit corner first | Legs flat on both faces |
| 4 | Press legs down | No force needed |
| 5 | Band over the piece | Strap on board, not on the edge |
Tools that help and tools that hurt
A straight edge and a firm table are enough. A rubber mallet on the fold helps close it evenly on a heavy wall.
A knife is not a folding tool. Cutting the notch deeper to make the fold easier removes the material that holds the angle, and the corner will open in the stack.
When not to fold at all
At 4.5-5 mm wall, or with a 70 mm leg, order the part pre-bent. Hand folding a heavy wall at the packing bench produces an inconsistent angle across a shift, and the inconsistency shows in the stack.
Where the pack has many corners, pre-bent pieces are also faster: one movement per corner instead of a fold and a fit.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Should I fold it on the panel?
No. Fold on the bench, then fit. Folding on the panel loads the edge and gives a poor angle.
What if the halves do not close?
The notch is in the wrong place or the inside width is too tight. Check both before forcing.
Can I deepen the notch with a knife?
No. It removes the material that holds the angle and the corner will open under load.
When should I order pre-bent?
At 4.5-5 mm wall, with a long leg, or where the pack has many corners.
Does a mallet help?
On a heavy wall it helps close the fold evenly. It is not needed on 2.5-3 mm.
Tell us the piece size, quantity per shipment and how it is handled at mona@hengnicepacking.com and we will advise on the board build.
