SWAG Offroad 20 Ton Bending Brake Review and Modifications

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SWAG Offroad has been selling brake fixtures for use in a 20 ton brake such as Harbor Freight sells for some time now. In my shop I occasionally make cold bends in steel heavier than 18 gauge. I usually do this with a hammer over a mandrel in a vise. Most heavier pieces get hot bent in the blacksmith shop.
Right out of the box I saw two modifications I wanted for my brake and thought I'd offer them to others. These modifications are not warranted by the manufacturer nor by me, but you can see what I did and perhaps make your brake a little better to use.
If you see my press shaking it's because I have it on four casters to move around and out of the way.
Thanks for viewing and I hope you like the music!

Опубликовано:

3 окт 2024

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Комментарии : 43

@paulcrittenden2805 2 года назад

Great addition to the shop. Thanks for the video. I'd have to fit a simple knob to that release valve to avoid the shifting back and forth of the lever.

@andrewmartin4258 2 года назад

Yeah, I really need to do that. I think of it every time I use it. 🤦‍♂️

@arcraider937 Год назад

Adding a pressure gauge is nice. You did well without it

@donsmith9081 Год назад

Great Idea to get 90* and over! Have you tried testing to see how wide a pc of 1/4" you can bend to 90?

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

I've not tried that. Of course the temper of the plate will determine a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if it would bend full width 1/4".

@AlessioSangalli 2 года назад

Nice video but the music is way too loud,

@AlessioSangalli 2 года назад

Seriously tough it's a genius idea, personally however I'd start the bend on the "normal" jig and then insert the fixture with the half inch rounds for the last few degrees of the bend

@andrewmartin4258 2 года назад

Maybe the loud music deafened me. I can't even hear it.

@stevevorpe5735 Год назад

Traduire en Francais.Mercie

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

My apologies, I do not speak French.

@freeidaho-videos Год назад

Thank you Sir! You solved one of the problems I was worried about with the SWAG finger brake, with your overbendind "V". Now I can get one without worry. Thanks again!

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

Thanks for the kind words! I only use mine occasionally but it works great every time. I'm thinking about getting another press to just leave the brake set up.

@stuartkorte1642 3 года назад

Thanks for sharing. I’ll take one of each.

@andrewmartin4258 3 года назад

OK, I'll box up both scrap bends and send them to you.

@jagboy69 3 года назад

Good stuff Andrew. Is that the 300buck jig?

@andrewmartin4258 3 года назад

Thanks, Jason. I sprung $30 extra for the heavy duty jig. The lighter would probably have been fine but I'm wanting to minimize the inheritance I leave behind.

@ErnestHughes12344322 2 года назад

@@andrewmartin4258 rather have the tool then the money lol

@andrewmartin4258 2 года назад

@@ErnestHughes12344322 I view tools as tangible assets. I even have some tools I don't use.

@garygerard4290 Год назад

I'd use the set screw on the collar to let the retracting jack lift the die. A real good idea making the 'insert angle' I'd flap disc the rod and dabbing a bit of oil on it wouldn't hurt I'm going to see what else you've posted

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

Thanks for posting. I'm not following you on letting the jack lift the die. The springs lift the die and help the jack retract. My jack only retracts due to the weight of the piston and rod so it's very slow without the springs. Polishing the rod is a great idea for finish work. Oil would help too, but I usually get pretty clean bends. I'll try it.

@garygerard4290 Год назад

I'm not sure of the correct terms so I'll just describe the parts. What I'm referring to as the 'collar' is welded to the top of the 'cross bar' that holds the different fingers. It should have a set screw in it that would tighten down on the heavy post that fits inside it. So when you release the fluid in the jack and it retracts it would lift the fingers from your bent piece and die. So you wouldn't have to lift the 'finger bar' by hand. Again, that's some good ideas welding the rod to the angles, 'a few different sizes for the different thicknesses and widths of stock being bent.

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

@@garygerard4290 Your description is what I understood you to mean. Like I said, my jack will not self retract except by gravity. The springs are what retracts the die, crossbar, and collar. The springs are part of the SWAG design and they work good enough. My modification of adding the snap rings was to keep the springs depressed for easy removal and storage of the assembled unit. If one used a two way hydraulic cylinder instead of a jack, then the cylinder could be attached top and bottom and would eliminate the need for the springs as it would lift the die like a commercial brake.

@cuskit Год назад

@@andrewmartin4258 @garygerard4290 is referring to the springs on your jack. By helping retract the jack shaft, they are what helps assist the finger break springs which in turn are pushing up while the jack springs 'pull' up, but ONLY if you secure the shaft within the collar provided with the finger brake. It is there for a purpose. Then you would not have any need for those snap rings - which is something I've not seen required by any of the hundred or so other guys posting their use of this finger brake on the HF 20 ton press. Sigh...

@cuskit Год назад

I watched up until about midway through. I couldn't watch further, I wanted to jab a screwdriver into my eyes. I've viewed literally almost 100 RU-vid videos with this same press - your's is the absolute first I've seen whereby the jack shaft is not tightened within the collar welded to the finger brake. If your jack is not lifting by itself (I don't know why you state it returns by gravity since it going up and not down) then tighten up more on the eyebolts that hold the jack springs in position. And definitely you do not need such large diameter rods (1" - really?) welded onto the angle iron to get a true 90 degree bend. 1/2" rods would have been quite sufficient while also leaving you a wider throat for easier bending. I do commend you on utilizing the rods, that is a great solution to getting 90 degrees after spring back. Also purchase yourself a cheap digital angle indicator, available for 20-$30 or so, well worth the cost. And yes - please get yourself a knob for releasing pressure on the jack! Thanks for sharing Andrew, I've subscribed and will look to view more of your videos, just that this particular one, as valuable your 'rod' idea is I lost patience watching you struggle with the return action of your jack. Tighten that collar screw onto your jack shaft! LOL! Bye-all, mikey

@andrewmartin4258 10 месяцев назад

Did you jab a screwdriver into your eyes? Both of them? That sounds painful. I like to let the brake mandrel float so it is easier to line it up precisely. I get good bends, actually. The larger diameter rods are for getting the fulcrums closer together for a sharper bend in lighter material. I had the 1" available so I used it. It works well. Knob on the jack, make a note. I need to do that. Thanks for the comments blindly sent my way.

@yahalam0 Год назад

Painful watching you pump that jack and turning the release (an air jack and an old gear shift nob glued onto the release are awesome!) but you have a great idea here! Thanks!

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

I hope watching is not too painful. I suggest watching five times per day until you become numb to the discomfort. I'm not sure about the air jack. Overbending to get a true 90 degree bend might be a little more difficult with an air jack. But I've not tried it. thanks for the comment!

@wwcr893 Год назад

Instead of the lynch pin idea (that I didn't think of), I vertically drilled and tapped the rod and put a bolt in it that I can screw in or out to adjust how high the bar can travel. A set screw to hold the bar onto the press pin, along with the bolts in the rods, makes it easier to raise the bar above the springs on the bars and to lift the bottom part of the brake. I'm also in the process of rigging a trailer winch to make raising and lowering the bed easier - don't have to remove the brake and arbor plates to be able to lift the bed. I'm using a 2" strap with the winch and using 8 small roller bearings for the strap on each side of the frame. I hope my words are not too confusing. Just trying to share what I did.

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

Clear description. Nice ideas!

@acrussell1959 3 года назад

Good innovation to get to 90 Deg. I'll will log that one back in memory banks. Never know when I need to steal an idea. Nice music.

@andrewmartin4258 3 года назад

Thanks for commenting! Steal away! I'm glad you like the music. Not everyone's taste is the same, this is what I like.

@richardsmith741 3 года назад

Very nice video. I would not have thought of your idea. I have some strut rods which should do nicely. Thankyou!

@andrewmartin4258 2 года назад

Glad you like it. Works well for me.

@johnsdsl Год назад

What's the car bumper attached to?

@andrewmartin4258 Год назад

There's no car bumper on the Harbor Freight press. 1930 Chevrolet coupe right out of the barn in Iowa. I'm the third owner and have the original license plate from 1929.

@MsMoose1979 2 года назад

Just what I was looking for! Thank You Sir!

@andrewmartin4258 2 года назад

Glad it is of some help!

@Assburgersaretasty 3 года назад

what a great video. gives some very good ideas for the rest of us

@andrewmartin4258 3 года назад

Thank you, and tanks for commenting!

@sexyfacenation 3 года назад

In a different video a guy added a dial indicator so you can go to a repeatable depth, that would make this process much easier . I like the lynch pin idea

@andrewmartin4258 3 года назад

That's a great idea. The same thickness and strength plate should respond well to accurate measurement. Steel will spring back differently for different strength steels of the same thickness. If you're going to make several repeated bends from the same material it should be well worth the time to set up a dial indicator, of a simple measurement on the cylinder so you know when you've achieved the same amount of travel. The same can be done using a stop under the plate so you can press until the stop is contacted. I've used a small block of soft wood. It doesn't spring back much and it's pretty easy to press until you hit the dent in the wood to get the same degree bend. A plug of lead works well too, unless you're allergic to lead.