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Sheet Metal Brake recommendations

Freemasm

Well Known Member
I have a complete POS bench-top brake. It can't complete a bend to a full 90deg or have a consistent, straight (bow in middle when work over a few inches long) bend. What is the VAF world using that I can purchase/you'd recommend? Your suggestions and recommendations are appreciated.
 
I have a cheap 40 inch (I think) Grissley 3 in one brake/shear/roll that was very useful during my build. It works good on aluminum but I would not recommend it for steel.
 
Harbor Fright

I have a 30" Harbor Fright. It has a plate with an angled face over 90° so it bends to 90 after reflex. I have never needed 30". 18 would have been better. I do wish it had a bigger radius edge on the bending block for thicker material. I've fabricated a couple blocks from hardwood.
 
sheet metal shop

My recommendation: if you don't have a lot to bend, bring a cold six-pack to a local sheet metal shop at about 4:30pm and ask them to do it. They have really good brakes. Make sure that they know how to deal with aluminum, many only deal with steel or galvanized.

This suggestion is based on several years working in a sheet metal shop when I was a kid in the 1970s, my brother who ran a sheet metal shop until a couple of years ago, and may not be valid advice in 2020. :)
 
I have a 30" Harbor Fright. It has a plate with an angled face over 90° so it bends to 90 after reflex. I have never needed 30". 18 would have been better. I do wish it had a bigger radius edge on the bending block for thicker material. I've fabricated a couple blocks from hardwood.

I have the same one. I've used layers of thin stainless overlaid across the nose of that sharp edge to create a bigger bend radius. I just tape the stainless in place as necessary.
 
I have a 30" Harbor Fright. It has a plate with an angled face over 90° so it bends to 90 after reflex. I have never needed 30". 18 would have been better. I do wish it had a bigger radius edge on the bending block for thicker material. I've fabricated a couple blocks from hardwood.

The parts on my POS are beveled correctly but the assembly isn't rigid enough to bend even 032 more than 6-8 inches to a full 90. Longer pieces have a very noticable bow in the center where the bend is even less true.

I have to utilize some very thin gage metal "excerts" to control the bend radii.

My recommendation: if you don't have a lot to bend, bring a cold six-pack to a local sheet metal shop at about 4:30pm and ask them to do it. They have really good brakes. Make sure that they know how to deal with aluminum, many only deal with steel or galvanized.

This suggestion is based on several years working in a sheet metal shop when I was a kid in the 1970s, my brother who ran a sheet metal shop until a couple of years ago, and may not be valid advice in 2020. :)

I'm just not that good with a brake/the plane isn't that true to plans dimensions to really allow this. It is very common for me to have to perform a few metal operations, install, match-mark, perform a few more operations. etc. Maybe I'll be that good some day where the above suggestion would work for me. I currently utilize a good welder/shop for similar off-line ops.
 
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