DIY Sheet Metal Brake - 72 inch wide, cheap method.
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- In this video I show how to build a metal brake with a 72+ inch working capacity. The unit as shown is approximately 82" tip to tip, has a working surface height of 33.5" and has a clearance between hinges of approximately 74". The metal being bent at the end of the video is a 60" scrap of .040 (1mm) 5052 aluminum. The concept can be scaled up or down to accommodate your needs. This is a simple design that can be built in an evening. I show how to square the brake as well as how to build inexpensive, durable hinges that will handle the stress of bending. A comparable commercial brake would cost $4000+. This can be built with $150 in steel at 2013 prices.
To get a straight bend the entire length of the material you're bending, you'd need to weld two more bending handles; one in the middle and the other on the opposite side of your current handle. Connect all three with a single piece of steel, then weld one longer arm somewhere close to dead center. This will keep the bend plate (the one attached to your handles) from warping from unequal pressure due to your offset handle. Cheers and great video.
Thanks for all them close up shots, It made it so much easier to understand.
Thank you for taking the time to share your bender
I really enjoyed the presentation, very professional and inspiring. It would have been nice to have seen a close view of the bender.
Brian believe it or not man, you're a real inspiration to me. i have almost the same hobbies as you do and you work on everything just like i do but only difference is i use cheap tools with tight budget and i dont have a shop. GOD bless you man. Hope one day ill have the same
Taz is the goodest boy. Very informative build!
I've got three brakes that I've made over the years. I noticed your twist as you pull the handle up. add a square tube going from leg to leg about 12 inches down from your base angle(I used 6'' channel) and thin a connect the two in the center. your over bending on the ends is from the angle iron clamp bowing under a load I see this even in press brakes the dies bow as well. not an issue but a brace might take care. it looks like it got the job done nice video
Thanks for the effort Brian, the Internet is full of whiners and experts who haven't done shit in their lives so please know that many appreciate your efforts to share.
Thanks Brian. This is actually a VERY interesting and informative video. I like your casual, get straight down to it style. My wife says that I have the attention span of a snail. So the fact that I watched the whole video really says something...though I'm not quite sure what! Nevertheless great video. Thanks.
Thank you, Brian. I don't need one that big, but you gave me some ideas on how to fabricate the size I'll need. Taz is a great helper!
If you cut 1 1/2" off of both ends of the moving angle iron you will have room to clamp and swing the moving angle iron way past 90 degrees, nice quick job!
I also want to make a metal brake for bending and I found this video very informative.
Nice bending joke too :)
Thank you. Cheers, man!
Nice work, Brian.
Couple of hopefully constructive "criticisms":
1) I too have my dog everywhere with me but with any machinery and hot works, he knows to go into his enclosure in the workshop (does it himself a lot of the time). It just avoids accidents.
2) Mind those sparks flying off into the area with combustibles.
3) Stepping on your torch leads kills it by crushing the inner.
4) Some close-ups of the hinges would have been nice.
Thank you for a very nice and informative video though!!
The Millermatic 211 is a superb tool! It does anything that I have asked of it and would more I'm sure. I also use welding helmets from Harbor Freight. They were on sale for $44.00 each using a photocell to set off the tinting. It's a Chinese product that works amazingly well.. The tint level is easily adjustable.
Nice job on both the brake and the video!
nice job. Love to see people making their own tools rather than spending up big :)
weld a mid-step between the two box section legs, then weld your box section handle in the centre of the angle, very nice idea.
Its really nice.
However Brian I wish you could have shown the hinges in close up.
That is a very critical part. Also without all your equipment, welders etc, it is not an easy project for the DIYvers.
Still very nice. Thanks for the video and explanation.
Very cool. That is an awesome width. I will be making a much smaller brake for myself with my everlast welder.
nice vid ...love the dog..
Great job. Enjoyed your video and your style for keeping it real.
Nice job. Way to keep it simple but get the job done!
Nice job man! I might end up making g one for myself. You save alot of money for me man thanks lol
Nice job! I built one but put the handle in the center.
Seems to bend easier than when I had it on the end.
The dog needs safety helmet and glasses :D
and the rest of his tail!
The corners were not over bent the center was under bent because the bending bar(the angle steal which you pulled up to produce bend) flexed. to prevent this from occurring you need to add an adjustable tension bar. Simply a round rod(probably 1/2') running under bending bar from end to end with a bolt in center which can be adjusted to provide pressure in the center to prevent flex.Google sheet metal brakes and you will see. I made a small break similar to yours but the tension rod was the trick.
Nice video. I plan on making my own register covers and this will help.
Great job and lovely dog.
Great dog too!
Nah , i cant do that by hand. Good diy vid. I like how Taz doe'snt like to walk on the steel sheet.
He was a great dog. Unfortunately as he got to maturity something went wrong with his temperament. The breeder and I decided to put him down. :(
Like it - & your dog also !!
Pretty cool. Make a few improvements on it for speed and accuracy and I'll make my copy of it.
I like it very much!!!
Good video, and keep up the good work1
Thanks for posting great idea here for bending large pieces of metal with an affordable setup.
Glad I have been able to help others.
Great cost effective metal break....👍
Why do you folks build these "hinge systems" out of pipe & barstock? The easier and best way is to use 2 bolts and 4 nuts. This always allows for smooth rotation, NEVER any squeaking and does not allow shop dust or debris to be trapped inside the hinge at some given time, and the hinge system you made will at some point and time do this. Your bender probably will only need 5/16 bolts and that will be more than enough. Ron your right it does need bracing between the support legs to keep from twisting. The outside of your breaks will always bend tighter than the center due to force being exerted towards its "fixed"areas being the hinged area and no stability in centers. Rig you up on the cross brace you need to add a vertical support on the fixed angle and on the rotating angle a vertical sleeved guide that will still allow movement but stop the bow in the middle. The way there is a clean consistent bend from one end to the other.
+Steve Fleming It did exactly what it needed to do. It's what I refer to as a "field expedient tool." Bolts and nuts would work, but this was cheaper and made use of materials I could easily get. Bracing is the one of things I would do differently.
Great build! I think I am going to build something like this.
Have you tried using box channel instead of angle for the bending bar, to minimize the flexing? OR you can weld a rib on the backside of the angle or tragulate the angle iron. Also having handles in the center and each end will help with even pressure.
You would need to build some sort of way to hold the angle. I contemplated welding some bolts to the base and putting springs on them. Then putting the angle on top with a clamp assembly. Take a close look at the commercial units.
Nice man, thanks for the insight.
If you wanted a rolled edge, you could probably integrate a piece of conduit tubing (size based on desired curve) into the formed edge, and roll around it.
Thanks for making this
nice job..thanks
you saved about $2500...
marcel fortin That's if you already own the tools.
If you don't already own the tools then you'd probably have no use for the metal brake.
A tension rod may need to be applied to the clamp angle on top or turn the angle around so the corner is against the bend
You can do this with Oxy Acetylene (might work better actually), and a cut off saw.... I have a nice MIG machine, but any stick buz box will do this if used properly... might have to up-size some of the pieces, but don't be put-off by that.
just as another suggestion. How about putting your handle in the middle along with square tubing to keep the angle from flexing?
I just recently made a brake out of a framing square, a 28 inch aluminum level and a couple of c clamps clamped to a plywood sheet on saw horses to bend a couple pieces of GS20 sheet metal into a 15" vent box(thin stuff). Total cost, nothing. Next I'm going to try to make a brake out of twine and coconuts in case I get stuck on a desert island with a pile of sheet metal...
no hinge in the middle. The key here is to either use a really heavy piece of steel for the bending components or to build a bridge to keep it steady.
Does the hinge have to be exactly equidistant between both angles and exactly on center to the top of the angles? A close up of the hinge (or sketch) would be nice. How much of a gap between the two angle pieces ?
It does not have to be equidistant, but it will work better if it is evenly distributed. Enough gap to clear the opposing piece, but the closer the better. A close tight joint will produce sharp bends. I wanted softer bends so I spaced a little wider.
Great design but that is one large press. I plan on welding up a much smaller version with my powerimig once I've got the materials.
Thanks. It did what I needed it to do. :) I certainly couldn't afford one this size commercially.
No, I used shielding gas. Less cleanup.... okay no cleanup. lol. Flux core will work too. You could also do this with stick if that's all you have. You can make the cuts with a sawzall if you have plenty of time and plenty of blades. :)
I just punch sheet metal into shape, like a real man
Not really. Basically you need to notch out about half the width of the hinge. You want the two lower pieces to be clamped together when you weld the second one to the hinge. This makes it possible to get tight bends. My hinges are not perfect, but they are more than good enough for what I'm doing.
Do you ever wonder if Taz thinks your crazy for talkin to yourself? Lol
I was thinking the same thing
Can you show a close up of how the angles were notched for the hinges?
Nice. Good job.
Keep up the practice there chief. "A" for effort.
I am worried about the dog, Tass was it?, when you are welding. I wouldn't like him to go blind.
Thank you Brian,
How can I make adjustment for the top L angle for easy insertion of sheet without using the C clamp. the C clamp is tiresome.
Regards
Capital my good man, Capital indeed.
Is there a hinge in the middle too or just on the end...will it give enough in the middle to cause the Over bend on the end? Just asking. good Idea though,,may do this myself. thanks.
It's a good job you did not want a crisp corner on it.
I'm on it!
Is it possible to bend 3mmthk and 8 feet long sheet in this bender??
nice, I'm wondering if you put the handle in the middle of the brake if that would make a more even bend. just my thought, nice job building though
That probably would have helped. I built this for a specific project. :)
Brian Greul understand... it's a nice heavy duty one though
Just a thought, I've heard of peoples dogs going blind very early from their owner welding around them.
were you using flux core wire ? nice job by the way :)
I would put more hinges and handles o wait i did on mine lol...
And put the c-clamps with the handle down you get more room to bend past the 90°'s ...
Nice!
Hey dude that the problem I had when I bulid one
Nice job Brian but I'm not so sure that taking so much time to tell what raw stock you're using and what welders, plasma cutters, etc. is kind of dragging things out. I'm, only speaking for myself but I'm getting a bit antsy for you to get to the meat of the build.
I try to share what tools and stock I'm using because it benefits people who are new to fabricating. For folks who are in a hurry they can click to jump further along in the video. That's a great RUclips feature that let's people skip ahead or go back and replay something.
it make me laugh how the dog leaking histhing he keep on going.. very professional.. lol good vd bro
awesome this a per
That the problem I had too
You made more of a shear, not s brake,
I'd disagree. A shear cuts metal. This bent it. It worked great. When I sold that property I scrapped the unit though. I left the video up to help others because there wasn't something like this when I fumbled my way through building it.
its camera too far, become cannot see obyek clearly.
I can't let my german shepherd be in the shop if I'm welding , cutting , or grinding ... She jumps up and tries to eat the sparks ... L O L ... No clue why she does this ...
Just my two cents worth. Don't let a dog in the shop while you weld. They don't know NOT to look at the weld, and it will screw their eyes up just like a human. Als they don't normally wear boots and the slivers of metal gets in their feet.
If u can weld an not notice ur not using gas u need to stop welding.....
I just got at half way threw . I am thinking he have not 1. plan this out all the way or 2. just playing it by ear or he dont know how to center this up and dont know to do math to well . That being said and what I would do is think of a plain first . Then 2. I would draw up that plain and look that over real well . 3 . Then decide what materials need to build the Metal brake to prevent warping or giving . You want to achieve a good tight bends . Not even seeing the rest of this wast of steal I think I know what this is going to turn being . A complete fail . I just hope he can weld . Owning a welder do make you a fabricator .
+Jeff Mullinix I did not set out to teach you how to fabricate or weld. I built this, it worked for what i needed it for. Your mileage may vary. If you don't like it you can click on to the next post, or better yet pull out a thick wad of money and go buy one. cheers.
HAHAHAH! .... trolls would rather spend large cash
I like your idea and am going to make it work
constant gauge changes should be do-able with bolts
and with a stock scraps (as spacers)
Quit ignoring the frigin Dog.... God that bothers me!!!
That dog got plenty of attention. It can't be 24/7 focus on your pet though. Regrettably, he had a temperament issue and had to be euthanized. The German Pinscher is a shalllow gene pool breed as not many survived WW2. He was rehomed to me because he was not good with children. I tried for a long time to train him and when he got aggressive with me he had to go. The breeder and I made the decision to put him down. I did AKC obedience and was just starting on agility and nosework with him. He was a high energy dog and lots of fun. Unfortunately something was right in his little brain and he would turn on you for nothing and bite or snap at you. Little devil bit me twice.