Sheet metal brake

It just isn't practical to build one of these, unless you have a VERY well equipped machine shop. I have a 3' finger brake for 20 Ga steel, and it weighs over 400 Lbs. The brake beam is essentially a 2x4 of SOLID steel, with a 1/2" plate welded to it! The bottom of the brake is a pretty massive casting, too. I tore the brake apart to get it out of my car, and needed an engine crane to put it back together once I got in inside.
Jon

Here is a URL that you might find useful. The forum at the URL has dozens of posts related to building a small working brake--do a search at the URL.
Ciao, David

How about a press brake. Easy to make and works fine. I built one a while back and its been most usefull. A little diligent thought before bending items up and you can bend boxes to some degree. I have bent 10 ga on mine already up to 48" wide, and built it originally to bend up 16 ga sheetsteel covers for my bandsaw.
check it out on my projects page.
I do intend to build a small brake to secure on my workbench for those small less than 12" wide needs in thin materials, and the one posted on the Hobart website i9s what I plan on making. I have it about 75 % finished now, but other have too's have taken up my time.
Visit my website: expressed are those of my wifes, I had no input whatsoever. Remove "nospam" from email addy.

I saw a hydraulic press brake design in "Farm Show" magazine several years ago that seemed to be well designed. It utilized off the shelf pins and bushings from a front end loader. I believe the plans can be purchased from the inventor.

See brake.txt and the associated jpgs. JR Dweller in the cellar
Shawn wrote:

Thanks all for your help. A few questions about the geometry of a brake. With respect to the centerline of the hinge, where are the edges of the pivot block, hold down bar and table? On some of the plans I've seen, the hold down bar is adjustable either closer to or farther away from the centerline of the pivot. Is this adjustment for different material thicknesses?
Thanks, Shawn

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 09:42:14 -0500, "Steve Peterson" calmly ranted:
Speaking of that, has anyone here bought their CD (with all the info from their mags for 26 years on it)?
How is it? Worth $40?
They sent me a year of the mag for $12 and it was interesting, but I didn't keep the scrip.
------------------------------------------------------- "i" before "e", except after "c", what a weird society. ---- Dynamic Website Applications

I bought it a couple of years ago. It is full of projects and worth every penny, in my opinion.
Ron Thompson On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. --Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

Larry,
Mine was free! Not really... It was necessary to drop a hint to Santa. IMHO, it is in that category of things grandsons can get for that old codger who has everything. I enjoy mine more because of who gave it to me.
George Willer