I have finally finshed the sheetmetal brake that I had meant to a long time ago, but just now am at the point where I am ready to do the actual bending. Could have done it long ago, but it was easier to store the cut stainless panels unbent. So anyway. I got the original plans from one of the early members from Australia and I modified it a little here and there. It is actually very simple. It is several pieces of 2" angle iron that is 0.2"/5mm thick. I attached two pieces to the edge of a work bench that just happens to be 2" thick with lag screws. It was an old cutting table(butcher's block) out of a Deli 8' long. Through trial and error, I found that the outside edge of the bender(piece closest to you) could not be flat stock. It bowed during bending. However if the angle iron is cut so as to leave an edge on it, it is strong enough. I reinforced the bottom piece but I think this isn't needed. All bends were made with vice grips holding the two pieces of the bender together. I was going to put arms on it, but after bending a scrap piece as long as any of the panels(22") with the vice grips, I found them to be unnecessary. If you plan on bending large panels, then weld some arms on the back piece of the bender. If they are aluminum, that will probably be all you need. If it is stainless, you might have to add some weight. The original bender that I saw had long heavy arms and a pulley system that would raise and lower it. I am only replacing all of the panels on mine so none are longer than the front wheel arches(22"). I felt the welding was not up to my visual standards, so out they came. Here are all the pieces that I needed.
The notched piece is leftover from early experiments and is best left solid but with the lip on it.
Here is a scrap piece with a 45 and 90 degree bend. The 90 fits tightly around any square stock.
The surface of the metal being bent needs to be protected from the clamped pieces or they will leave some marks, which could be taken out, but an old towel and careful placement of the sheet will go a long way.
If protected, it will come out without a scrach.
The line you see is the reflection.
When the bend is made, the stainless tends to be a little springy and will either need to be bent just a tad more than the final angle, or you can do as I do and take a hammer to the back edge of the bender and give it about 10 or so whacks, and it will hold its angle, and make it a little tighter bend as well. If you really want tight bends, the outside pieces(bender and base) need to have their edges ground to 45 derees, and can be placed closer together. Otherwise the outside edge of the bender(the flat piece next to you) needs to be about the distance of the thickness of a heavy washer away from the base, so the metal will wrap around the base piece as it is bent.
If you plan on making any 3 dimensional bends(3walls of an open box), the brake needs to be on the corner of the work bench. You will have to do some mental gymnastics as to which bends are made first so as to not interfear with other bends.
This brake can help with the making of brackets as well as panels. Cheap and easy. All you need is a Plasma cutter. If you don't have access to one then a metal bandsaw or hacksaw and a strong drill press will suffice.
Bill
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