SHEET METAL BRAKES
Anyone have some good improvised El Cheapo sheet metal brake plans?
I need to bend cable tray covers, which run 12 – 24″. Nothing fancy, just make a nice bend all the way across so they will come down out the kickout at the bottom of the run – where those six 4″ conduits await.
I am thinking – pair of 2x4s clamped with bolts?? Angle iron pieces?
What works? Saw what they did yesterday whille I was up in LA getting a final on a job and we can do better. Nice dimple, though. And big.
The ToolBear
“Never met a man who couldn’t teach me something.” Anon.
Replies
harbor freight had some cheapy, I just have not bought one yet.
Took a look. Need cheaper yet - as in hand made.
BTW - 2+3=7? I agree, but when I tried that I got a D. That was before the New Math and there was no consideration of how my self esteem would suffer. The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Broken hundreds with my mini version, home-made. Zero cost and durable. Troy Sprout
Square, Level & Plumb Renovations
Txn for sending the photos. Do you have T nuts on the bottom piece that the knobs thread into?
Cable tray covers have a .25" side edge, so I can see a rig with some kerfs at 12, 18, 24" for the edges. I think I will go out and cut some wood. Got some knobs around - somewhere.The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Carriage bolts recessed into the 5/4, knobs recessed into the 2x. I use the edge of the 5/4 as the "stop" for sidewall flashing. That gives me 5.5 inch wall/4.5 inch shingle flash from 10" coil. I may be a hack, but this is fast, simple and effective. Is it better than a $25 mini-break? Maybe not... but it humors me to create things like this.
A tool is a tool, no matter who the h3ll makes it. I've assembled a 6' break for window and headwall flashings with 3 old 2x6's, strips of felt and some large bar clamps... using the bars as the break "handles". Smoothed the crease with a 2x cut on a 45.
You should have seen the rig I assembled to cut arched rafters from osb. THAT was "hacking", but the result is beautiful.
Troy Sprout
Square, Level & Plumb Renovations
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A tool is a tool, no matter who the h3ll makes it. I've assembled a 6' break for window and headwall flashings with 3 old 2x6's, strips of felt and some large bar clamps... using the bars as the break "handles". Smoothed the crease with a 2x cut on a 45.
You should have seen the rig I assembled to cut arched rafters from osb. THAT was "hacking", but the result is beautiful.
@@
I always though "hack work" was based on results, not the means used to get there. If you have photos of the arched rafters rig, love to see it. I have a growing photo file of ideas from Breaktimers.
FWIW - here is one I learned in Baja: How to decant the contents of a a water tank, 2" nipple, into a garden hose (3/4"). Insert hose in nipple. Wrap the whole thing in an inner tube like an ACE bandage. Open value. Ever since I have a length of inner tube on the boat - just in case.
We are frequently out in places where the nearest HD or whatever is 40 miles away and more. The ability to improvise a working solution from stuff on the truck really helps. That comes from filing away various Tricks of the Trade.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
AMAZON.COM has the MALCO for around $300, for the 4' version. Worth the investment.
Renaissance Restorations LLC
Victorian Home Restoration Services
http://www.renaissancerestorations.com
FHB #100, page 59...I've not mastered attachments here yet.
Yep, use 2x4, by all means.(2x6 for up to 8'), but bevel one of the edges to 15 or 20 degrees off perp. That way you'll get a crisp edge. Put a couple nails, screws or bolts into one piece of 2x and a corresponding hole in the other to 'register', and away you go.
Now, if you want to get real fancy, mortice a pair of hinges into the lower piece and into a third board, then all you do is clamp the metal between the first 2 together, and bend up th 3rd to make the angle. Hammer along to sharpen the corner.
All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.
Have to give that one a try. I have 2x scrap on hand. I was looking at my supply of piano hinge.
Wonder if it's strong enough for this sort of thing.The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
You'll want the hinges to be each end of the 2x's (sorry to state the obvious), so they will have to be robust. IMHO you'll need at least 3 screws per leaf, ergo the piano hinges would be about 10" long. If you've got the 'real estate' in the 2x's, use the piano hinges, otherwise use old butts or new strap hinges.All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.
<<<I am thinking - pair of 2x4s clamped with bolts>>>
This is what I've done in a pinch. 1x4 & 2x4 clamped together with some screws - easy in/easy out/good clamping pressure - make my bend, then unscrew them.
The 1x4 has a sharper corner than the 2x4 giving me a better bend.
It works...in a pinch.
I was thinking of building my own hammer. If I tied a rock to a stick I could probably get something that would drive a nail, but I couldn't do trim work with it. Hope that answers your question.
Birth, school, work, death.....................
http://grantlogan.net/
I actually built a nail once but when I picked it up the flat head was on the wrong end but finally figured it was for the other side of the house. I'll try to do better on the next nail.
roger
Beat me to the punch..LOL.
BooBirth, school, work, death.....................
http://grantlogan.net/
Tha't ain't funny..I'll Casper yerazz.
Tool bear. I have used the 2x4's method before and it bites! I have beat up some metal doing that!
Try this... a folding tool used in air conditioning work is simply two pieces of flat iron bolted together paralell at the ends, the view below shows the edge view of both. use a washer between to guage the opening, and meke it as tight as practical,leave long overhangs so you can put cheaters on it to make the bend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
SCRIBE ONCE CUT ONCE!
rent one
you'll get a better bend, and in the time you take making the wooden brake, you can have all your metal bent and ready to go.
or find someone who'll let you borrow one. Take your measurements, and you can use his brake wherever it is.
tool... i agree with shep.. rent a brake.. or make up your mind that you are going to stay in business for a while and buy one..
nothing makes a better impression than pro bends on your flashing..
and get rid of the mill finish aluminum too.. switch over to colored coil stock
we bought our 2d brake in 1984... it paid for itself in about two years..
i just spent another $200 on it last year .. bought the nose upgrade kitMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
There is a siding and roofing company close to me that let's me use their brake if I buy the coil from them.
I wish I could build a cheapy, to finish my soffit and eaves. The sheetmetal place has two boys that will bend but they screw up more metal than needed. I been waiting for one to fall off a truck. 2+3=7
>The sheetmetal place has two boys that will bend but they screw up more metal than needed. I been waiting for one to fall off a truck<Maybe they got their brake off the highway.............Birth, school, work, death.....................
http://grantlogan.net/
>>>>I been waiting for one to fall off a truckI hear Jim Blodgett has one that he'll sell to you real cheap.;o)
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
I fell off a turnip truck.Birth, school, work, death.....................
http://grantlogan.net/
And it's no wonder !Just how are you supposed to hold on to a pile of turnips and keep from falling off ???
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. ~~ Eric Hoffer
"I been waiting for one to fall off a truck."
I hope you're not serious. Anybody that looks for a way to steal another man's tools, in my book is a dirtbag. The only good thing is when it happens to them.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
I can't see the boss renting one.
These are cable tray covers. Nornally we don't have this issue, but on this job we doubled up the trays and did a miter to flare out where six 4" conduits daylight. He said 45 dgs. Next time I am going cut a 4/12 pitch on the tray so it has a much easier flare.
If I provide a free brake, he would like that. While I was up in LA getting the final on a job, the lads had a go at the covers. One looks like they brought it home with a hammer. Has that peened look. We will change it out. Of course, it's the one by the sidewalk. The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
IMO, your boss is being foolish by not renting a brake. The time taken trying to improvise a brake would be better spent by actually making the tray covers. And they will turn out better.
But I commend you for taking the time to care. Not many employees would bother.
Rent a brake... only in my dreams.
It's sort of Get a MOVE ON, followed by Haste Makes Waste environment.
As he grabbed that diamond blade chain saw from the tool cage, I did inquire if it had gas. Too much of a hurry to check it. Then he's trying to get it to run, cut the sidewalk, cement truck due at 10, etc. Start, run, stop, etc. No fuel. Had to wait for another truck with fuel aboard to come in from a job 30 miles away.
"Oh, never mind."The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Harbor freight $25.00
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39103
30" model $57.00
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=41311
Edited 12/31/2005 7:42 am ET by MarkH
Mark,
TNX for the tip. I looked at their page and only saw the $300 shop models. Something like this should do the job. The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Some of their brute force type tools are fairly good.
Hi,
There was an article in FHB earlier this year in regards to correct flashing details that showed how to make one out of lumber & hinges etc. Can't remember the month but I believe it was around March/April. If you can't find it send me a note & I can scan & e-mail it to you.
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/hvt058.aspThey have a video online.
Tnx for the tip. I have issues going back a ways and JLC into the 90s, so best start looking through the 2005 FHB back issues.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
I thought of you yesterday when we had forgot to bend one piece of trim:
Thanks!
I appreciate the thought and the photo. Saved it to my Ideas file. It was handy to have all those clamps. Did the Johnson survive?
Boss wants to check out the benders at Harbor Freight. We got reasonable results with my wooden brake, but a crisp edge with a softwood bender is just not on.The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
The Johnsons survived - sorry I didn't notice in the photo that it's not obvious that we have one of those straight edges on each side - you would have probably figured that. We were glad to find out we can do that in a pinch.I think your question here addresses an area open to invention. What we are wanting is something portable and easily storable that can bend a very few bends just as good as a real brake - though not near as convenient (like having to use several clamps). It would be something to just "get you by". I suspect that there will be an invention that will appear that will do this - and even with a surprising amount of convenience.
Your thread made me realize that I had a 40" model I need to get rid of. Not to hijac your thread, but here is a link to the classified section:
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=68266.1
Thanks,
Julian Tracy