Bench Vise Brake?

[gtivr4]

I need to bend up some brackets out of 1/8" steel, and would like to be able to do them cleanly and consistently. Would a simple bench vise brake do the job?

Something like this
http://grizzly.com/products/H3244

Simple enough, and the price is right ($25)

 

[asp]

How long do the bends need to be? If the bends are shorter than the length of that tool, get it. If they're longer, it's going to be tricky keeping them perfectly straight and at the same angle.

Also, I doubt that the tool, and potentially the vise, will hold up to making sharp bends in 1/8" very well.

 

[firehawk7]

Get a harbor freight press or make one.

 

[gtivr4]

The problem with an HF press is you still need to either get or make a device to create a 90º bend. That means $65 (minimum) for the press, plus time/materials to create a bender.

 

[SledgeFix]

HF also carries brakes, though I'm not sure what gauge they'll reliably work up to. I'm also interested in this, I wonder if one could have a male and female V milled up just like those vice jaws but longer, with some reinforcement past the ends of the jaws? I suppose in the end it would depend on how heavily you built it ($) and how big/good your vice/elbow grease are.

 

[klhitman]

Look for a local metal shop like an duct work place hell some might do the bends for cheap and should be repeatable. Just wondering what kind of vise you got. A small or cheap vise might not hold up.

 

[Lump]

I used to be a sheet metal worker, and I got used to having professional equipment at my finger tips every day. Now I don't have easy access to a brake. I can use a vise (without special jaws) or an anvil to get pretty good bends, for most of my needs. That tool you posted will only work for very narrow pieces. But if you need to get really nice clean consistent bends on a batch of metal strips...the way I would handle it is to get them all cut to size, scribed and ready to brake. Then I would stop off at the nearest sheet metal shop and ask someone there how much they would charge to bend them up for me. Often a 12-pack will do it.

On the other hand, if you want to be able to make lots of bends of lots of different sizes, thicknesses, widths, etc, now and into the future, I think you won't like that tool, because it is going to be very slow, and very limited in sizes.

If you want to be able to really bend various sizes, shapes, gages, etc, from now on...watch for a used US-made sheet metal brake for sale. They can be bought for around 400 to 800 bucks, depending on type, size, and condition. Ideally, if you're only going to have one brake, and you expect to use it often, you would love a Pexto or a Niagara "box" or "finger" brake.

If you decide to go that route, take along some thin and wide pieces of steel and light gage aluminum, cut to the width of the brake, and then bend them past 90 degrees. Then pull them out of the brake to see if the piece folded the same degree on the entire length of the bend.

Just my opinions...good luck!

 

[Addrock]

I ran a prototype shop, and did a LOT of fabrication. I got one of these, had an apron break and a box break, this was a handy tool for quick and dirty brackets and simple and small projects. For the price I say get it.

 

[srmofo]

Jack olsen used one in his thread to bend some brackets for some baby gate brackets iirc.
He said it worked well, find his thread to see what he did.

Ive been interested in one as well but havent had the need for it yet so its been on the back burner