Need some thoughts. I’m just getting started doing legitimate projects. I live in a small town and the girls how cut my hair own a small shop. They are looking for some custom shelves. I am going to need to bend at least 16 of these shelves. I do not have a press brake and spending $3k today is not going to happen. Still working on my shop so no where to put a large “professional” press brake.
I need repeatability and 36” or 48” capacity. I do not mind spending some time modifying the press brake for repeatability. I’m assuming I’m going to need to add some “stops” so all the shelves have the same bends.
After adding the relief cuts would something like this handle the job with some modifications? Cheap press brake
I’m doing all this work with minimal profit. Trying to help the girls improve their shop and they are going to let me advertise.
What are you guys using to do your bending? Thanks
Having relief cuts covers the need for back stops.
I just use a sliding stop I cut and bent for my fab tables, but do use a small press brake (so no relief cut).
The setup you pictured there is a design many people often DIY - if you can cut steel off the CNC table and weld, you’ll be able to make something even better/heavier duty.
The +36” width is the tricky part though as you need more leverage (tonnage) to bend said material.
I’m using 14 ga a36 mild steel. Doing the relief cuts on both bends. I do not have the time to start another full project and source all the bearings, nuts and bolts. Which is why I’m looking to purchase something. I have been bending one off projects with a couple clamps and a piece of 3/16” - 1.5”x1.5” angle. Which has gone well.
I have. I have look within my state and the 5 states that touch mine. My largest problem is my shop is currently a stick building. I’m working out of a 12x 20 shed. That is mostly Shed.. So I do not have the room for a 50” finger brake. Once I have siding and Concrete. I will purchase a 50” press brake.
I”m just trying to see what folk are using with success. $150 to do 16 Shelves. I can just bake that in to the cost. I feel like with the relief cuts I should be able to use the brake that I listed above but checking to see what other folks have had luck with.
That brake should work with enough relief cuts. Try to bend 48” of 14ga without relief cuts and that thing will just laugh at you.
I use a harbor freight brake that is much heavier and modified to bend thicker metal and it still wouldn’t bend a full length piece of 14ga steel. I’ve tried and bent the handles with a cheater bar.
