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Homemade sheetmetal brake

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by DanStew, Aug 2, 2005.

  1. Aug 2, 2005
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Who has made their own sheet metal brake?? I have seen a few writeups online, but wondering if anyone has ever used one of the plans and how it came out? I dont want to drop the $$$ on a brake if i am only going to use it spareingly
     
    DanStew, Aug 2, 2005
    #1
  2. Aug 2, 2005
    blevisay

    blevisay Oh Noooooooooooooooo! Staff Member

    Portland Tn.
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    I did back when I did my appreticeship............
     
    blevisay, Aug 2, 2005
    #2
  3. Aug 2, 2005
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    timgr, Aug 2, 2005
    #3
  4. Aug 2, 2005
    Mojave

    Mojave Member

    California High...
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    We have a simple brake that we cobbled up a few years back. Didn't build from a plan though - we just started welding. It's a little rough, because I keep it out in the yard next to the forge, where it's exposed to the desert weather, but it works OK. I used to have an ancient sheet metal shear (1918 vintage), but the thing weighed about 400 pounds, so I sold it when a neighbor made an offer I couldn't refuse. Now I just use a Mikita, a die grinder or air snips to cut sheet metal.
     
    Mojave, Aug 2, 2005
    #4
  5. Aug 2, 2005
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
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    Dan the little brake that Tim posted is made of aluminum and that 16 gage material rating is for bending aluminum. Its kinda funny you mentioned this Dan cause I am currently working on building a steel version of this little brake in my spare time, I enlarged it to go up to 24" material and I think it should bend up to 16 gage steel. I'm making mine bolt together.
     
    Mcruff, Aug 2, 2005
    #5
  6. Aug 2, 2005
    Old Bill

    Old Bill Aggressively passive....

    Really Southern...
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    Old Bill, Aug 2, 2005
    #6
  7. Aug 2, 2005
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Dan, I built one using the Gingery plans- http://www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/series/

    The qusetion is-

    How wide do you need it?

    and

    What kinda metal are you going to bend?

    O.K., thats two questions, but they're very important qusetions.

    I built mine only 18" wide & beefed it up quite a bit & it *Does*Not* like a full width piece of 18 gu. steel, ever see 3"x3/8" HRS get bendy??? Across the wide part??? Very Impressive :). Perfectly happy with aluminum or 20 gu. steel though-

    Apart from that it's a damn handy thing to have & even buying all the material "fresh" it still cost a lot less than an equivalent commercial unit.

    I'll send you some pics if you'd like, let me know-

    H.
     
    Howard Eisenhauer, Aug 2, 2005
    #7
  8. Aug 3, 2005
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I am only looknig to maybe make a 24 inch wide one or maybe 36 inch, nothing super huge, mainly making patch panels and maybe floors and such, i wont need a huge one.
     
    DanStew, Aug 3, 2005
    #8
  9. Aug 3, 2005
    speedbuggy

    speedbuggy Looking for a Jeep now

    Living the Good...
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    If you come up with an inexpensive one Dan, I'd be interested in seeing how you did it.
     
    speedbuggy, Aug 3, 2005
    #9
  10. Aug 3, 2005
    4x4chevette

    4x4chevette Member

    Lancaster, Ohio
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    Dec 19, 2004
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    I have a boughten 4 footer.. piad like 43 bucks new for it... have a huge 10 foot break as well, and we ahve a shear, a crimper and a bead roller....

    For small projects before the small break I used a vice and two pieces of angle iron..
     
    4x4chevette, Aug 3, 2005
    #10
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