Harbor Freight 18" metal brake w/mods

[rckjeep]

Throughout my many years of RC fabrication I've worked at places with decent tool access. The last 3-4 years I haven't had much access, even to my own welder since our vintage house doesn't have 220v power anywhere. This whole thing has irritated me to the point where it's time to do something about it.

I want to make some sheet metal bumpers for my JK. That being said I picked up a Harbor Freight 18" sheet metal brake. I've been looking into ways to make it more user friendly. The brake is designed to use clamps to hold down your material. I plan to drill some holes in the fixed table and hold down bar. This way I bolt down the hold down to have repeatable consistent bends. I will use small springs recessed into the hold down bar to release the material from the clamping force. It should work out well. I will post some pics when I have something worth showing.

 

[bob1961]

I have the same bender and was thinking on doing something like this as well....even thought bout getting another top bar made up, but made in a few pieces to use for smaller stuff needing to be bent like a full size brake that has many pieces that you can loosen a nut and slide them to the size needed to bend what ever....keeping an eye out here "thumbsup" ....

 

[rckjeep]

Here's the finished bender with a little sample of what my rear bumper just might look like. The bolts will be replaced with machine screw knobs

 

[rckjeep]

One thing I noticed is that longer pieces are much harder to bend. A center clamp is needed. I may just add these clamping bolts all the way down the whole 18". Then I will just remove the ones need to bend what ever width I need. Maybe a thicker clamping bar or I can weld some angle iron on top to make it stiffer. What do you guys think?

 

[rckjeep]

I've been playing with this thing some more and have realized a few things. First off the clamping bar is shit. Mine is slightly bowed and flexes too much. Also I should have drilled the holes off center. That way I can have it set for more than one thickness. I plan to buy a piece of 3/8" x 1 3/4" cold rolled to replace the clamping bar. I will mill an angle into the edges for tighter than 90* bends. I will have the one side set for 22g and the other for 18g. It should work out much better than it does currently. I hope this info helps some of you.

 

[bob1961]

I have mine mounted where I'm pulling the handles towards me, that way I'm clamping my vice grips away from the bench towards me, in stead of reaching over the bender....I noticed that bar was bowed, but I think it was made that way for what this bender is, it is only 1/32" on mine and don't hinder it's job....I use two vice grips bout 1" off each side of the piece I'm bending for max clamping pressure....