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Prees brake vs sheet metal brake?

montrose818

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Am I correct in saying there are different types of breaks, one that pressed down and brakes the metal, the other that lets you "bend" it?

Which one is better for what? Could I use both to make a box, or would thay not work in a press type brake?

thanks
 
Most press "brakes" are gonna be more spendy as they use hydraulics.
 
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Dies for a shop press are waaaaaay cheaper than a same size finger brake.
but can you make a box (tray like) with a shop press brake?

think battery tray and shit.

for 1/16 are we talking finger brake? 1/8 press brake for sure?
 
Ok thank you. Never seen either up close and was confused. I am clear now on uses for each one.
 
1626584088378.png

press brake
1626584211601.png

finger brake

they like everything else come in all sizes
 
The difference is that a sheet metal brake sucks and a press brake is awesome. :flipoff2:

You can get "finger" dies for a press brake too. Or if you're doing a lot of 1 size, just cut a die to that width.

So you need an 8" x 12" box. Cut a die at about 11 3/4" (depending on steel thickness) do the 8" 90s and the the 12" side.
 
forgot about the old flywheel stuff
I thought that was just a bad dream of my younger years

push the button
shop browns out
sound of a cast iron flywheel that weighs as much as the truck you drove to work in slowly spinning up
check your measurement
check it three more times
check to see if everyone if clear
yell clear like in one of those ER shows
step on the gizmo
hear the click of everything grabbing the flywheel
time slows down and goes blurry
rush of wind as a 8' sheet of 1/4 jumps up past head height
the realignment of sound and time
I count my fingers to be sure they are there as I think of where the exact moment this job choice went wrong
repeat process until done
 
forgot about the old flywheel stuff
I thought that was just a bad dream of my younger years

push the button
shop browns out
sound of a cast iron flywheel that weighs as much as the truck you drove to work in slowly spinning up
check your measurement
check it three more times
check to see if everyone if clear
yell clear like in one of those ER shows
step on the gizmo
hear the click of everything grabbing the flywheel
time slows down and goes blurry
rush of wind as a 8' sheet of 1/4 jumps up past head height
the realignment of sound and time
I count my fingers to be sure they are there as I think of where the exact moment this job choice went wrong
repeat process until done
:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao: epic
 
forgot about the old flywheel stuff
I thought that was just a bad dream of my younger years

push the button
shop browns out
sound of a cast iron flywheel that weighs as much as the truck you drove to work in slowly spinning up
check your measurement
check it three more times
check to see if everyone if clear
yell clear like in one of those ER shows
step on the gizmo
hear the click of everything grabbing the flywheel
time slows down and goes blurry
rush of wind as a 8' sheet of 1/4 jumps up past head height
the realignment of sound and time
I count my fingers to be sure they are there as I think of where the exact moment this job choice went wrong
repeat process until done
Pretty much my experience of a flywheel machine. Those things are so scary.

I have a flywheel driven ironworker. That bastard will punch a 1” hole in 1” plate. Scary thing is mine is a tiny guy. They make ones that makes mine look like a tinker toy.
 
Pretty much my experience of a flywheel machine. Those things are so scary.

I have a flywheel driven ironworker. That bastard will punch a 1” hole in 1” plate. Scary thing is mine is a tiny guy. They make ones that makes mine look like a tinker toy.
lol
there was an iron worker right next to it
same deal just smaller

basically you spent the day praying and sweating, not hot sweat, stress sweat :laughing:

I think these machines were out of the Boeing plant for WW2 production
 
I have a DIY brake which I use to make framerail repair sections for Miatas, out of 14 gauge. The fucker needs to be really stout (3/8" thick top clamp) to handle 16 inch long sections. Having a single large clamping profile on top means I can't make boxes :(


To be honest, I'd switch to a press brake, it seems more versatile.
 
I honestly don't know that was a google image I found
but crown adjust would be my guess too

Yep auto crowning compensation. No need for shim stock to compensate for deflection. Amazing to think of a 5" thick plate 4' tall bending that direction.

All my brakes are mechanical flywheel type. 175t chicago, 45t goteneds, and two 35t chicagos. I like them, super simple and run forever. Fast for production work and stamping jobs. I've got a big buffalo ironworker, it's a old school mechanical machine. Scary but outworks my scotchman and friends piranha probably 2:1. Once you respect that when the pedal goes down it's making a cycle, it's not bad. Count your fingers before and after use.
 
man you guys had me google "ironworker"

no safety for the guy in the back? wtf?
 

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forgot about the old flywheel stuff
I thought that was just a bad dream of my younger years

push the button
shop browns out
sound of a cast iron flywheel that weighs as much as the truck you drove to work in slowly spinning up
check your measurement
check it three more times
check to see if everyone if clear
yell clear like in one of those ER shows
step on the gizmo
hear the click of everything grabbing the flywheel
time slows down and goes blurry
rush of wind as a 8' sheet of 1/4 jumps up past head height
the realignment of sound and time
I count my fingers to be sure they are there as I think of where the exact moment this job choice went wrong
repeat process until done
Back when men were men. I miss that old Heim
 
Saw a guy lose his right hand in an old clutch-and-flywheel press brake. Another reason to own hydraulics... you can reverse hydraulics.
The real question is whether a guy wants a straight brake or a pan brake.
You want a pan brake.
Straight brake, while much cheaper, has no fingers - but I suppose could be refit with enough effort and machining.
Pan brake allows for much greater flexibility.
 
I've had my eyes on the Mittler Bros Ultimate Box and Pan brake for a while. It has the upper fingers AND fingers on the apron and bed.

You can do some amazing things with it.


box--pan_1[1].jpg
 
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I have both. A box and pan 4ft from grizzly and a hf 20t with the swag finger brake. Both have their uses and both do things the other can’t. I see the need for both but that’s me. Use the swag finger brake for anything over 1/8 and the box and pan can do most things sheet metal wise. The swag finger brake just doesn’t have the radius to do small bends
Box and pan brake is way to tall on the stand I made and need to remake it…
BD9C6D67-A048-4BD2-AC78-0891B28684CB.jpeg
04E41638-98D7-4D41-BA26-D450F377EC5A.jpeg
 
Is the press brake really incapable of doing good enough work in thin sheet or is it more of a "this isn't a level of fit and finish I could make someone pay for" issue? Because I hate sheet metal which means I only ever do it for me.
 
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