Homebuilt press brake

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Been dreamin' of a bender that will do 48" stuff....and just thought I'd submit my first post/photo ever. Feel like I know all of you. I've been welding/fabricating for about 25 years. Howdy, all, from Southern Maine. Attached Images
Reply:I like it...not sure about the dual manual pumps though...are those only temporary??Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:Welcome. Nice looking press. How wide is your die opening? I'm curious on your capacity.
Reply:The bed die is just inverted 11/2 angles and is 49 " long. Folded 1/8" stock 3' long with no sweat. Also overbends a few degrees beyond 90. Don't have any longer stock to waste right now...but i'm happier than a pig in sh!t...
Reply:Wow. Thats looks cool. You do nice work man. LolI think i see how it works.  The radious is in the bottom piece and as you pump it bends up. Good idea.How does it do?...I see you posted when i did. Great man. LolLast edited by slowhand; 12-29-2012 at 07:17 PM.
Reply:Very impressive. Do you have any photos of it being built?
Reply:No radius....top is just a 1/2 x 4" x 48" flatbar with a 3/4 piece of angle welded to it. It just folds the sheetstock into the bottom die. I was very pleased that it works so well...the product of stealing a hundred little ideas from all over the web. Also, the twin jacks are no problem...I just sit on a bucket and the whole works moves no more than 2"... which takes only about a minute to do. Total cost....$100 for the pair of jacks and 35 for the springs...all from Tractor supply. All the steel is scrap guardrail posts.
Reply:Originally Posted by SMC WeldcraftThe bed die is just inverted 11/2 angles and is 49 " long. Folded 1/8" stock 3' long with no sweat. Also overbends a few degrees beyond 90. Don't have any longer stock to waste right now...but i'm happier than a pig in sh!t...
Reply:I can't tell from the perspective, is this press 3 feet tall or 6 feet tall?Miller diversion 165Miller mig 211Hypertherm pm 30Milwaukee 6230 14 inch chop sawMd 45 mag drill (RIP; fell on its head)New MD 45! Thanks to the esposa!Finally got an O/A setup
Reply:I actually have that very chart on the wall. Someone asked for a couple more pics...also, the key to it's strenght is the four 3/4 threaded rods that run right through the whole thing...each worth better than 20,000 lbs. the 2x4 box tubing serves merely as a spacer/guide. Fun to built...if you have the free junk beams. Attached Images
Reply:The entire press is 42" tall x 54 1/2" wide. Kept it low so I could stack stuff on it...small shop!Will not be used for production work...just an occasional bend. That's why I did not invest in the air/overs. Attached Images
Reply:Welcome, Nice looking work!!   imo.. Use two cylinders with a seperate pump for uniform pressure??idk Like you said not for use in production, everyone has dif tastes Thanks for postingMiller 250DX HTP 221 DV AC/DCHenrob O-A Miller 180 MigMiller 150 Inverter   Hobart 10,000 Welder-Generator   Have a good day!!!
Reply:Nice work.  Do you have any pics of stock you have bent?Check out my channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkz...bZg8AYNXGqBjZQ"Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of arms." - Aristotle
Reply:Will take some tomorrow and post.
Reply:Welcome, great first post....
Reply:Had a piece of 3/8" that was 18 inches long that needed a slight bend in it.Wish I had seen you setup sooner!Nice Job!
Reply:GET BENT, thats good.
Reply:Thought I'd post a couple of pics of bent stock. Bent the 1/8" x 36" aluminum like butter with absolutely no effort whatsoever. However, I had to fab up a bolt-on upper accessory consisting of a length of 1/2" pipe to prevent the aluminum from cracking. Attached Images
Reply:The 1/8 " steel I bent with the normal knife-edge driver. This thing is awesome...if I must say so myself!   Attached Images
Reply:Should make one handle that runs both jacks or tie the two together some how. Would simplify pumping it.
Reply:Yea...thought of that too but jacks seem to pump at slightly different rates. I scribbed identical position marks on each side guide so I can keep the carriage level as i pump. As you may have noticed...I installed faucet valves onto the pressure relief stems. They work sweet. As stated before....I'm in no great hurry to make the bends. Takes only about a minute. Bend gets done in between swigs of beer.
Reply:The double bottle jack design would be handy for those times you need an unequal bend (one end bent to a tighter angle than the other).Who is John Galt?
Reply:very cool... what wall thickness is the angle item for the bottom die?
Reply:Pictured here is my bolt-on "aluminum bender" on the left...and the lower die on right (3/16" by 1 1/2").Would have used 1/4 inch angle....If I'd had some! Attached Images
Reply:Here's a shot of the "permanent" driver. I was a bit concerned about the tiny piece of 1/8" thick angle I tacked onto the 1/2" flatbar... as the cutting edge...so I slipped a piece of 1/4" rod full length under the angle before welding up....for reinforcement. It's what you call a poor man's machined edge.... Attached ImagesNice!Looks like the foot stomp shear is inop?
Reply:Thanks for posting!!  Looks great!I need to bend things a few times a year and can't justify spending big bucks for one but the one you built is perfect for what I need!!
Reply:Very nice job!!!!!!miller trailblazer 280millermatic 211millermatic 252maxstar 140thermal dynamics A60miller spectrum 375 x-treme4'x8' burn table inc.175 square wave
Reply:SMC Weldcraft:Great press brake!  What size I beams are those for the upper and lower beams?Thanks, great jobJason
Reply:Originally Posted by Jason ListerSMC Weldcraft:Great press brake!  What size I beams are those for the upper and lower beams?Thanks, great jobJason
Reply:are the jacks synchronized?
Reply:Manual Operator Synchronization...MOA. Crude but effective.Left, right, left, right, right, left...........POVERTY...is the Mother of InventionMillermatic 211Millermatic 140Miller Thunderbolt XLArcOne 100STS inverter w/TIGThermal Dynamics 38XL Victor Oxy/AcetyleneJancy Slugger Holemaker IIJet 5x6 BandsawNever enough time & sleep.
Reply:Lol Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Sorry about typo...was supposed to be MOS. Should proofread before posting. POVERTY...is the Mother of InventionMillermatic 211Millermatic 140Miller Thunderbolt XLArcOne 100STS inverter w/TIGThermal Dynamics 38XL Victor Oxy/AcetyleneJancy Slugger Holemaker IIJet 5x6 BandsawNever enough time & sleep.