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Sheet metal brake

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brothapig(at)HOTMAIL.COM
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Is anyone familiar with the "Central Machinery" brand of sheet metal brake sold by Harbor Freight, part number 46508-1VGA?  It is a 40" brake that looks solid enough for aluminum sheet metal (advertises up to 16 gauge steel), and is only $100.



I'm interested because I just started to scratch build, and I don't have a brake yet.  I will be building my own 8 ft brake when I need it, but this seems like it would be very nice to have in the shop; handy, light, and maneuverable. (and cheap)



I hope someone out there has at least tried it.  I'm interested if it puts a radius on the bend, and if not, if it's possible to modify it to put a radius on it.



Ryan

craig(at)craigandjean.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

The 30 inch brake from HF has worked well. I replaced the top steel piece

with a piece of MDF with an 1/8th inch radius on it and an angle of about

60-70 degrees to allow for spring-back on 90 degree bends.



www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41311



I also bought a conventional box brake from Grizzly. I've tried a number of

tricks but haven't been able to make it put a nice 1/8 inch radius on my

bends. Some have recommended wrapping the tip of the upper blocks in a

couple layers of .016 but the radius that yielded was still too tight. Next

I'll try clamping a 1/4 inch rod along the edge as I bend.



-- Craig

admin(at)arachnidrobotics
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

No info on that particular brake, but ANY brake you buy will need to have a radius machined into it, or used with a 'bend wrapper'.  The bend wrapper (or whatever else you'd like to call it) is nothing more than a strip of .040 aluminum bent on the brake, and left there.  Just tape it to the top die/punch and go on to bend your parts.  The .040 stip essentially increases the bend radius of the original punch.  Depending on the existing radius, and the effectiveness of your brake, you may have to use several strips to achieve the correct radius.

    This sounds like a half-(at)$$ed method, but it's the same method used in multi-millin dollar production shops to achieve a non-standard radius.  just use double sided tape to hold the strip tot he punch. 

    If you were careful, you could probably achieve a satisfactory radius on the stock brake parts using a belt sander.  Just be ready to spend  another $100 if you're not careful.



Ryan Vechinski <brothapig(at)HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:[quote] --> Zenith-List message posted by: Ryan Vechinski 

Is anyone familiar with the "Central Machinery" brand of sheet metal brake sold by Harbor Freight, part number 46508-1VGA?  It is a 40" brake that looks solid enough for aluminum sheet metal (advertises up to 16 gauge steel), and is only $100.



I'm interested because I just started to scratch build, and I don't have a brake yet.  I will be building my own 8 ft brake when I need it, but this seems like it would be very nice to have in the shop; handy, light, and maneuverable. (and cheap)



I hope someone out there has at least tried it.  I'm interested if it puts a radius on the bend, and if not, if it's possible to modify it to put a radius on [quote][b]

admin(at)arachnidrobotics
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:40 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Remember, you're looking for a .125" radius on the brake.  Two layers of .016" material is still only slightly larger than a .032" radius.  The thin .016 conforms too tightly to the original brake radius.  You'll find that a couple of strips of .040 will usually be just right.  If nothing else, use three stips (.040+.040+.040= 1/8" radius).



    Hope that helps...





Craig Payne <craig(at)craigandjean.com> wrote:[quote] --> Zenith-List message posted by: "Craig Payne" 



The 30 inch brake from HF has worked well. I replaced the top steel piece

with a piece of MDF with an 1/8th inch radius on it and an angle of about

60-70 degrees to allow for spring-back on 90 degree [quote][b]

p.mulwitz(at)worldnet.att
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:28 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Hi Ryan,



I haven't seen that particular model brake from Harbor Freight, but I 

bought one of the smaller ones they sell.  The price is quite low, 

and the picture in the downloaded assembly manual makes it look 

similar to the smaller ones.



It says it is limited to 90 degree bends.  On the smaller one, I was 

able to grind the stops so it would go farther and allow you to make 

an actual 90 degree bend after the snap back.  The hold-down bar 

seems to be designed for no radius - just like the smaller model.



I started with one of the small ones (maybe 18") and played around 

with it for a while.  I wound up buying a 24" one from Grizzly which 

required extensive modifications to work at all.  However, the 

Grizzly tool was much heavier and almost able to clamp an 18 inch 

piece of aluminum well enough to actually make a good bend.



I tried a couple of different ways to get the 1/8" radius required 

for most parts on our planes.  I tried gluing a 1/4" round rod to a 

flat piece of metal and putting it under the supplied hold down 

bar.  It didn't last long.  The final winner was a piece of 1/4" 

aluminum cut from an extrusion which already had the rounded edge 

needed when it came from the store.  This has worked well.



I don't think you will find the 4 foot brake from Harbor freight to 

be very useful.  On the other hand, the smaller ones which cost a lot 

less (around $30) would make a great first brake for you to fool 

around with and learn the ropes.  After making a few test parts with 

the Harbor Freight brake and learning how to form the 1/8" radius you 

need you will be in a much better position to build your 8 or 12 foot 

brake.  You might also decide that the larger one is not worth the 

trouble and use a local shop to do the long bends on proper hydraulic machines.



Good luck,



Paul

XL fuselage



At 11:36 AM 2/6/2007, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  

Is anyone familiar with the "Central Machinery" brand of sheet metal 

brake sold by Harbor Freight, part number 46508-1VGA?  It is a 40" 

brake that looks solid enough for aluminum sheet metal (advertises 

up to 16 gauge steel), and is only $100.



I'm interested because I just started to scratch build, and I don't 

have a brake yet.  I will be building my own 8 ft brake when I need 

it, but this seems like it would be very nice to have in the shop; 

handy, light, and maneuverable. (and cheap)



I hope someone out there has at least tried it.  I'm interested if 

it puts a radius on the bend, and if not, if it's possible to modify 

it to put a radius on it.



Ryan

Ron Lendon

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 685
Location: Clinton Twp., MI

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Sheet metal brake

Ryan,



You might want to take a look here for some good ideas:

http://ch601.org/tools.htm



My experience with the wrapping metal around the nose of the leaf brakes is, the nose piece needs to be adjustable fore and aft.  If there is no adjustment it makes it real hard to get bends to and over 90 degrees.

_________________
Ron Lendon
WW Corvair with Roy's Garage 5th bearing
CH 601 XLB
N601LT - Flying
http://www.mykitlog.com/rlendon
Corvair Engine Prints:
https://sites.google.com/site/corvairenginedata/

btucke73(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 5:50 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Ryan,



     I have a similar Harbor Freight brake:



http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91012



     This has come in very handy several times.  I

placed a .040 cover over the upper clamp, and have no

radius issues.  The math performed earlier is good for

math class, but in reality, the .040 is not going to

exactly follow the edge on the upper clamp unless you

beat it that way with a hammer.  You obviously don't

plan to bend the spar with this brake.  -For just

about anything else, it works great.



BTW, the brake I use at the CNC machine shop for

aviation STC'd equipment uses the same .040 sheet for

radius.  It works...



VR/



Brandon Tucker

601 HDS / TD / Corvair

61 hours



 

Cheap talk?

naumuk(at)alltel.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:25 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Ryan-

    The Harbor Freight brakes are well worth the money, but to do any 

serious work, you need something larger than 40". I personally have an 18" 

for taking care of the little stuff. For bigger work, (Especially if you 

intend to scratchbuild) check out the "Home Depot" brake in the archives or 

on 601.org.

    Of course, there are those of us that are still waiting for the plans 

for a really neat 48" brake promised to us years ago by Homebuilder Helper. 

Forgot all about that!

    Oh Zodie..........

Bill Naumuk

HDS Fuselage

Townville, Pa

---

Haroldklassen(at)gninc.ca
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:30 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Could you remove this e-mail address from your list  please? This is my fourth request. Thank You.

 [quote]   ---

Chris Lewis

Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 56
Location: Seattle

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Sheet metal brake

Bill - The link's been up for the "Zodie Rocket" brake for a while now.



http://www.ch601.org/tools/brake_plans.htm



I personally am building a large version of Dave Clay's brake right now (my take on the home depot brake worked great on .020 and .025, but slipped when trying to bend .032 spar doublers). I'll be adding some lifting cams made from the same recycled content outdoor lumber seen elsewhere (also built flanging dies from this stuff - works great) and I'll be adding a center tensioning bar as shown on Mark's brake. I hope to finish it this weekend and will post a pic if I can get r done.



Enjoy!



Chris in Seattle

_________________
750/ Zen-vair Semi-Scratch Builder
N750XT (reserved)

naumuk(at)alltel.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 3:46 pm Post subject: Sheet metal brake

Cool! Now I'm set up for the NEXT plane I build! (If I don't shoot myself 

first). You know, like you put down a rabid dog...

Bending .032 isn't something I've had the pleasure of experiencing. I 

envision a big vise and a hammer!

                                    do not archive

Bill Naumuk

HDS Fuselage

Townville, Pa

---

ashontz

Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 723

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Sheet metal brake

 	  brothapig(at)HOTMAIL.COM wrote: 	
		  Is anyone familiar with the "Central Machinery" brand of sheet metal brake sold by Harbor Freight, part number 46508-1VGA?  It is a 40" brake that looks solid enough for aluminum sheet metal (advertises up to 16 gauge steel), and is only $100.



I'm interested because I just started to scratch build, and I don't have a brake yet.  I will be building my own 8 ft brake when I need it, but this seems like it would be very nice to have in the shop; handy, light, and maneuverable. (and cheap)



I hope someone out there has at least tried it.  I'm interested if it puts a radius on the bend, and if not, if it's possible to modify it to put a radius on it.



Ryan 	




Check out my homemade brake. www.mykitlog.com/ashontz



It needed some enhancements later, but the basic design works well and with the mods I made to it it works great. Last week I bent a 6 foot 3 inch piece of .040 with no warp. Can't beat that she-ite.

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