Homemade metal brake

I'm finally getting my new garage set up with the the tools I need to make fabricating easier. One thing I have been searching for on Craig's but haven't had much luck on was a cheap metal brake. The HF metal brake is in my opinion not worth the cost of what the tool does. It's pretty light duty for what I want in a bender. I convinced my dad to make me one since he is always looking for small projects that can keep him busy during winter. He is working on it now, hopefully I can get some pictures of it the next time I stop over.

Here are the prints. Yes there are 3 air rams, 2 will be for clamping the metal and 1 for bending.

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Hard to see what is going on in the plan on my phone. Is this a press brake? 3 air rams? Wouldn't a hydraulic cylinder give you a lot for force?

I have been looking at the Swag OffRoad 40in press brake kit and making a press for it, so I'm curious what you are building.

The plans do look a bit light on a phone screen. This style brake I'm making clamps the metal down, and bends the unclamped metal upward with leverage, instead of a press brake where a cylinder presses a die down where the metal I to be bent. They both bend metal, but are very different designs. The air cylinders will replace the man power operation, so they don't have to be extremely powerful.

Making something like this but with assist cylinders.

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Makes sense, I kind of figured that was the direction you were going. How much force will you get from the bottom air cylinder? What thickness of metal are you hoping to bend?

I talked to my dad last night and he said it's "kicking his ass and this is the prototype, the next one will be better". So I'm not sure what this thing will bend. Most of the stuff he builds works, only time will tell.:069:

Dad...Big Ralph sent me a video of the air ram bending it's first piece of steel, pretty cool/funny. I'm not sure how to upload it to pgh.

I stopped over at my parents house for Easter today and saw my dad's invention, it's pretty kick ass! He is finishing up a few minor things and then it's done, then getting painted with some leftover rustoleum from a previous project. Each air cylinder has 2,500lbs of force....should work just fine. He said it's set up for bending 1/8" steel plate over the 4ft length. We're certain it an bend thicker plate in smaller lengths in the center of the brake. I'll post a few videos when I get it back to my shop. I think it's the first pneumatic metal brake, he keeps impressing me.

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The picture is pretty lousy, I will gt some detailed shots when it's all finished up with my camera.

Ok a little better pic, a video will be posted soon.,
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Shit that is badass!

The control panel. Top toggle works the clamp, bottom toggle works the bend.

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Back side with all the air lines
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The clamp opens high enough to use it as a box pan brake, I just have to make a few 2" blocks to slide into the clamped material.

Man, thats awesome! It work pretty good?

Did you have a chance to get a video of it in action ?

Entertain us!!!

https://vimeo.com/256112044?ref=em-v-share

I think this will play the metal brake video you all wanted to see. Took all my skills just to upload this, I hope it plays.

So nice to see it in action. Good work indeed!