Shop Built Press Brake

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TrinityFabworks
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Shop Built Press Brake

Post by TrinityFabworks »

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with building a large press brake? I am in need of one, but can't quite justify spending the money for an old mechanical brake. I have been looking at the swag offroad kits, and I think that I would take a run at building my own. I have a lot of very heavy material on hand for the frame. I would like either a 3 or 4 footer. I have an electric/hydraulic pump and a cylinder (I would have to set it up horizontally on a cantilever design), but I am wondering if I should just go with 2 of the harbor freight 20 ton air/hydraulic cylinders vertically. As far as the press brake dies, I was thinking of just tilting the head on my bridgeport to machine the top punch (and then cutting it into smaller pieces to make "fingers" that can be removed) as far as the bottom die, I would like to find a 4 way die so that I have some flexibility. I think that it would be much easier to make a brake with the harbor freight jacks, but it might be more accurate if I build the cantilever electric/hydraulic set up. Just looking for any suggestions and/or ideas.
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djreiswig
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by djreiswig »

I looked briefly at building a press brake. I found that using 2 cylinders caused problems with keeping the die parallel. The best designs I saw used one cylinder and a linkage on top with cams and a tie rod that is adjustable to square the die.
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TrinityFabworks
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by TrinityFabworks »

djreiswig wrote: Fri Feb 01, 2019 9:34 pm I looked briefly at building a press brake. I found that using 2 cylinders caused problems with keeping the die parallel. The best designs I saw used one cylinder and a linkage on top with cams and a tie rod that is adjustable to square the die.
I have heard the same thing, but I've also heard people say that it isn't hard to keep then synced up. The cammed version makes more sense as to why it would be more accurate. I just know that it is going to cost a lot more to get it done.
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acourtjester
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by acourtjester »

You may try to find how many tons it will take to bend the thickness and length of metal you want. I think one one of the welding sites they had a guy built a press like you are looking at, I think he had at least a 50 ton ram. You may try Googling a "DIY cantilever press brake" search.
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acourtjester
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by acourtjester »

Here is a DIY construction post showing a large press brake. :o
https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/torchma ... oject.html
brake.JPG

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DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
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SegoMan DeSigns
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by SegoMan DeSigns »

Here is some pics of my 5' wide build, most of the materials was up-cycled from several trash piles.

Specifics:

5"x24" 3,000 psi ram creates 30 tons
A little over 3.3:1 mechanical advantage will produce 100 tons (24 ram stroke / 7" punch stroke)
vid link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyuPCFwJSJI
The adjustable link is a Cat3 top link from an ag store
5hp motor to drive a 16gpm 2 stage pump
control valve to be 12 volt solenoid with foot switch
11gal tank built from 11ga
1-1/4" plate
4"x6"x1/2" wall uprights & horizontal beams
There will be a 15" brake on 1 end (to facilitate rapid tooling change for small projects) and a press punch on the other
Digital readout and limits switches for repeat bends.

Here is a tonnage chart to give you an idea of what it takes to get bent into shape
JMT-TonnageChart-01.jpg
Like posted above the boyz at pirate have some serious press brake builds..

Ask away with any questions
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Ironken
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by Ironken »

Very, very nice build! Makes me wanna throw this one in the trash.
20190108_181312.jpg

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TrinityFabworks
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by TrinityFabworks »

I know that people are starting to make press brake punches and dies on their 3d printers. I was just wondering if anyone here has any experience with that, and what kind of potential printed dies have in terms of material thickness that it can bend without braking.
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by Thor »

I have done some 3d printed tooling for my cnc press brake (read air bending not coining, different tonnages). The biggest ones I have made are to bend 16ga steel with a 1/4" nose radius in a 1.5" V die so lower than normal forces. They have held up well now after several hundred bends, saved alot of money from buying the custom shape I needed. I have successfully done some 1/16" nose radius tooling for a 1/2" V die to bend 20 ga and thinner steels. Tried to do a hem die set for 20ga and it failed miserably due to the forces.
deanwerden
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by deanwerden »

I just got done this press, it is currently set up @ 1500psi running off of my compact tractor, at that level it will bend 4 ft of 1/8 or 2 ft of 3/16. I think it will do 4 ft of 3/16 in a bigger die

PBreak1.jpg
PBreak2.jpg

You can see the whole build at

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/sho ... 631&page=1


I have a couple videos up on the tube also

https://youtu.be/GmH-jHF8JrQ

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SegoMan DeSigns
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by SegoMan DeSigns »

I just read your build thread, I like your thinner base design as it will allow a tighter bend array than my wide base does. The madness to the methodology behind my design is my shop is small and all tooling needs to be easily moved. I plan on running a 4 way die on the bottom, if not a commercial built then do a sectional die system that can be cut on the plaz table. The 16gpm 2 stage pump will be slowed down as a result of a 1740 RPM vs the rated 3600rpm motor. That will allow a slower bend speed but will allow a relative fast cycle time.

Thanks for the motivation to get back on my project :mrgreen:
Thor
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by Thor »

Be aware on those style machines with single cylinder and lever arms, that tooling needs to be sized to make the bend at the closest to the bottom of stroke as you can as the tonnage is considerably higher there than it is near the top of the stroke. One major advantage of a two cylinder brake design is same tonnage throughout stroke so can bend anywhere and use any tooling.
TrinityFabworks
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by TrinityFabworks »

deanwerden wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 11:35 am I just got done this press, it is currently set up @ 1500psi running off of my compact tractor, at that level it will bend 4 ft of 1/8 or 2 ft of 3/16. I think it will do 4 ft of 3/16 in a bigger die

You can see the whole build at

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/sho ... 631&page=1


I have a couple videos up on the tube also

https://youtu.be/GmH-jHF8JrQ

Hey Dean, thanks for taking the time to post pictures of your press brake! I was thinking about building something very similar! Now that you have it finished, is there anything that you would change in the future? Or any tips or tricks that you would care to share that you found out throughout the build? Also, what size tubing and other material sizes are you using. I keep trying to view your build on garage journal, but all of the adds just keep popping up and it won't let me view any other page but page #1 of the build.
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by deanwerden »

This press was all built from stuff i had scrounged over the years so I made due with the stuff I had, the uprights are 4x8x1/4 same as the die bed and the beam that holds the linkage is 6x6x1/4.
Honestly the build went pretty good I had it all mapped out in cad and everything went together as planned, the only unexpected hurdle I had was the top 6x6 deflecting about .060 when maling a bend, i added the big plates up top 1/4 on each side of the linkage and that brought that down to .015 but the bed was then deflecting .040 so it go a doubled up 1/4 plate under the die. I havnt checked the deflection on that since but I assume its close to the top.

All in all im very happy with how it turned out, I have maybe 400 bucks invested in this because I had so much of the material and bought all of the 1/2 " from the scrap yard

Try changing the number in the link for the build thread, at the end where it says page 1 just change it to a 2
TrinityFabworks
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by TrinityFabworks »

deanwerden wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 8:30 am This press was all built from stuff i had scrounged over the years so I made due with the stuff I had, the uprights are 4x8x1/4 same as the die bed and the beam that holds the linkage is 6x6x1/4.
Honestly the build went pretty good I had it all mapped out in cad and everything went together as planned, the only unexpected hurdle I had was the top 6x6 deflecting about .060 when maling a bend, i added the big plates up top 1/4 on each side of the linkage and that brought that down to .015 but the bed was then deflecting .040 so it go a doubled up 1/4 plate under the die. I havnt checked the deflection on that since but I assume its close to the top.

All in all im very happy with how it turned out, I have maybe 400 bucks invested in this because I had so much of the material and bought all of the 1/2 " from the scrap yard

Try changing the number in the link for the build thread, at the end where it says page 1 just change it to a 2
What size pins did you use, and where did you locate them? I'm wanting my press do be around 35-40 ton when it is all finished. I am wondering what size pins I would need.
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Re: Shop Built Press Brake

Post by TrinityFabworks »

I've got a 1/2" thick I beam that is 12 inches tall and 8 inches wide that I plan on using for the bottom plate that the die sits on. I will be making plenty of gussets for it. For the vertical posts I have about 25 feet of 3x8 tubing with 5/16" wall that I was planning on using. I wasn't sure if I should mount them like you have them where they are perpendicular to your punch and die, or rotate them 90 degrees. I have enough where I can double up on it also. I am going to run this tubing for the top and have it so the 3 inch side is on the top and bottom and it will be 8 inches tall. They will have a 2 inch gap between them for the pivot arms, and they will have a pin that runs through the front tube-pivot arm-back tube. Will this have any chance of working or am I going to end up with an expensive piece of scrap?
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