Finger brake

[Willvis]

Anyone here have much experience with a finger brake. Id like something that is able to brake 1/8 5052 aluminum.
Theres a used one for sale about 6 hours away from me:
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details...dId=1419412904

Says its rated for 12 gauge so it should be ok for 11 gauge (1/8) aluminum? I sent the message to the guy and he says its easy with 1/8 aluminum but it would be nice to here from someone on here whos had experience with one. I also think there is an issue with them and not being able to bend certain shapes because the piece hits the frame? Would I have any trouble bending a shape like [ (3 sides of a box) say 20" x 20" x 20"? How about bigger boxes for tool boxes and such?

[Ltbadd]

The capacity is not only for thickness, but also length. Can you look up the manufacturer of the brake and read the specs?

[ryanjones2150]

I've done a good bit on a finger brake, but not as big as the one in the link you posted. I would think if it's claim is rated to 12ga, that's probably steel and that's probably at or near the length capacity of the jaws.

[Willvis]

It says challenger brand but google turns up nothing on that. Tag says 12 gauge x 8' capacity, that's most likely for mild steel, so I don't think aluminum would be a problem to go up one gauge size. Its also says made in Taiwan which is where a lot of the baileigh stuff is made and it looks similar to this one:
https://www.baileigh.com/box-and-pan-brake-bb-9612

Maybe I should call a sales rep from baileigh and ask.

Ryan, Do you ever run into an issue where the piece your trying to bend hits the frame? Could you seem a problem with bending a piece into 3 sides of a box, 20x20x20"? The baileigh one says Maximum box depth of 6”, But I think that is for when your are trying to make a pan and your bending the 4 sides up?

[MMW]

Most all brakes are rated for mild steel so 12 gauge x 8ft. should bend that but usually struggles at the limit. Aluminum it should bend fine. If what you are referring to bending is a floor plus 3 sides with the sides being 20" tall you will have issues with the sides hitting before you get to 90 degrees. This is why the rating says 6" max depth. If however you are referring to bending 2 sides and a floor (like a "U" shape) then it will bend it at 20".

[Willvis]

Here is what I mean for the shape

[ryanjones2150]

I don't see a way for that machine to bend adjacent sides that are 20".

1/8" aluminum....just weld it.

[Noel]

I could be seeing this wrong, but you can't with out the risk of the side previously bent hitting the back, height and length in. That said, I'm sure it will do it if the risk of soft deflection in making the bend as a result of it hitting isn't a problem that can't be accounted for? Make any sense?

[Willvis]

I could see that it would be a problem if the bottom part (floor part as MMW called it) was shorter then the distance from where the piece is being clamped to the top of the machine. Then you would be folding the piece back into the machine? But if the bottom of the piece is longer then that distance the piece should fold back over top the machine and not be a problem? Hope that makes sense the way I described it. Im not familiar with these finger brakes.

[Ltbadd]

I could see that it would be a problem if the bottom part (floor part as MMW called it) was shorter then the distance from where the piece is being clamped to the top of the machine. Then you would be folding the piece back into the machine? But if the bottom of the piece is longer then that distance the piece should fold back over top the machine and not be a problem? Hope that makes sense the way I described it. Im not familiar with these finger brakes.

That makes sense...to me

[ryanjones2150]

You would be able to bend two opposing sides to 90 degrees provided the bottom is long enough so the first bend clears the height of the brake or the wall is short enough to not hit it, but nothing on any adjacent side if the height is greater than 6", if that's the spec on this machine.

[Noel]

I'm not sure what you guys envision...Am I missing something?

[Willvis]

You would be able to bend two opposing sides to 90 degrees provided the bottom is long enough so the first bend clears the height of the brake or the wall is short enough to not hit it, but nothing on any adjacent side if the height is greater than 6", if that's the spec on this machine.

This makes sense... I think

Just so were all clear I drew the part in 3d. As to your comment about just welding it Ryan, these would be 8' long pieces. Out of a 5' x 8' sheet I could bend it 20, 20, 20. So if I just welded it, I would have to cut the pieces, and fit them, and then weld. So bending would be a lot faster, and I think gives a cleaner more professional look. These would be used for square "pontoons" or whatever you want to call them for docks. You average dock would use 6 of these parts, so that's a massive time saving over welding it all.

Noel, The way you drew the red lines is what I envision. Only difference Is instead of the way you did the yellow, I would make my first bend at 20" then slide it out another 20" and make the 2nd bend.

The brake would also be handy for making tool boxes and such.

[MMW]

Yes it will bend it as long as the distance from the bed to the top of the machine is less than the distance from wall to wall. You are also correct that you would slide 40" into the machine with 20" out and make your first bend. Then slide it out so 20" is in the brake and 40" is out (this includes the first bend) and make your second bend so it would look like the red line in Noel's pic.

[Noel]

While I had thought pull it out and spin it around so the bend allowance and radius remains consistent, I was also thinking if fed in from the back would you have more room to make the bend? Folding up, rather then in?