On Dec 15, 11:25*pm, "Steve B" wrote:
What should a 48" minimum wide sheet metal brake cost used? *I need one to
do a bunch of small pieces, and just wondering what to pay.

Steve

If you need something for thin stock, akin to ducting, that's one
thing.

Thicker, that's another.

What gauge?

"Dave__67" wrote in message
...
On Dec 15, 11:25 pm, "Steve B" wrote:
What should a 48" minimum wide sheet metal brake cost used? I need one to
do a bunch of small pieces, and just wondering what to pay.

Steve

If you need something for thin stock, akin to ducting, that's one
thing.

Thicker, that's another.

What gauge?

No larger than 22 ga.

Steve

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
"Dave__67" wrote in message On Dec 15, 11:25 pm,
"Steve B" wrote:
What should a 48" minimum wide sheet metal brake cost used? I need one to
do a bunch of small pieces, and just wondering what to pay.
Steve

If you need something for thin stock, akin to ducting, that's one
thing.
Thicker, that's another.
What gauge?

No larger than 22 ga.
Steve

48", 22 gauge:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...duct_7825_7825

Sheet metal machines aren't as general-purpose as lathes and mills because
they are limited by the stiffness of their frames. OTOH you can bend the
occasional beyond-capacity piece by heating the bend line or clamping it to
a beam or thick angle and hammering the bend a little at a time. Beyond that
you can bolt/rivet/weld flat plates to corner angles.

I've gotten by with a 30" 3-in-1 for small stuff, one of these for
structural brackets:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...duct_7825_7825
and a borrowed 10' Tapco to sheath the windows with painted aluminum
flashing.

I built this 40" brake before he offered the Tapco:
https://picasaweb.google.com/KB1DAL/...95632358276434
https://picasaweb.google.com/KB1DAL/...33136395165634

Lining up the bend at both ends is much easier with these cams on the
clamping bar hold-down bolts, added later:
https://picasaweb.google.com/KB1DAL/...33137678036386

The hinges bolt to the frame and clamp bar so I can substitute shorter,
thicker angle stock to bend heavier gauges.
It isn't a good design to copy exactly because I used whatever steel was in
the scrap pile. If I made another I'd reuse the hinge which is a sandwich of
blocks welded together, and the cam clamp which pivots on a forged eye bolt:
http://www.bolt-manufacturer.com/pic...d-eye-bolt.jpg
because both were easy to machine on my smallish equipment.

jsw

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
...
I've gotten by with a 30" 3-in-1 for small stuff, one of these for
structural brackets:
http://www.toolplanet.com/product/TD...brakes-benders
...

Wrong link.

It has more capacity, less versatility than the Compact Bender.
http://shopoutfitters.com/store/imag...nder-Large.jpg

jsw