Press brake for modified HF shop press

[Scooter]

The first time I used the brake I decided it needed a small outlet table with a movable guide to keep the bends square, so this is what I came up with.
Scooter

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[geezer]

Scooter, I have been thinking of that guide strip to keep it at 90 degrees, make a mark on it and then you could use it to reference your bend point, say the bend is like at 3 inches on the metal and the mark is 2 more inches, so all 3 inch bends get marked at 5 inches, you wouldn't need a back stop that way. An idea anyhow.

[everlastsupport]

Scooter.

Did you plasma cut then grind, or all grinding on the 3/4" top plate ? What made you go with 60 degrees? Read somewhere 80 is the magic number for 90 bend. Where you going for more than 90? HF has a 20 ton on sale for $169 again and it keeps getting my eye. Though I have some "I" beams I can cut up and the jack is like $50..

[Scooter]

Mike, I did not have the plasma cutter when I did this, I put a new disc on the 9" Milwaukee grinder, laid it flat at the angle I needed and just kept going back and forth, then finished it off with a big file. I used 60 degrees because thats what most people were using when I read about press breaks. I bent some 1/4" and it will bend a little more than 90 degrees, I was not sure how much the work piece would spring back if any? I plan on getting a 20 ton air over hyd jack for it someday. I probably should have just built the press after everything I did to it?

[everlastsupport]

Mike, I did not have the plasma cutter when I did this, I put a new disc on the 9" Milwaukee grinder, laid it flat at the angle I needed and just kept going back and forth, then finished it off with a big file. I used 60 degrees because thats what most people were using when I read about press breaks. I bent some 1/4" and it will bend a little more than 90 degrees, I was not sure how much the work piece would spring back if any? I plan on getting a 20 ton air over hyd jack for it someday. I probably should have just built the press after everything I did to it?

Hey Scooter,

Yea, I am still tossing around between, buy the air over build up the frame or $169 and done (after assembly). But the $169 unit will require some welding/beefing-up, I've looked at it in the store.

Seems like 60 degrees might be a better idea, and just eyeball it and you can still go over 90 if you want.

I guess I need to get over to the ironwork shop and get some 20"x6"x3/4 and get busy. Might wack it down with the plasma first then grind, see if that saves any time.

No word on the constant flow yet. But I opened mine and all is connected right, so waiting on engineering.

[Scooter]

Mike, I had to leave room for the cables on the bed lift. So my press base 1/2" plate is 8 X 18.5" and the bottom bending dies are 3, 15" wide pieces of 2"X2"X1/4" angle and the top die is 4"X 3/4"X 15" flat bar. I used the plasma to bevel some plates for the pivots on my next project (trailer ramps) and it worked great, the slag just knocked right off a quick grind and they were clean and ready to weld.

[everlastsupport]

Scooter,

On the plasma, move fast with plenty of amps and make sure you have a good dryer and you should have no slag at all. Those inline silica bead types work really well, harbor freight has them for $8. Use the chipping hammer and it does come off easy if I do have some to knock off, avoid doing it on concrete . Plasma cutters sure make life a lot easier.

I'll get over and get some 1/2 and 3/4 plate (drops) soon and get started on the brake, that way if I do buy the press it will fit and 18+ inches, that's pretty wide. I think the HF press is like 22 wide inside to inside. Too many project and never enough time.

[Scooter]

Scooter, I have been thinking of that guide strip to keep it at 90 degrees, make a mark on it and then you could use it to reference your bend point, say the bend is like at 3 inches on the metal and the mark is 2 more inches, so all 3 inch bends get marked at 5 inches, you wouldn't need a back stop that way. An idea anyhow.

Geezer, good idea, mind if I borrow it?

[Scooter]

Thanks Ken, I have only bent one piece so far and then I added the outlet table and have not used it since? I have been building stuff for the last couple of weeks that I sketched up over the winter. Most of it has just been upgrading my tools. The next project is a set of equipment style ramps for the trailer.