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Old 03-17-2010, 08:47 PM
Donald Donald is offline
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Default making a metal brake

I have been looking around the site for ideas of how to build tools and how to shape metal. I am making a VW 4x4 Baja, and I am doing some fab work on the floor boards, fire wall and fenders. I have been looking around trying to figure out a way to make a simple metal brake, I am trying to make some channel support for the floor boards out of 18 Gauge steel. Do anyone have any ideas on how to make a good brake? I have looked all around fairbanks AK for someone that sells one but can't find it, and I don't want to pay for the shipping cost.
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Donald
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Old 03-17-2010, 09:36 PM
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Jacob Jacob is offline
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How long of bend do you want to make? How often do you think you will need to use a brake? it can be as simple as pounding the metal over the edge of a heavy piece of steel.
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Old 03-17-2010, 09:40 PM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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I'm not sure you will find that info here. A brake is certainly a tool that is in nearly every metalshapers shop but it's a bending (metalforming) tool rather than a shaping (stretching or shrinking) tool.

If you Google "Metal Brake Plans", you'll find tons of plans.

Good Luck.
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Old 03-17-2010, 10:01 PM
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87hdrush 87hdrush is offline
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http://www.millerwelds.com/interests...in-the-shop/1/
miller welding has a lot of good stuff on their site. there's a brake on this page, and maby more if you look around
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Old 03-17-2010, 10:35 PM
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Joe Hartson Joe Hartson is offline
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Donald, Take a look at the attached thread. David Gardner has a DVD that would probably be very good for you to buy. It shows how to do a lot of metal shaping tasks with minimal tools including bending sheet metal, forming beads and a lot more.

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=172
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Old 03-18-2010, 12:08 AM
Donald Donald is offline
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Thank for the fast response, I am needing them to be about 4' in length w/ 4 bends each, that was why I was going with the brake instead of the hammer. I was searching on the internet, but didn't include the word PLAN. I looked at the clip, and I am going to pick up the video. Thanks.
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Old 03-18-2010, 10:02 AM
George Barnes George Barnes is offline
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I'm not sure that simple and good can be applied to the same tool in this case.

I've built my own brake that will do 48" steel sheet in 16 ga.. You need to eat your Wheaties to be able to do that though.

Here is a pic of my tool.



While I don't have a complete plan set for it, I do have quite a bit of it drawn up. It involves some end plates that are flame cut and some pieces of cold rolled bar stock along with a piece of 3/8" x 6" bar stock.








Sorry for making a tool post. Delete if inappropriate.
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Old 03-18-2010, 10:50 AM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by George Barnes View Post
...Sorry for making a tool post. Delete if inappropriate.
Not a problem George.

In the first photo, there appear to be some bike frames on the floor. Do you make those?
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Old 03-18-2010, 11:58 AM
George Barnes George Barnes is offline
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They are not bike frames. They are center crossmember and transmission mounts for '35-'40 Ford chassis. I build them for several of the large shops.



Here is a bike frame that I have built some of a few years back.



And this is what the finished product looked like:

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Old 03-19-2010, 08:52 AM
Donald Donald is offline
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Thanks for the input, That is a real nice brake, probably above my means of producing right now, I found a plan of the internet that uses some channel steel and angle iron, but it can only do light work, but it will get me going on making this project for about $30 of scrap steel.
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