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  1. #1
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    Default Help with sheet metal bending

    I'm working on a project where I'd like to be able to bend sheet metal into a small box. Something like this: https://www.lunchboxaudio.com/radial...ve-direct-box/
    It seems like the small benchtop metal brakes that are available can only handle ~20 gauge or thinner and I'd like the option to do something heavier (ideally up to 1/8"). I wouldn't need much capacity for width (maybe 12", even 6" could work) so I thought there might be something that I'm missing that would work for that. Any ideas?

    I saw one tool that was for making brackets. That looked promising but couldn't find more info. I'm not above something crude involving vise/hammer/adjustable wrench, but I don't think that would work well for multiple precise bends on the same piece.

    I can spend some money (or exert some effort for a DIY solution) but not $5000 for a giant 2 ton industrial machine.

  2. #2
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    Welcome to the forum.

    I would suggest something like this if you could find one in the US
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sheet-Me...frcectupt=true
    It looks like it could do around 1.6mm (=16 gauge) steel, which is not too shabby. Might even be able to handle short lengths of 3mm steel with a tail wind. Might also wreck the blade too.

    Closer to (your) home, I would suggest something like this
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/DIacro-12-f...oAAOSwti5cv2Gp
    Great brand and I would be surprised if you could not do reasonable thickness on that too.

    Michael

  3. #3
    jatt's Avatar
    jatt is offline Always within 10 paces from nearest stubby holder
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    Got a bearing press?

    A fairly simple setup can be made (or even purchased) to fit inside that will provide reasonable bends.

    Me.... well got a 4 side bottom die I purchased as an offcut from a press brake that was being setup. The top is just some mild I milled a vee along one side of.

    Made a couple of boxes with it and a heap of brackets.
    Frisky wife, happy life. ​Then I woke up. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.
    From an early age my father taught me to wear welding gloves . "Its not to protect your hands son, its to put out the fire when u set yourself alight".

  4. #4
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    Jan 2019
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    For a small box like that I't buy a panel beaters hammer and a few bits of steel cut to size to beat the box around. If you can use aly it would be a very simple job.

    Here's a small aly box I made up for a voltmeter using a panel beaters hammer. Material was 1.5mm thick
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
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    My suggestion would be a fly or screw press with a series of "V" tools. With the right tools you can get perfect bends on just about anything.

  6. #6
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    Default

    Thanks guys. Good info on some avenues to explore.

  7. #7
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    Tucson, Arizona, USA
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ned3000 View Post
    I'm working on a project where I'd like to be able to bend sheet metal into a small box. Something like this: https://www.lunchboxaudio.com/radial...ve-direct-box/
    It seems like the small benchtop metal brakes that are available can only handle ~20 gauge or thinner and I'd like the option to do something heavier (ideally up to 1/8"). I wouldn't need much capacity for width (maybe 12", even 6" could work) so I thought there might be something that I'm missing that would work for that. Any ideas?

    I saw one tool that was for making brackets. That looked promising but couldn't find more info. I'm not above something crude involving vise/hammer/adjustable wrench, but I don't think that would work well for multiple precise bends on the same piece.

    I can spend some money (or exert some effort for a DIY solution) but not $5000 for a giant 2 ton industrial machine.
    Hi Ned,
    You might consider using a small press brake to accomplish this. I built one using the cheap Harbor Freight hydraulic press along with a kit from Swag Offroad. I added a digital readout for repeatability. It will bend thin sheet metal as well as steel plate up 1/4" and thicker. The HF 12 ton press costs $129. The Swag Offroad 12 ton finger brake kit is $250. I think the digital readout kit was around $75 or so.

    Let me know if you need more information.
    David

    Press Brake 1.jpg Press Brake 2.jpg Press Brake 3.jpg Press Brake Parts.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
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    Sydney
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    I do some sheet metal work, so I can at least pass on what’s worked for me. My panbrake will bend up to 1.6mm x 1200mm (1/16th x 4ft) but that thickness is certainly its upper limit. You could get a smaller unit similar to this: https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S249 . When you look at panbrakes, check out the depth of the box it will fold (it depends on the length of the holding fingers). For 1/8th (3mm), you’d require a powered press. I folded 3mm for my 4WD sump guards but needed the hydraulic press at work. Even that wouldn’t fold a very narrow edge.

    If you wanted to make brackets, a bar bender like this is great: https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/B0...s=bar%20bender I’ve bent 10mm bar (3/8th) quite easily. One of the fun challenges in sheet metal is working out the folding sequence. A trial piece using thin cardboard can often help evaluate that. It’s rewarding when it works out.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2019
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    Tucson, Arizona, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by ned3000 View Post
    I'm working on a project where I'd like to be able to bend sheet metal into a small box. Something like this: https://www.lunchboxaudio.com/radial...ve-direct-box/
    It seems like the small benchtop metal brakes that are available can only handle ~20 gauge or thinner and I'd like the option to do something heavier (ideally up to 1/8"). I wouldn't need much capacity for width (maybe 12", even 6" could work) so I thought there might be something that I'm missing that would work for that. Any ideas?

    I saw one tool that was for making brackets. That looked promising but couldn't find more info. I'm not above something crude involving vise/hammer/adjustable wrench, but I don't think that would work well for multiple precise bends on the same piece.

    I can spend some money (or exert some effort for a DIY solution) but not $5000 for a giant 2 ton industrial machine.
    Hi Ned,
    I will post some photos of a small press brake that I made. I think something like this would work to make a box like the one you showed in your link.
    David

  10. #10
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    May 2019
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    Tucson, Arizona, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by adbuch View Post
    Hi Ned,
    I will post some photos of a small press brake that I made. I think something like this would work to make a box like the one you showed in your link.
    David
    Here are a few photos of the press brake I built. It uses a HF hydraulic press with a Swag Offroad finger brake kit. All the parts in the last photo were created with this press brake. It can bend from thin sheet metal up to thicker than 1/4" steel.

    Let me know if you need more information.

    David

    Press Brake 1.jpg Press Brake 2.jpg Press Brake 3.jpg Press Brake Parts.jpg
    Attached Images Attached Images

  11. #11
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    Tucson, Arizona, USA
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    By the way - I added the digital readout for repeatable bending angles. It is the IGaging brand.
    David

  12. #12
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    May 2019
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    USA
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    [QUOTE=adbuch;1950526]Here are a few photos of the press brake I built. It uses a HF hydraulic press with a Swag Offroad finger brake kit. All the parts in the last photo were created with this press brake. It can bend from thin sheet metal up to thicker than 1/4" steel.
    /QUOTE]

    It seems like I'm going to need something like that. Probably useful for cutting/stamping purposes as well I'd imagine.

  13. #13
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    [QUOTE=ned3000;1950534]
    Quote Originally Posted by adbuch View Post
    Here are a few photos of the press brake I built. It uses a HF hydraulic press with a Swag Offroad finger brake kit. All the parts in the last photo were created with this press brake. It can bend from thin sheet metal up to thicker than 1/4" steel.
    /QUOTE]

    It seems like I'm going to need something like that. Probably useful for cutting/stamping purposes as well I'd imagine.
    Ned,
    Let me know if you need more details about my press brake.
    Thanks,
    David

  14. #14
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    USA
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    [QUOTE=adbuch;1950538]
    Quote Originally Posted by ned3000 View Post

    Ned,
    Let me know if you need more details about my press brake.
    Thanks,
    David
    How big of a project is it to assemble? I haven't done any welding before (would need to get the equipment.) Also, that HF press seems suspiciously inexpensive. Is that a quality item?

  15. #15
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    Tucson, Arizona, USA
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    [QUOTE=ned3000;1950534]
    Quote Originally Posted by adbuch View Post
    Here are a few photos of the press brake I built. It uses a HF hydraulic press with a Swag Offroad finger brake kit. All the parts in the last photo were created with this press brake. It can bend from thin sheet metal up to thicker than 1/4" steel.
    /QUOTE]

    It seems like I'm going to need something like that. Probably useful for cutting/stamping purposes as well I'd imagine.

    I used the 20 ton HF hydraulic press which also must be assembled. Swag Offroad recommended this press. The quality is pretty good compared to some of the other HF tools. I purchased this HF unit specifically for this project. After a little bit of tweeking, the HF press works fine. I have another more substantial hydraulic press that I use for other applications. Below are some Swag Offroad videos about their press brake kits.

    I own 3 other full size bending brakes (48" width) that I use for most of my sheet metal work. Pexto 16 ga. finger brake, Whitney 22 ga. finger brake, and a Baileigh 16 ga. magnetic bending brake. I also have a few of the Grizzly bench mount press brakes. I built the HF press brake mainly to do thicker material, and to do bends that are not possible with the conventional bending brakes.

    Yes - welding is required to assemble the Swag kit. If you don't own a welder and have no welding experience, I would probably recommend that you farm out the welding to a local shop. I would imagine that they could weld it up (including alignment) in several hours at most.

    I looked at the sheet metal box that you linked to. If you want thicker material, you might consider using aluminum instead of steel. I think that I could probably fabricate and bend up that box in 16 ga. alumimum using the Grizzly T10726 12" brake shown in the photo. Even though this brake is only rated for 20 ga. steel full width, it can probably bend thicker material for narrow widths (maybe 18 ga. steel) and certainly 16 ga. (0.060") soft aluminum. I own 2 of these small brakes and they are very good quality with very nicely machined fingers. So this may be another option for your immediate need to make small boxes. If there was one brake that would do it all, then I would probably own that one and I wouldn't need all the others.

    David

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