Please recommend a good beginner aluminum siding brake

[chrispyny]

Need to replace 8 windows on my house. It must be done before this winter. I could easily take out the old replacement windows and pit in my own. The sizes are standardized and the Pella 150 series windows i plan on ising are in stock and easily available at my local lowes.

The difficult part is trimming out the windows nicely with aluminum stock. I have never done this and don’t own a brake.

So one contractor is already flaking out on me, and i’m sitting here waiting for another to call me to tell me if he’s on his way to give me an estimate.

I’m very handy around the house. I have already remodeled every room in my house but the kitchen which is last. I’ve done plumbing, carpentry, electrical, light excavation at home with my kubota and 3 point implements, and general landscaping. I even own a bridgeport mill and a 13” south bend lathe.

i would honestly go out and by a brand new brake, and just do the whole job from soup to nuts, but i have no experience bending aluminum. I know it’s not as hard as i may think, but i’m a perfectionist and hate the ‘learning curve’ part of starting something new. I’ve already watched several vids and i know i can do this.

so i’d appreciate for those who have used brakes in the past, please advise which will be easiest to use, best bang for the buck, and easiest to resell on marketplace or craigslist when i’m done with it!

Thanks!

 

[lardy1]

When I was contracting I used to rent a brake if necessary. If I did my prep work before it arrived I could brake an entire job in less than a day. Return the brake and then install my pieces. Even as a contractor it really wasn't worth it for me to purchase one.

 

[danski0224]

You should be able to sell anything you buy, it's just a matter of how much do you want to recoup vs how long do you want to wait.

Tapco and Van Mark are the top two names.

Might want to look for a used one first... if you go to check it out, bring something to bend across the full width of the brake to see if it is tweaked or not. You should be able to buy a 6" wide roll of plain trim stock at the big box store for testing.

Some of the brakes can be rebuilt, just have to know what the "tune up" and parts cost, plus availability to know if it's worth buying one that needs repair.

A new Tapco "Windy" 10'-06" brake will set you back around $1,600.00, without accessories. This one is light enough that 1 person can usually move it. There is also an 8'-06" model.

Van Mark had a 4 footer.

Verify bending specifications (material thickness) on manufacturer websites.

Prices for similar models between Van Mark and Tapco are comparable.

 

[captain14]

Check out YouTube for some videos on how to operate the brake too. I’ve come across a couple of good ones as they explain the steps. I’ll see if I can find some and post some links.

 

[PCustoms]

What is your house sided in and what exactly are you wrapping?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've picked up used 10'6" Tapco for as little as C$400.00 Normally they are priced somewhere between $1,000 and $1,400 for used locally (central Alberta, Canada).