I wanna build a press brake

[morpheus]

After seeing the picture below on the http://www.shopoutfitters.com site, i had a thought that maybe I could make something up to bend some plate on my 12T shop press. anybody got any ideas about the pieces needed ?

http://www.shopoutfitters.com/Image/hb.jpg

- jack

[Ed Heimbach]

Hey, that looks like a nice tool, I think I'll buy one. If I was to build one of these, I know that I would have more than $300 in time and materials before I finished. ( I've got plenty of hydraulic jacks laying about). To bad it dosen't come with dies to form elliptical sections from angle, (handy when repairing snow plows).
On the other hand, the ring roller is over priced , I might build one of these should I go into semi-retirement and decide to do ornamental work.

[Bob]

My first thought was, WHY ?

Standing alone, I guess that sounds like a wise guy question. Really, what sort of bends are you trying to make? sharp, radius, metal thickness, width; 90;180?

Bob

[Rocky D]

Jack, I think the easy part is building the frame....the hard part is coming up with hardened dies to put in it.

Just a thought. :confused:

[morpheus]

Originally posted by Bob
My first thought was, WHY ?

Standing alone, I guess that sounds like a wise guy question. Really, what sort of bends are you trying to make? sharp, radius, metal thickness, width; 90;180?


I want to bend 45's, 90's, etc in 3/16" - 1/4" plate with a fairly sharp bend.

why would it need hardened dies Rocky ?

- jack

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by morpheus


I want to bend 45's, 90's, etc in 3/16" - 1/4" plate with a fairly sharp bend.

why would it need hardened dies Rocky ?

- jack

The force applied to the die against the metal, can dent or warp the die if it isn't stronger that what you are pushing it against. Hardened dies don't give, so you get repeatability. It's kinda important....

[morpheus]

I understand what you're saying Rocky. that would be important.

- jack

[Nelson Hendrix]

I purchased a press brake attachment for use on my 20 ton press from Northern tool. I am including a lik to their sale page, I believe that I paid about $169 on sale about 2 years ago. You may still want to buy one, or you could build one if you could find the hardened die pieces. Good luck!

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=21896&categoryId=0

Not sure that worked inserting that long address, search for press brake at Northerntool.com

Nelson

[morpheus]

thanks Nelson. a friend showed me the one in Northern Hydrualics yesterday. does it work ok ?

- jack

[Nelson Hendrix]

I have used mine for over 2 years. No problems, 1/2" x 2" good. 1/4" x 6" a little much, small 1/8" or 3/16" good job. Keeping items square takes a little measuring or good scribe marks. I like mine, but I still want to build a small brake like Dan's and Rocky's.

Nelson

[morpheus]

ok. thanks for the honest feedback on it Nelson.

- jack

[Bob]

Frustrated!!!!

I just wrote up a design idea for the press brake, and made a sketch ... and then the computer aided stupidity kicked in. Sketch was too big to post, and it all got lost.

Ah, Bill Gates as a butterfly ... squish.

Bob

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by Bob
Frustrated!!!!

I just wrote up a design idea for the press brake, and made a sketch ... and then the computer aided stupidity kicked in. Sketch was too big to post, and it all got lost.

Ah, Bill Gates as a butterfly ... squish.

Bob



squish????

[morpheus]

sometimes you're the bug ... sometimes you're the windshield :(

- jack

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by morpheus
sometimes you're the bug ... sometimes you're the windshield :(

- jack


True....:(

[Roger]

I have industrial supply catalog that sells press brake dies by the foot. You then only have to adapt to your press.

I had link to web site now broken showing how he made press brake for sheet metal. It would bend to 3' or 4' 20 ga. or so. He used one bottle jack but built it for 2 if they were needed. He also bent some 1/8 X 2 bar stock in center under jack. He used was mild steel to build. I think it helps to have slight gap in bottom of female V. I say weld something up and play with it until it works. Only steel and welding should be needed. If it needs hard facing you can weld and grind that too. It's not like such a set up would be used for high volume production work and might be ok for your limited use.

I would rather use a pan brake but press brakes can do more if you have the die sets.

[jniolon]

Morpheus,

I had the same idea you did and built one... I'll try and attach a pic here (this is my first post).. I had the plans on my web site but removed the for more room... I can send you a printed copy if you'd like...

john

[jniolon]

what the heck... who needs space on the web.. here's the link to the article on the press brake I built... got any questions...let me know..

john




http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/pressbender/presstypemetalbenderplans.html

[Bob]

Morpheus,
Here is a pix of mock up of my thinking I put together on my HF press.
Starting at the top, the pipe acts like a guide on the 1" press rod that is part of the press. It would probably be black pipe, with gussets to the "T" bit just below it. Might also wrap some strap around the top to reinforce it. All to keep the bit straight on the press rod.
The "T" bit is a practice bit my grand-daughter did at college. I suspect that would also need some gussets and a radius on the bottom of the T-leg,
Next in the stack is the victim metal.
Below that are press blocks. Two came with the press, bought two more but one was hiding when I took the pix. I see them being replaced with angle iron gussetted on top of a flat plate, sorta like a heavy duty V-block.
Now I am over my head ... don't know if the final thing should be hard faced or hardened by heating and quenching. Rocky D was concerned about hardened dies. I was trying to overcome "hard through out" with lots of gussets.
Bob

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by jniolon
what the heck... who needs space on the web.. here's the link to the article on the press brake I built... got any questions...let me know..

john




http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/pressbender/presstypemetalbenderplans.html

Really nice job, John, the pictures don't do it justice, here, but the web site explains it very well.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

I ALSO AGREE IT IS A NICE ARTICLE..............MORPHEOUS HAVE YOU STARTED THIS PROJECT YET..................?......... I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PICTURES AS YOU GO WITH YOUR VERSION WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS???????????????????...........YOUR CALL......................ROCKSSCOTT@MILLERWELDS.C OM :cool:

[morpheus]

Originally posted by jniolon
what the heck... who needs space on the web.. here's the link to the article on the press brake I built... got any questions...let me know..

john

http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/pressbender/presstypemetalbenderplans.html

hey thanks for putting that on the web John !

I think one of the press bar images got cut off when you were
ftp'ing them up.

nice work on the truck too !

what is astroloy or where does one obtain such a piece of hardened material sufficient for the task ?

- jack

[jniolon]

Jack,

I didn't ftp the images... that's a link directly to my site... tell me which image and I'll see if I can fix it...

Astrolloy is some mysterious metal ?? I really don't know about metalurgy... on the web it says it is a high strength alloy used for high heat applications...

I work at U.S. Steel here in Alabama and we use it for work on our Q-Bop steel making vessels, ladles and such... this was a scrap piece that was laying under a workbench.. You probably couldn't find it locally and if you could you couldn't afford it :-).

I think Rock and the boys would agree that any metal that is harder than what you're bending will be fine. you're not going to be stamping out 100 pieces an hour... I've done a lot a light gauge stuff and some 1/4" 3" wide and it hasn't made a scratch on the press bar..

The only limitation I've seen is the radius... it bends a nice round curved 90° bend.

I've since made an adapter for the press that will give nice sharp bends in lighter gauge stuff... I've only tried up to 11 gauge (about 3/32) and it does nicely... I'll get some pics of it and post.

Basically its a V-block that fits into the recess of the two pieces of channel for the base and a piece of 1" key stock on edge (diamond shaped with edge down) with plate welded on each side. this piece slides over the press bar .. it gives nice clean 90° angles...

Like I said in the article... machine work is bartered but you could do almost the same thing with a good weld bead and a little brain work

pics will come later..

glad it was of use... :D

john

like old ford trucks ???
visit my site at http://jniolon.clubfte.com
or our mother ship at www.ford-trucks.com

[morpheus]

Originally posted by jniolon


I didn't ftp the images... that's a link directly to my site... tell me which image and I'll see if I can fix it...


that's what I meant, when you ftp'd them up to your site. it's the 3rd image down in the press bar section.

yeah, I don't imagine I'd be able to afford a piece of a$troloy now that you explain it :P

yeah, I saw the pics of your truck earlier when I was reading the press article. I poked all around your site. nice metal work on the frame.

here's my truck:
http://www.megaone.com/morpheus/project/

- jack

[Bob]

Roger,
You mentioned you have a catalog from a company that sells dies. Can you give us the name?
Bob

[jniolon]

Jack,

took the pics last nite of the additions I made to the bender

here is the base piece... it fits between the channels and is supported by the top flange.. It is probably an overkill solution, but my machinist buddy doesn't understand how to build anything 'lightweight'.. :D

[jniolon]

jack,

here is the press sitting in the base..

We took a piece of 1-1/8" keystock and gouged it out to fit the shape of the press bar in the bender... then milled two notches along the length for the plates to sit on. We set the width of the plates to be a friction fit on the pressbar...so when you raise it the new addition stays in place...

this will bend a nice tight 90 in material up to 11 gauge... have not tried anything heavier.. I wouldn't try 1/4" in this setup.. :p

hope this helps

john

[Roger]

It's a old C&H Distributors Catalog 800-558-9966
Grangers and McMaster Carr should also have them. 2 feet of press brake dies probably cost more than shop outfitters pressbrake pictured in this thread. 92 prices $144. to $309. with punch and die seperately priced. "The steel is hardened to 285 Brinell to provide smooth forming finish that's durable and wear resistant. "
It also lists $8.50 per foot hardening fee but discription said all are hardened.
Isn't that like sell a phone with nice ring tone. Oh, no ringer, the ringer is 8.50 extra.

[Al T.]

I think they mean about hardening costs, that if any modification needs to be done on the material it should be done on a unharden piece. After modification its gets hardened as one unit by you. If no modication is needed, you can pay extra to have them harden it.