homemade bending brake ?

[Ben.Ransom]

I think some of you have built your own bending brake, but I don't recall who, or any details. If you have suggestions on something that will work for our typical 6061 sheet, such as for making channels or other pieces upto .040 or maybe .060, I'd sure like to hear what works (or doesn't).
Thanks!
-Ben /496R

[mikeh]

Hi Ben,
I've managed to do the bending I've needed using the rounded edge of the table, some clamps and a block of wood or two. Wouldn't be good enough for channels but I've found it useful. Mostly for material 040 or less.
Cheers. Mike

[Lynn Cole]

I routed an edge of a 2x6 to receive a metal rod with the correct radius for the bend. I clamped the sheet metal between that and another 2x6 and clamped the whole assembly to a sturdy workbench. With care and a lot of flailing with a rubber mallet I could bend 0.063 6061T6 metal. I used a similar setup with a smaller radius metal rod to bend thinner sheet metal for my landing-light assembly. I found that I could make the bends so the overall dimension of the piece (with 2 bends in it) was within 1/32 inch of the desired dimension.
-----Lynn Cole
Elite 709E

[snowyriver]

Ben,

I recall the RV folks had some stuff regarding that on their forum. I think Wayne Pederson, a rebel builder who frequents this site also made one. Maybe he'll chime in. CW

[Ben.Ransom]

Charlie, my email is
bransom@ucdavis.edu
Thanks,
Ben

[Wayne Pederson]

The 12 ½ foot brake that I built will not bend 0.060
I made two 0.040 rear wing spars with it first, then it worked well on making my tail cone sides and rear fuselage top & bottom.
By the time I got done making all 24 wing stringers it was worn out.

http://www.whitetaildeerfarmer.com/Airplane.htm

[Wayne Pederson]

Sorry that link did not work but this one should
http://www.whitetaildeerfarmer.com/Airplane.htm

[schaumr]

I built a 4ft version of the brake described here; cost less than $100 in materials and has been more than adequate for all jobs thus far:

http://www.eaa.org/experimenter/article ... brakes.asp

I did a lot of my custom 0.032" floor channels with this, and even bent the 0.060" material used in Wayne's firewall reinforcements.

I could not imagine building this plane without one.

Rob

[Wayne Pederson]

Yes I used Dave's design after talking to him on the phone. But I added a hold down bolt every 2 feet set back 1-1/2 inches to do the long stuff.

[tjhickey]

My bending brake was built 30 years ago following plans purchased from Zenair. It is 48 inches long, and is made from 4 x 4 x 1/4 angle. It is a little different in that the pivot point for the bend is actually located on the centerline of the radius of the hold down angle. See picture. The cutouts were made some years ago so as to form adjacent legs on a gusset. This will bend 45 inches of 0.032 pretty easily, but long length of heavy material can be troublesome.