Sheet Metal Brakes?

Woody wrote: In reply to NOHOME: How well does the shear work? I only see myself using the brake and maybe the shear.

The shear works fine as long as you don't try to cut anything over 20 gauge. I do the occasional 18 gauge, but not full width and not often.

I also recommend going over the entire machine with a bottle of locktite and a wrench as it is assembled with the finest Chinese fasteners and skills.

The roller is a big bonus when you do need it, and having it seems to lead to creating reasons to use it.

Woody wrote: Naturally, one of my friends, who incidentally needs to bend some 20" metal this week, pointed me toward this, which is so cheap that I might get one when I need to bend thin wide stuff. http://www.harborfreight.com/30-in-bending-brake-61791.html *Full disclosure: I fully expect everything about it to suck.

I just left Harbor Freight. The Suck-Factor was far too high on this thing.

I have the 24" DiAcro shear and finger brake and 6" notcher. They were beautifully made in the USA 50 or 60 years ago and will last forever. They're rated for 16 gauge mild steel - .062". I was very, very lucky and scored them for $350/ea. They routinely sell for 3 times that, or more.

Not long ago I liquidated the contents of a small machine shop and got a 48" finger brake and 52" jump shear. They're made in Taiwan and are nowhere as nice as the DiAcros, but the additional width and 14 gauge capacity meens I'm keeping them pending room in the garage.

And a word about 3-in-1 shear/roller/brakes: "No"

motomoron wrote: And a word about 3-in-1 shear/roller/brakes: "No"

"In the world of the blind, the one eyed man is King"

In the context of the metal you want to cut, I agree that the 3 in one machines have no value. And if you stipulate industrial use, I fully agree with you. But when you consider that for most people the machine is doing the work of a pair of tin snips in a hobby shop, they start to make sense. Hand held tin snips don't cut anything past 20 gauge either.

What keeps me from having the industrial brake and shear and roller; I only have an 800 sq ft shop. The three tools would take the equivalent of a parking space for an MGB and even more so when you consider the room surrounding that is needed to work.

Also there is the money thing. You said it yourself that you stole the ones you have. Most people cant afford $2400 for the two tools, let alone a slip roller. So, kept to what they were designed for, why would you not recommend the $500 3 in one machines? Did you happen to break one trying to cut or bend metal that was too thick? That seems to be what kills most of them. Mine has only lasted 14 years so far.

Anybody have experience with one of the ones that fits in a press?

http://www.swagoffroad.com/20-TON-Press-Brake-DIY-Builder-Kit_p_40.html

logdog wrote: Anybody have experience with one of the ones that fits in a press? http://www.swagoffroad.com/20-TON-Press-Brake-DIY-Builder-Kit_p_40.html

Yes. Not that particular one but I use a similiar one often. They are for heavier material. Like 1/8"-1/4" plate. They will work on sheet metal but will not give a nice crisp bend. Any time you are trying to bend less than 90deg you will have a very round radius. They cannot bend more than 90deg either.

Useful tools. Great for those guys building heavy plate rock crawler bumpers and chassis gussets and stuff but not very useful for sheet metal.

If you aren't using it often it may be worthwhile making friends with a tin knocker. I used to bring some sheet metal a pizza and a case of Busch to an A/C shop after hours and let a guy knock out all the bends in a stock car body in an evening.

In reply to motomoron:

I've had my eyes out for a DiAcro for a couple of years but they are either too big or $1000+.

Also, as I believe you are aware, I always appreciate your insight when it comes to such things.