Home Made Finger Brake???

[Can'tWeld]

Guys has anyone here or know of someone that has made their selves a finger brake that maybe they could share?I have been wanting one for yrs but just have not come across one on CL's other than the HF type.Most of the time I use 16ga metal which been using the brake at work but just to many nosy people at work.There is a guys that makes a brake that he says will bend up to 14ga but its not a finger brake.The brake that he makes they look good and well make looking.So what I am researching to make is a brake maybe 36",be nice if its a finger brake and will bend 16ga at full width.So guys are there any plans out there,any information that can share of what to do,not to do?Any links to any Youtubes or websites that a person can collect ideals or purchase material that would help make this brake little easier?Thanks for any guidance

[Bonzoo]

You can't make anything for what this kid sells them for. Get a kit
http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Pres...Kits_c_53.html

[jpump5]

I built a crude brake out of steel angle (partially copied from Dave Gingery’s
design).I built mine with different width shoes that could be arranged
under the clamp leaf for doing box and pan type work. It’s wasn’t particularly
successful. I probably should have taken the time to refine it, but it got pushed aside.
I’d like to find a used Pexto or similar, but they’re expensive.
Cheap chinese finger brakes look like they might work, but I’d want to try
one or see one work before buying.

[Can'tWeld]

Guys I have look at those kits,but I was wondering about bending say a 1/2 lip on all four sides for a door.Is there anything there that can help to keep it square?I can see say making a straight edge to help keep it square with the lips but don't know about edge bending

[Bonzoo]

Guys I have look at those kits,but I was wondering about bending say a 1/2 lip on all four sides for a door.Is there anything there that can help to keep it square?I can see say making a straight edge to help keep it square with the lips but don't know about edge bending

C'mon man. What kind of "door" A corvette ? A laundry room door ?

[Bonzoo]

The Swag kit comes with and adjustable back gauge to keep your bends straight.

That back thingy is garbage. Mark your metal with a center punch on each side and line up on each one.Pencils, soap stone, Sharpies. None of that works with sheet metal. Center punch each side and GO

[N2 Welding]

How easy or hard is it to achieve specific angles with the swag finger brake kit? 45 deg, 60 deg, 90 deg etc.

[N2 Welding]

How tight do the corners come out?

[N2 Welding]

[Brand X]

Not a finger brake, but works for me. I course I wanted nice bends in 3/8-1/2
Also use my 4 way die from my Metal Muncher . two outside bends was with the 4 way, and the middle with the wider new e-bay dies.

[Bonzoo]

How easy or hard is it to achieve specific angles with the swag finger brake kit? 45 deg, 60 deg, 90 deg etc.

Simple. Grab a dial type magnetic angle finder. It'll spring back a little depending on material type and thickness

[Brand X]

Nice job Brand X, that's got to come in handy for brackets. I would like to have one like that for heavy work.

Yes it does.. Takes a standard tag on the top punch, so I could push the width to about 21 inches between rails.. The short wide die had a 1/2X5/8 tang I cut off to fit the holder a bit better. That means many die shapes/sizes can be used in it.

I could drive to swag in about 1 hour..

[thegary]

I have the saw finger brake also. It is designed and geared toward thicker material. It can ben sheet metal but the bends will not be as good or as fast as they would be with a brake designed for sheet metal. It I did a lot of bending on 16g or thinner I would buy some other brake to do the job with.

[thegary]

That was supposed to swag not saw. The spell check is frustrating sometimes.

[Bonzoo]

Yeah. The SWAG, and that style is pretty much 1/8 and up.
I have one of these for lighter work. Jet 1240

[Tool Junkie]

I am in the process of converting the 36" press brake I made years ago to a finger brake.
I have to make a new lower die and finish the fingers, guides and upper assembly, as time permits.
Most of the materials have been drops and rems, so I only have about $100 invested in it total.




It fits into the 32 ton rolling head press I made.

[Tool Junkie]

Well, it only took the better part of 2 years to get this sucker done!
It will have to be painted once the temps come up a bit.
34 1/2" working width and it will bend a 6" deep box before the side hits.
Of course the pin holes in the press didn't line up in the right spot for the modified brake, so I had to build riser blocks for the bed.
You can see them in the 2nd picture and to the left in the drawer picture.









After hefting the thing on and off the press a couple of times( it weighs close to 200#), I decided to make a stand that is the same height as the press bed to make it easier. Now I can just slide it off the press onto the stand and roll it out of the way if needed.
Found a wide file cabinet the right height at the local Habitat for Humanity store for $10. I put good casters under it, and bent a top out of a piece of 12 gauge I had laying around. I can store all my press accessories in the 2 drawers, and get them off the floor too.

Can't figure out why that picture is sideways here and not on my computer, and I can't seem to get it to rotate either.

[RCcrawler]

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/threads/7...56#post8693956


Here is one I made. I made the punch from a piece of 1/2"x 4" flat. made the edge with my milling machine. You could do it with a grinder, if you had to. This punch is one piece, but you could cut it.