Press brake talk

[Bodybagger]

So much of this stuff is going to China!

[JSFAB]

If you don't like stuff going to China, all you have to do is show up at the auction and bid $1.00 more.

[MMW]

So much of this stuff is going to China!

FYI - This stuff stayed in the US. I believe Pittsburg area? The riggers showed up at 8am, loaded the press brake & shear onto a drop deck & it was offloaded at the new owners shop before 8pm that evening. Amazing to me how fast it was loaded & gone. This was with about a 7-8 hr. drive.

Also nothing was auctioned it was all sold through an equipment dealer/friend & word of mouth. I did buy what I could/thought I needed to go on my own.

[Portable Welder]

Okay thanks for the terminology of air bending, Its just bending to the desired angle verses going all the way down, I've been doing it on a hydraulic accurpress for years and didn't know it had a name, Unfortunately the place where I use to get this stuff done at sold out and I doubt I will have the same relationship with the new owners.
Not going to be a mom and pop shop anymore.

Any way thanks for every ones opinion.

[lars66]

Trygn5, If I find the motor voltage cannot be changed then theres always the option of a transformer or just buying a new motor.

Unfortunately, I do have to take the motor HP in to account since I only have single phase power and will use a phase converter to power it.

MMW, Your example was perfect at 3 o'clock you have less power and max power is at 5-6 o'clock so its the tonnage at 3 o'clock that has to be big enough to bend 10' of 1/4" plate that I really need to be concerned about more than the max tonnage of the press brake.
Let me know if this is correct

My 150 ton Cincinnati mechanical will bend 1/4" x 10' in a 2" opening. Might have to do with die block height and where the crank is in the stroke tho. Hooked up 230 volt 3 phase.

[Portable Welder]

Lars, I have a chart that says it takes 15.3 ton per ft. to bend 1/4" plate in a 2" bottom die so I would say your at the limits of your machine, However thank you for the confirmation as to what I might get by with.

[Sberry]

I see a unit in Farm Show, engineer built a hyd one and had the plans for sale and if I was interested would have to give this some serious consideration. Its been a while and I forget the cost but it was really nice. I think his was 10 ft too and in the 2-300 ton range. I like big ole slow for repair and general fab work. I have used many Cinci and some would really fly, not good for big plate, just plain too fast and a guy has to wonder how many guys caught a sheet under the chin.

[lars66]

been some time so the details are sketchy but I looked at the chart after bending 3/8" one time and it said 165 ton to bend the length I had with the die opening. Press break didn't flinch.

[Sberry]

A brake is a good move especially if you can come up with it at the right price. I am also in the sticks as far as power and was one of the reasons I never went in to the fab biz,,, or part of it anyway. I would have moved to town in an industrial park.

[Sberry]

The one in Farm Show Mag had a leveraged pitman arm. It ran from a small motor and seems had a cyl in the 100T range and leveraged 4 to 1 or so. Had a big jaw and opened wide.

[lars66]

I see a unit in Farm Show, engineer built a hyd one and had the plans for sale and if I was interested would have to give this some serious consideration. Its been a while and I forget the cost but it was really nice. I think his was 10 ft too and in the 2-300 ton range. I like big ole slow for repair and general fab work. I have used many Cinci and some would really fly, not good for big plate, just plain too fast and a guy has to wonder how many guys caught a sheet under the chin.

My Cinci has a high and low transmission that is always left in low.

[JSFAB]

My Cinci has a high and low transmission that is always left in low.

Every hydraulic brake I've ever worked with had a high speed and low speed. The high speed was basically just a valve that opened up, whatever hydraulic oil was coming out of one side of the cylinders was immediately going to the opposite side, essentially doubling the speed. Once you got the limit switches set, good for production, not so good for fabrication.

[lars66]

Every hydraulic brake I've ever worked with had a high speed and low speed. The high speed was basically just a valve that opened up, whatever hydraulic oil was coming out of one side of the cylinders was immediately going to the opposite side, essentially doubling the speed. Once you got the limit switches set, good for production, not so good for fabrication.

Mine is a mechanical break so has a high and low gearbox. Like you say high is just to fast for one of a kind bending .

[Portable Welder]

Now that I have my shear running I'm inspired to get a press brake even more.

What are the Pros and Cons of a apron brake verses a Press brake.

[MMW]

From post #4 of this thread.

You can change out top & bottom dies to different shapes. Radius dies, step dies, etc. You can also use it for straightening & flattening plates & bars. A press brake is much more versatile than an apron or leaf brake.