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O K I have been looking for a sheet metal brake for some time and can not find anything thats afordable so I have decided to build My own ,I got to make my floor patches , I hope this works I will let You know soon , Pete

I have saw some nice brakes for around $600.00 - $1500.00 used. These are small brakes that will bend sheet metal up to 16ga. and have a cap. of 2' to 3'. If you are looking for one up to 6' to 8' the price gets higher real quick. If a fellow had the cash a good box - finger brake would come in handy but you are talking a much higher prices. You might think about having your metal bent at a sheet metal shop after you lay it out. That would save you a ton of cash for just bending a few bends

My uncle and I made a brake. works good enough for us anyway. It only has two major flaws
1)is with the current set up we can't bend anything over 90 deg.
2) due to the length and not supporting it in the center, bending a long piece of steel a slightly different bend radius in the middle that the outsides. For any thing smaller than 2 feet theough you can't tell it.
All we did was take two pieces of 4"x4" 8ft long angle iron and welded on brackets to make the one pivot about the center of the other. We welded on a small stand at each end of the stationary piece to sit on a bench top or the floor.
To hold the steel we vis grip or c-clamp a piece of half inch steel on top of the pieces.
TO actually bend it we never got around to welding on the handle we get out the 24" pipe wrench and torque it over.
Crude and redneck, but it works.

Pete,
A poor mans brake. You can clamp short lengths ( 3' or so) of angle iron together and bend. Depending on gauge I've used a steel door jam to bend. I used a panel flanger to start the fold on my floor here. A little hammer and dolly or hammer on an anvil will get the edge a little straighter. Harbor Freight has a 36" brake around a couple hundred. I haven't used so I can't comment on quality or usage. Whatever route you choose have fun and good luck
Dan

If all you have to do is make floor patches why not just cut the metal to size and take it to a sheetmetal shop and have them bend it... that's surely got be cheaper than buying a tool to just do one job.

This would be your cheapest way if your not going to use the brake alot, we have alot of people come to our shop with there metal asking to form it. Beer goes alot further than cash in some shops for things like that.

If you are going to do alot of fab work your self make sure the brake is rated not only for 16ga but that the top leaf has not only an up and down adjustment but a back and forth also is movable for heavier gages or if you want fold a rounder edge. 20ga brakes are junk IMO and if your going to buy unless it's a screaming deal don't buy one less than 48" long or you'll find your self buying beer for a sheet metal shop agian.

Top link does'nt mention max gage but gives an idea of cost, 2nd link is very close to our baby box and pan at work, rated for 16ga but 18ga seams to be the max @ 48". Still a good little brake and it cost us around $700 with shipping a couple/three of years ago.

http://www2.northerntool.com/metal-fabrication/benders/item-143347.htm

http://www.artools.com/virtual%20showroom/saber%2048x16%20B&P.JPG

I started on home made brake today got off to a good start , then I made the mistake of stoping for lunch at around 1 ,after lunch I went back in to the garage I had to make weild ,out of gas , load tank in truck go to shop and thought as long as I am there I will get new regulator , go home and the fitting that goes to the weilder is a OEM thread GO back to shop they do not have fitting go to ACE find a brass fitting that works , go back home finish tommorow , I will post pics as soon as I am done I only got 6 bucks in it now had all the iron in stock , was in construction for 40 + years got the time , Pete

This is a nice detailed plan from popular mechanics 1958
Not a real big one but would be nice for smaller patch work.


ttp://www.vintageprojects.com/machine-shop/Press-Brake.pdf

Found this awsome plan. Hobyist guy just having fun and wants to share it with anyone that would like to build one. Only cost $75. Very nice and can be built to handle up to 8ft long stock. Very well designed and cheap to build. I am going to build one for sure.

http://www.n344rb.com/plans/brakeplans.pdf

Got done today trouble with most brakes is they will not bend 16 and 18 ga. and that is what our floors and doors are made of if You look at that press the long one the piano hinge is to light to bend our ga. metal , most brakes are rated for up to 18 ga. or less and being that I could not see spending 600 or 800 bucks just to make a few pic's I built My own ,I will take Pics tomorrow , I already bent a pic of 16 ga. 12 inches long and a pic of 18 ga. 32inches long for the lower part of My right door on the inside bottom , It took about 8 hrs to build it feels good just to out in the garage after this long winter working on the truck 52-3100 or the harly 79-80 inch or just building stuff ,Pete

heres the pics of home made brake


http://s559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/sparky52/brake%20press/

Pete,

Pretty crafty...good job. Looks like it does just what you wanted it to do.

Stuart

i love the simple stuff, i used to run a heating and air shop and always needed a brake, too cheap to buy one; still need one for my stuff and side work.... thanks for the link

ed

nice job on the brake im a basher 20 years and i like it well done timbuk

Thanks all , it works and it only cost the time to do it , Pete