Shop-made sheet metal brake?

[Jason White]

I could swear I saw somebody make a sheet metal brake out of wood and some hinges. May have been plywood and a piano hinge, but I can't remember.

Anybody see or build something like this? Do you have a picture or plans for it? I need to make a few custom window flashings out of aluminum or lead.

Thanks.

Jason

[harry strasil]

probably not what you are looking for, but this one I made will do 1/8 thick by 36inches with two people.

[Josiah Bartlett]

It should be easy just looking at drawings/pictures of commercial brakes, although the light duty Harbor Freight brake is so cheap it may be the best thing for you. Its not like AL or PB are going to be that big of a deal to bend.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39103

[Brice Burrell]

Jason, I'm not sure if this is helpful but Gary Katz made a small brake for bending flashing.
http://www.garymkatz.com/ChartsDrawings/homemade_brake.html

[frank shic]

some guy named stuart who lives in japan selling liquor and does a ton of woodworking made someting like that... anyone remember his last name? ablett?

nvm, found it:

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/give_me_a_brake.htm

[Brad Sperr]

I saw a tidbit on the Fine Homebuilding website not too long ago about using a simple plywood die to extrude different flashing profiles. You basically cut out the profile of the flashing in the plywood with a jigsaw, carefully feed the flashing into the profile, and then pull it through the die. That may be easier than building a brake.

[Jason White]

Thanks, but I'm hoping to make something out of scrap wood.

Jason



some guy named stuart who lives in japan selling liquor and does a ton of woodworking made someting like that... anyone remember his last name? ablett?

nvm, found it:

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/give_me_a_brake.htm

[Jason White]

Some good ideas there. Thanks!

Jason


Jason, I'm not sure if this is helpful but Gary Katz made a small brake for bending flashing.
http://www.garymkatz.com/ChartsDrawings/homemade_brake.html

[Barry Vabeach]

Jason, I just used 2 pieces of wood, and put angle iron on each so that there was some metal. I didn't use any lever, but just bent it with my hands ( and a rubber mallet for the thicker stuff which was .040 aluminum) I also got a 9 inch hand seamer, and for the .032 aluminum and thinner, that worked really well.