Press Brake
by G. Metcalfe
Project Description
Welding challenge finalist! This is a simple project that is easy to make and very useful to anyone with a press. I made this in just over an hour, including paint. I needed to make some handles out of 2” x 3/16” flat bar and I wanted nice Tight bends. It was easier to make this up than bend them all in the vise. I have since successfully bent 1/2” round stock for some gate latches I was making as well. Material dimensions are not that critical, and the press brake can be lengthened or shortened to fit. My Press has a 16” throat, so I made mine 16” wide. The only important dimension is to ensure that the lower blocks are spaced far enough apart to allow the metal to form. My blocks are about 1 1/2” apart. Materials and Tools: 1@ 16” x 5” x 1/4” base plate, 2 @ 15”x 3/4” x 1 3/4” lower guides1@ 14” x 1/2” x 2 1/2” press bar2 5/8” bolts, 2 nuts, 2 springs, and 2 short pieces of 3/4” sched 40 pipe made up the materials. A 4 1/2” grinder and my MIG welder were all the tools required.
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Add Your Comment
Instead of: "2 @ 15âx 3/4â x 1 3/4â lower guides" shouldn't it be "3/4 X 3/4"? Now I have to build a press brake! Thanks for posting!
Ricklesss • Thursday, April 21, 2011 @ 11:14 AMvery good project, whether it is possible to get complete project plan
jamal • Tuesday, April 19, 2011 @ 2:46 AMis it possible to get the plans for this its simplisticly awesome
dp donais • Tuesday, April 5, 2011 @ 10:55 PMwould you be willing to share your plans to your wonderful project?
JVTCO • Friday, November 19, 2010 @ 5:17 PMno, you use a hydraulic floor press
steve • Sunday, May 16, 2010 @ 12:11 PMDo you do the forming by cranking down the bolts?
rc • Thursday, December 17, 2009 @ 5:29 AMAlso - I made a second press bar by welding 1/2" rod to the lower edge of another piece of 1/2" x 2 1/2". That way I can make gently radiused bends. I slightly rounded the inner edges of the 2 lower guides to ease forming.
• Tuesday, February 17, 2009 @ 9:50 AMThere are no plans for this, as the size and dimensions are based on the materials I had. I ground the press bar to a rough point with about 3/16" flat for strength. Pipe was welded to the end of the press bar as slides. Other than that - follow the pict.
• Tuesday, February 17, 2009 @ 9:19 AMThis would work perfect for some bending I do, Could I please get you plans for this? Thank you
Chris • Saturday, January 31, 2009 @ 4:43 PMThis looks great. Is the upper die ground to a semi point or flat?
Butch • Wednesday, December 17, 2008 @ 7:57 AMGood looking project, well thought out. You get high marks for outlining the materials used, as well as the building tips.......... Quite unlike the frustrating (inadequate)descriptions provided with a lot of projects here.
lilredex • Sunday, November 30, 2008 @ 8:45 AM