Bending Brake via Dan

[Bob]

Well here is my version.
I have made enough changes that Dan can dis-own this one if he wants. It is pretty close to done. Sorry for the dis-focus, this is a pen cam with no auto focus or view finder ... shoot a bunch and pray.

The bed sports a bolt on angle bracket for thicker bends. It can be removed for tighter back to back bends on thinner material.

First the visual bill of materials

[Bob]

I did the T handle thing ... interesting welding situation. I started with lower setting thinking to go slow, then turned it up and went for it.

One handle is longer, thinking this would serve to pin the movement at 90 deg to adjust the set back.

The clamp plate has 1/2 holes, as does the bed. A floating nut plate (actually a botched clamp plate) is threaded for the 3/8 clamp bolts under the bed. This gives about 1/4 range of set back.
Bolt down angle blocks behind the clamp control the set back.
..

[Bob]

Here is the back side.

Added an angle stiffener to the bend leaf since I used just 1/4 plate to make that. This shot shows the floating nut plate.

As you can see, this is a heavy little bugger and cracked the slab in my garge floor ... (not really hee hee).

Not visible is quite a bit of work to make the angle brace clear the bolts for the bed leaf clamp on plate.

[Bob]

Here is a proto product of the machine Dan helped me to build. This one is a little uneven, but it is the first. It is a webbed binding strap guide/attachment point.

I saw something like this on another post of a home made hand truck. My '68 Dodge van has such parts to limit the swing out of the doors. The bracket is bolted or welded to something, and the web strap fits thru the loop.

Webbing comes in ratings from [email protected]& to those rated for climbing and beyond.

Bad news.
When I welding on the angle brackets to clamp it down, they interfere with the handles. Probably will cut the extended handle back to Dans design length ... out smarted myself on that one.

Bob

[Bob]

Hummm... I took some better pix and tried to replace the originals by editing. The file name on the post changed, but the old picture remained.
Then tried to delete one thinking I could try to re-add the new pix. No Attach file option after I deleted the original.

Anyway here is a better picture

[Bob]

better pix of the back of the bending leaf

[Bob]

Dan, here is another for your scrap book.

Bending Brake with paint.

Bob

[Bob]

Another angle with the bender over on its face.

Since I used 1/4" for the bend leaf, I reinforced it with some angle. The blue piece under the bed (bed is also just 1/4" plate) is a floating nut plate.

Today I moved the clamp up close (very small set back) and made some nice sharp bends in thin sheet metal. Have not tried it yet, but I can also move back to try and bend up to 1/4" Al rod or narrow strap.

Opps, wrong button, hope pix will follow

[Bob]

pix here I hope

[Guest]

Originally posted by Bob
Dan, here is another for your scrap book.

Bending Brake with paint.

Bob

Great looking psycedelic paint job, Bob! You could even see it in the dark, I'll bet!

I can tell you were excited when you took the picture...you forgot to move the laundry basket

[Bob]

Rocky D,
Actually those are garage rags and oxy ace bottles in back. But I was quite excited. Really great project. Thanks Again Dan.
Bob

[Dan]

Originally posted by Bob
Dan, here is another for your scrap book.

Bending Brake with paint.

Bob

Bob

You most definately win the prize for the most patriotic bending brake . I bet building the machine from flat bar made the assembly a little more challenging. Nice job though, you proved my point that machine doesn t need to be built from the exact material that I used. How is the bolt on addition to the bending leaf working. Reason I am asking is because I m thinking about making a larger machine for sheet metal and this time using a peice of 1/2" flat bar for the bending leaf and bolting on a heavy modified angle iron.

Well, I think with your machine this brings the total number of machines completed to at least 5, and all 5 of them work . Once again, I would like to thank you Bob and the other guys for following thru with this project.

[Bob]

Dan,

Red, White, and Blue was my goal. Somehow it came out a little more wonder woman than old glory, but you got the idea.

The bolt on works great. Pix before last shows three big gobbs of filet I added to the angle.

After I saw several had cut off the "top" of the bend leaf I went with the bolt on so I could do tight back to back "Z" bends. I do have to cheat and move the clamp forward to get the bends close to 90 without the bolt on in place. Tolerances.

After Gingery's book "Designing and building the sheet metal brake", you might consider adding the angle brace (like you used on the clamp plate) to the underside of the bed leaf and to the back (under ?) side of the bending leaf. They come close to meeting when the machine is in the "loading" position. I did add the one to the bending leaf, but bought a lot of extra work to clear the bolt-on bolts.

The spacers I added to the handles were a loose fit to the 1/2" bolt shoulders. I added some brass shim stock wrapped around the bolts. Also pressed a 1/4" of a brass bushing into the side pivots.

Thank You Again,
Done bending for now it is hard to put this thing away to clear my bench for the newest demands.
Bob