Hello,

I'm looking for a small benchtop brake to bend 14g aluminum (5052, or 6061) 5" wide, bend 90 deg. repeatable and predictable.

After a couple designs and a few failed attempts to make a special jaw device for a cheap Harbor Freight 5" vice, I have realised I need somting purpose built.

Quick googling renders this inexpensive chinese unit, sold where ever chinese equipment is sold.
http://www.prc68.com/I/8MSB.shtml

It seems to be what I need, minus the sheer function.

Is there somthing else (better) I should be looking at?

~B

Just a follow up on this thread...

Ended up getting the harbor freight 8" brake/shear described above and the pins that move the die's broke in 15 minutes. I turned a new pair of pins and they broke too...

Factory replacement parts take 8-10 weeks to arive... Will probably end up returning the whole thing.

Last time I'm going to buy anything from china.

Still need to make 90 degree bends in 5" 14g aluminum....

HELP!

I do a ton of aluminum bending in our shop. There is a product called a channel baby. It is used in the sign industry for making channel letters for neon or led letters. This might be a solution for what you are looking for. Check them out at www.channelbaby.com. There are other brakes from companied like Pexto that you can sometimes up for sale on ebay.

Happy Bending