Leverage is everything! Nicely done mods, Sir. It's great to see you show the garage mechanic how to improve their inexpensive (cheap) tools to something that can stand up better over time and return the money they invested.
I Had To Reinforce Mine As Well!!! After I Braced It Up I Bent 18 Gauge Into A Truck Bed Floor!!! I Followed Fitzy Fabrications Bed Floor Pattern Making Video!!! Worked Great!!! Wish I Would Of Made A Longer Handle And A Foot Rest!!! Threw My Back Out Bending The First Bed Panel!!! Keep Rocking It Out Brother!!!
I bought the same brake and had too make those mods too it it now bends 16 gauge like butter easy too do and fun when you like inventing stuff great video
I just snagged the same HF brake pretty cheap from someone downsizing and moving out of state. He was only using it bend thin aluminum sheet and said it worked fine for that. But I plan to use it for some slightly heftier material so will be doing your suggested mods, or at least similar ones. Thanks for a good video.
Dave, I’ve got the same one and did many of the modifications you’ve done. One other thing I did was to reverse the lock down handles. Now when I pull down they pinch down which makes sense. Great job!!
Hey Dave, Great work! I just bought the very bending brake and guillotine I learnt to love metalwork on, 50 years ago when I was 12! My old school was sadly decommissioning the metal shop as todays parents don't value the option for their kids. Guess they will have to discover it by watching guys like you having fun building stuff on youtube now. I'm in New Zealand, so hopefully it's different where you are. The brake is actually a beautiful little 24" finger [pan] brake. I had noticed it had an angle iron piece bolted on the front face just as you have done and a miniature version of your new front handle. Both are from the original manufacturer as they are in the original hammer finish blue enamel. The guillotine is a cast iron beast with a 30" throat and a twin ram pneumatic conversion. Its at least 60 years old but in immaculate condition. An engineering friend who went to the same school a decade after me said from experience, it could halve files and text books!! Luckily the blades have been refaced since he stress tested it for me... I look forward to discovering just what it can really do.
My 70-year-old back urges you to build a work bench! I took a cue from machinist set-up tools and built a pair of 1-2-3 boxes out of wood. 1 foot x 2 foot x 3 foot, I can move them around, slap a scrap of plywood over them and work at a convenient height. Save your back for putting floors in rist buckets!
Yes I have one and need to upgrade it love the video . I put wheels on mine so I can move it around . Wish there was away to switch the handles towards you.
Great material. Currently, I make my own sheet metal bender. It is certainly worth using several solutions. When I finish, I will post a video of the entire construction on the YT channel. Good job.👍
At 1:48 on the Time Line: "...Harbor Freight lists this thing as being capable of bending 18" of 16 Gauge... We determined, that was... a lie." - LOL!!!! Best line I've heard on a RU-vid video in ages!!! LOL!!
Nice modified 👍🏻👍🏻 new subscriber here. I've got the same piece of junk you just fixed. You describe all the problems to a tee. I was getting ready to make scrap metal out of it. Now I think I'll mod mine too. Thanks for the video. I appreciate your thought process in making it better. 👍🏻👍🏻
I am glad i found your channel. I was doubtful about getting one. After watching your video. I am not doubtful anymore. As soon as I can, i am buying one and the changer. Thanks for the awesome video. Oh try using the camera zoom feature for showing the bubble.
Hey Dave, That looked like a great improvement to a questionable tool. I really like dimpled holes where possible. I think the ones you did really add class to the project. Work Safe, Be Well Enjoy Life
I was desperate one day and bought one of these things. it would not bend a 22 gauge mild steel. complete POS. shoved it against the wall and never used it again. I am going to do this and see if I can get some use out of it. thanks for sharing.
I made the inner rockers on the 50 with mine and yeah it sux. I am planning on doing most of those mods to mine before I get back into the 50. Mike at My Kar's Shop was doing floor pans and had to take the angle bracket off to get some of the bends. And my understanding is the angle stiffens the flat plate. You could see mine flex, when I made those inner rockers, and leave a rounded bend in the middle of the break. Nice video!!!!
How to modify a $200 brake so you dont have to spend $500 on one. First use the $4500 plasma cutter, $800 pipe bender, and $300 in material! Kidding, love the finished product haha. Came out amazing.
Hey Dave, first time watching your channel content. Great content for sure! Just a comment, when tapping holes in metal at thick as this, I like to use a spiral tap! Cleans itself better than a straight fluted tap like you used. Try just one & get you a ratchet tap handle if not using a drill, works so much easier & better. Just a thought!!
I made my own with a 2x4 and angle iron. It isn’t as strong as I like. If I come across one (or buy one), I will definitely will do those upgrades. Thanks for the video. New subscriber.
Hi Dave. Your shop clock has been reading 7:42 for quite some time now. Please change the batteries. It's driving me crazy. . .LOL! Love your episodes by the way. Love the fact that you are not afraid to tackle anything. You are an inspiration! John
Great video! Instead of the Pipe Handle, weld two long handles straight down on each side so they won't interfere with long work pieces hanging down. You will have to bend your back down to reach them but they will be longer for more leverage and apply force evenly to both sides. For day to day use, you could clamp onto the side handles a 'removable cross bar with handles' with the handles welded with an angle outward so you don't have to bend over so much. This way you get the best either way you need for a particular project.
I started laughing, "Harbor freight said this is capable of bending 18" of 16 gauge, we have determined, that was a lie", I just seen Maury Povich's audience going insane. I like Harbor Freight tools, some are absolutely great, some are pretty good, some are a cheap starting point to give you a base to modify until it works well. I just built a 4' brake, used 1/2 x 4" leg angle iron on the 3 main pieces, yes, it's heavy
great fix i was looking at one of those brakes but didnt buy at the time but maybe i will now. the only reason i didnt because i would rather have a 4 footer but for the price maybe i will
Wow, first time on your channel. Thank you for the educational and enjoyable presentation. I have this H F Model break and your mods and presentation made me a subscriber. Where are you located if you don't mind me asking.
28:17 maybe the prototype the first built would bend 16gauge.. then the bean counters got a hold of it, and the tolerance swayed, then 18:gauge got difficult, I been thinking about building a 50" brake. But been trying to decide weather or not to make it a press brake or more like this, 3mm is likely the thickest, although 1/4"/6mm flat bar could be a common size to bend, but only 4" wide, so maybe a small 12" press brake with diesel to do different types of bends , and possibly punch holes, build it with 1/4" wall tubing and 3/8-1/2" flat bar. 1/4" angle use two 12 ton jacks with heavy duty springs use a electric motor with speed control to pump both jacks at once, and connect the release valves with a sprocket and chain so both are released at the same time possibly use 8 to the reason for two is smaller jacks pump faster, (move faster, big jacks lift with more pumps per inch of lift) two smaller jacks will move faster than a single large jack. And I'm sure a 16 or 24ton jack is either not available or very $pendy!! Two 8 ton jacks are about $60-$80. And building a electric motor with a crank to pump the jack is fairly simple a gear reduction gets about 4strokes per second full speed should be safe, keep the stroke about , 1/16" -1/8" short to prevent breaking things. With a speed control making 1 stroke take 5 seconds or less possible. So it can be turned on then fine adjust the location of the metal work piece. And wait for contact. Also using twin jacks can allow a wider brake 18"-24" and bending 4" wide 12" plate should be possible with a large radius.. make dies from 1"x 2" flat bar and welded to 2" round to attach to the upper press, possibly with a magnet and/or a set screw to lock in place. Also use 1/2" plate with 2" round, to punch holes and shear steel up to 3/16" maybe thicker. Use steel with hard face weld and ground flat and sharp, also shear basically 1/2" -5/8" thick scissors with a 1" hardened and ground the polished 4140, 4340 steel pin, inside another hard precision ground hollow bar about 3" long to provide stability with a bronze bushing possibly maybe just a steel on precision steel with moly grease possibly with graphite and .001 clearance, a brass rub plate to keep the upper jaw pressed in place, with a .001" clearance , possibly half that with a set screw to make it adjustable. To keep the cutting edges close to each other. Same principle for the hole ouch. A 4" hole in 1/4" plate should be possible, it may require a angle ground die, to focus the force in a small area. A 1/4" tall peak on one edge possibly two should do it weld a 1/2" plate. Cut to the hole shape minus about .010" then mill it to a peak to look like a drill bit. Without the reliefs. Then mill out the middle and mill the remaining 1/4" to 3/8" tabs to a angle , after welding them over with hard facing wire or stick, using a grinding wheel mill to shape, and weld to the 2" fuel holding bar material. Then excessively bevel the edge of the mating hole, hard face weld it also grind it to shape cost everything in a black oxide and a coat of thinned teak oil, and allow to dry. Keep oiled with atleast cutting oil or WD-40 after use. Then make dies as needed for work.. sorry to ramble about my plans have a awesome day..
The reason for the holes in the feet are so you can (should) bolt it to the floor. This would eliminate the need to stand on it. Don't blame HF because you didn't take the time to bolt it down.
Relax killer. This thing is borderline junk regardless if it's bolted down or not. And yes, of course I can build one, most people cant though and can do anything I did with a hole saw and a death wheel. I need to be able to move it, like most people that don't have shop room.
OThER THAN my previous comment, you really did a great job stffening uup this HF brake!! Now others will actually be able to take this model of brake and mid it to work as advretised!!! Oh, and get a welding jacket, because cancer is NOPT your friend!!!
What is it people, it's called a sheet metal brake for a reason, they do sheet metal, only good for at most 18ga, & people maybe having trouble getting them to work properly, because most of the time they need adjusting properly before use,?? Think about it people who own these, adjust them first for all processes before you start.
Not everybody has a plaz or water jet, , but I can not for the life of me understand why nobody on these RU-vids uses a torch. Maybe to cur off a piece of stud rod, or maybe a straight cut on 18Ga if you don't have a iig saw , which is not only safer then a Metabo but is more accurate and can cut crves, but what is the bit about thinking flame cutting can not do the job. - Show me a fab shop that dose not use oxy-fuel and I'll show you a shop run by an unskilled armature. The very first large purchase for a home shop should be a torch. - And learn to use it to braze and burn and then to weld. (That used to be square one when learning to weld) Then get a buzz box stick muachine. There is almost nothing that you can't make with a torch, buzz box and a grinder with a depressed center disk. ,,,, When you gradate to MIG and TIG you will be 10 times the craftsman these death wheel and cheap mig jokers will ever be.
I learned to TIG before anything else so yeah. It's whatever you have access to. I don't own an torch set up. I've never needed one. Short of blowing off bolts I don't have a need for it. Plasma will do much of the same job. Lots of guys use torches, but why use one when there is better options available?
Don't mean to be a naysayer, BUT... you stated "I can't afford a nice one". Yet you have a plasma cutting table. The amount of time you lost in labor and the money you spent on steel, you could have either A: bought a nice one, or B: built a nice one and not modified that one. Just Saying...
A nice brake is $4k. I'm not into it for anywhere near that lol. I modify stuff because I like to and it makes good content for people that already have whatever I'm modifying.
Hmmm... Looks like someone WANTS carcinogenic melanomas! I mean really - Northern tool sells the chaepie cotton welding jackets for $45 - is your health worth $45?
