Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Previously I have just set the sheet between two bits of steel (bar,
angle or square tube) in the vice (and some clamps) and worked the
bend with a soft hammer / drift bar etc but I fancy something a bit
more sophisticated now ;-)

These folk seem to offer something in my price range .. (24.96
delivered g)

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/

(scroll down to "18" Mini Bending Brakes")

... but has anyone seen something I could actualy 'touch / play with /
take-away' in a local shed / chain that would be similar price / spec
please?

I would probably adapt the above one to 'vice mount' in any case by
bolting it to a bit of h/d angle ..

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Previously I have just set the sheet between two bits of steel (bar,
angle or square tube) in the vice (and some clamps) and worked the
bend with a soft hammer / drift bar etc but I fancy something a bit
more sophisticated now ;-)

These folk seem to offer something in my price range .. (24.96
delivered g)

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/

(scroll down to "18" Mini Bending Brakes")

.. but has anyone seen something I could actualy 'touch / play with /
take-away' in a local shed / chain that would be similar price / spec
please?

I would probably adapt the above one to 'vice mount' in any case by
bolting it to a bit of h/d angle ..

All the best ..

T i m

===========================
If you're anywhere near a 'Machine Mart' store they will usually allow you
to examine tools to see how they work / how good they are. I've had one
like this for years:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...0&r=2044&g=106

It's actually quite easy to make such benders - just a modification of your
'two bits of angle iron' really.

You might also consider a small flypress as they're much more versatile.

Cic.

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 13:45:57 GMT, "Cicero" wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
.. .
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Previously I have just set the sheet between two bits of steel (bar,
angle or square tube) in the vice (and some clamps) and worked the
bend with a soft hammer / drift bar etc but I fancy something a bit
more sophisticated now ;-)

These folk seem to offer something in my price range .. (24.96
delivered g)

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/

(scroll down to "18" Mini Bending Brakes")

.. but has anyone seen something I could actualy 'touch / play with /
take-away' in a local shed / chain that would be similar price / spec
please?

I would probably adapt the above one to 'vice mount' in any case by
bolting it to a bit of h/d angle ..

All the best ..

T i m

===========================
If you're anywhere near a 'Machine Mart' store they will usually allow you
to examine tools to see how they work / how good they are. I've had one
like this for years:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product...0&r=2044&g=106

It's actually quite easy to make such benders - just a modification of your
'two bits of angle iron' really.

You might also consider a small flypress as they're much more versatile.

Cic.


You could also try http://www.frost.co.uk/default.asp

Stuart

"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Previously I have just set the sheet between two bits of steel (bar,
angle or square tube) in the vice (and some clamps) and worked the
bend with a soft hammer / drift bar etc but I fancy something a bit
more sophisticated now ;-)

I normally use a 15" folding set in a No 4 fly press for bending small
items.

Colin Bignell

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:55:39 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
.. .
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Previously I have just set the sheet between two bits of steel (bar,
angle or square tube) in the vice (and some clamps) and worked the
bend with a soft hammer / drift bar etc but I fancy something a bit
more sophisticated now ;-)

I normally use a 15" folding set in a No 4 fly press for bending small
items.

Colin Bignell


Thanks for the replies lads ;-)

I saw the Machine Mart one online (and they are quite near and I have
used them a bit over the years) but their one was nealy 50 quid inc
Vat..

The Frost one was similar spec and price.
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8522

I do have a 10 tonne hydraulic press (Machine Mart) but I wasn't sure
what I would need to go with that and / or if I would get the same
'feel' as with a small hand bender, hensce something 'smaller'?

Frost do a 'Hand Folder' but it's more expensive than the bench
folder I first spotted!

My 10 tonne press easily straightened some 20mm steel plates ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

In article ,
Stuart wrote:
You could also try http://www.frost.co.uk/default.asp

Although I love their catalogue, they must be one of the most overpriced
suppliers ever.

They sell a Skytronics 150 watt invertor for 41 ex vat
TLC sell a Skytronics 150 watt invertor for 22.20 ex vat

--
*Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

T i m wrote:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:55:39 +0100, "nightjar" nightjar@insert my
surname here.uk.com wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
.. .
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Previously I have just set the sheet between two bits of steel (bar,
angle or square tube) in the vice (and some clamps) and worked the
bend with a soft hammer / drift bar etc but I fancy something a bit
more sophisticated now ;-)

I normally use a 15" folding set in a No 4 fly press for bending small
items.

Colin Bignell


Thanks for the replies lads ;-)

I saw the Machine Mart one online (and they are quite near and I have
used them a bit over the years) but their one was nealy 50 quid inc
Vat..

The Frost one was similar spec and price.
http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8522

I do have a 10 tonne hydraulic press (Machine Mart) but I wasn't sure
what I would need to go with that and / or if I would get the same
'feel' as with a small hand bender, hensce something 'smaller'?

Frost do a 'Hand Folder' but it's more expensive than the bench
folder I first spotted!

My 10 tonne press easily straightened some 20mm steel plates ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Its probably as quick to make one. Thats what I did. A sheet of wood
hinged to another sheet with a long bar handle added for leverage, plus
add a bar over the top at the bending line to bend the metal against. I
put different radii on the different corners of the bar, rutn it round
to get the various sized radius bends.

Its all wood, 1" thick base, and uses 3 heavy duty 4" steel hinges. The
hinges are only just strongly enough attached to the wood when bending
19" of 1.6mm steel, I needed to use 4" screws as the 2" ones pulled out
at first. The other thing I'd do differnt next time is use something
much meatier than 2x2 softwood bar for the metal to bend against, I
have to stand on this bar to stop it bending when bending the max size
of metal.


NT

On 29 Apr 2006 11:18:58 -0700, wrote:


I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards


Its probably as quick to make one.

Well I generally like to make things but 25 quid 'delivered' I could
be making more interesting things ;-)

Thats what I did. A sheet of wood
hinged to another sheet with a long bar handle added for leverage, plus
add a bar over the top at the bending line to bend the metal against. I
put different radii on the different corners of the bar, rutn it round
to get the various sized radius bends.

Sounds very versatile ;-)

Its all wood, 1" thick base, and uses 3 heavy duty 4" steel hinges. The
hinges are only just strongly enough attached to the wood when bending
19" of 1.6mm steel, I needed to use 4" screws as the 2" ones pulled out
at first.

Ouch .. ;-)

The other thing I'd do differnt next time is use something
much meatier than 2x2 softwood bar for the metal to bend against, I
have to stand on this bar to stop it bending when bending the max size
of metal.

Hmm, and is the 'former' the bit that was screwed down (and bends)?

Food for thought though ..

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

snip

I've seen small vice-mounted folders being sold at car restoration
shows: the ones I've seen were nigh-on useless. Folding anything much
longer than a few inches, and thicker than a bit of Bacofoil, resulted
in a nice tight radius at the outer ends ballooning out to a vague curve
in the middle, where the formers deflect.

Some models may be better than others, but I wouldn't risk even 25 quid
without seeing if it worked on the size of materials I wanted to use.
Buying one with a greater length capability than needed may also result
in one that produces poorer results. And of course, cheap ones have no
"box & pan" capability, which mackled-up arrangements of lumps of steel
can have.


--
Kevin Poole
**Use current month and year to reply (e.g. )***
Car Transport by Tiltbed Trailer - based near Derby

The message
from T i m contains these words:

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Try eBay - folders often come up on there.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:40:09 +0100, Guy King
wrote:

The message
from T i m contains these words:

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

Try eBay - folders often come up on there.

I'm looking .. ;-)

T i m

On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:11:55 +0100, "Autolycus"
wrote:


"T i m" wrote in message
.. .
Hi All,

I'm on the lookout for a small sheet metal brake (folder) to modify
the ally chassis on a little 12th scale electric RC car my daughter
wants to build, race and maintain herself (well that's one excuse bor
buying another tool g) and for general bending-things in the
workshop afterwards

snip

I've seen small vice-mounted folders being sold at car restoration
shows: the ones I've seen were nigh-on useless. Folding anything much
longer than a few inches, and thicker than a bit of Bacofoil, resulted
in a nice tight radius at the outer ends ballooning out to a vague curve
in the middle, where the formers deflect.

Understood. I know it's surprising how stiff something like that has
to be to 'work' in that environment. What seem like a very substantial
lump of stell can be fery 'springy' under the right loads?

Some models may be better than others, but I wouldn't risk even 25 quid
without seeing if it worked on the size of materials I wanted to use.

Ok ;-( (makes sense though ..)

Buying one with a greater length capability than needed may also result
in one that produces poorer results.

More chance of 'flex' ..

And of course, cheap ones have no
"box & pan" capability, which mackled-up arrangements of lumps of steel
can have.

Hmm .. so start mackling you say then .. ?

All the best ..

T i m

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:13:40 GMT, T i m wrote:

These folk seem to offer something in my price range .. (24.96
delivered g)

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/

(scroll down to "18" Mini Bending Brakes")

It's a dog. Go for the one like the Machine Mart design instead, but
with a single central handle and diagonal buttressing. Harder to store,
but it gives you squarer bends. If you use these two-handled ones and
don't have perfect synchronisation on the bends, then you got cockled
edges. Might be OK on ally, but steel is a problem.

Mine was some generic Lucky Golden Hedgehog picked up at the Model
Engineer for 30-some squid. At those prices it's not worth welding your
own up (it really needs a milling machine with a boring head to
accurately cut the counterbores for the bearings).

Dad has a real up-and-down brake, the Axminster 300 quid one. Goodness
knows why, the thing is the worst of Chiwanese bucketshop manufacture
and bits keep falling off it. There's a proper old British-made 6' wide
brake in the shed too, if only he'd move the lawnmowers from on top of
it.

Andy Dingley wrote:

Mine was some generic Lucky Golden Hedgehog picked up at the Model
Engineer for 30-some squid. At those prices it's not worth welding your
own up (it really needs a milling machine with a boring head to
accurately cut the counterbores for the bearings).

There is a simpler option. When I made mine I used steel butt hinges,
and use 2 slippery plastic layers on the lift up section, so the
workpiece slides a little over the lift up section as its bent. That
has to happen becuase the hinge point is not quite in line with the
workpiece bend.


NT