Need a sheetmetal brake

I need a sheet metal brake to bend the 18 gauge sheet metal I have to make the panels for my jeep. So does anyone know of any good brakes for around $200 that will work well and not be a total piece of junk? If I have to spend more money, so be it I want something that will last a long time and get the job done.

 

Alex,
I bought this one from Harbor Freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=266&pricetype=
I used it to form new floors for mine as well as new hat channels. Some pictures here: http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh108/djbutler23/?start=all
Admittedly, what I started with was a lot better than what's left of your tub, I am amazed that you would be trying to reconstruct this one. If I were to attempt this job, I would be using the repair panels that Classic Enterprises sells, you can get most of what you need to rebuild your tub from them.

Don

 

That brake looks like a very nice tool, I'll probably end up buying it. For some reason I couldn't find it on their website.

As for the patch panels I am buying the hat channel from classic enterprises but they don't sell the rear fender panels that I really need the most. So I decided to try the ones made by Quadratec, when I order them I'll let you know how nice they are. Quadratec says that they're made of 18 gauge sheet metal, so that should match the metal I bought. I have two 4x8 sheets of 18 gauge to make the floors, step brace, rockers, inner wheelhouses, and other stuff out of.

I really like how jeep intentionally designed the tub so that there are no compound curves anywhere, it makes it extremely easy to make patch panels since most everything can be made with a brake. Building the tub shouldn't be too hard since it's so simple and most of it is just careful measuring and cutting. I'm too poor to buy a replitub or a glass tub so I think this is the cheapest route, I'll definitely learn a lot too.

Thanks for the link.

Here is what I have now.

 

Do you know what caused it to rot like that?

Good luck man.

 

I certainly respect a man that won't shy from a hard job, but you'd be better off w/ another tub. Suspect you'd need to drive a ways (being in PA), but there's way better available for no more than the cost of a brake.

 

Well I want to make a tub, I think it's kind of fun and no one will believe me. I want to get better at fabricating and welding and what better way than to build me a jeep.

It rusted out like that because of all the salt used on the roads around here, it's really a shame how bad the salt is on cars.

 

I'll PM you when I order it, hopefully it will be soon, whenever my dad pays me for the ford exploder I sold him.

 

which brake are you thinking of ordering?

 

This one unless there is something better for the price.

If it has trouble bending 18 gauge steel I have no problem strengthening it with some tubing also.

 

Now I'm kicking my self for not buying the brake sooner. They raised the price to $260.

 

There is a store around 50 miles from me, but I would rather just order one.

 

Alex, here's a link for some side panels, there in PA. Do not know if they will work for you

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/1603614042.html

 

I'll have to see if I can get a hold of those panels. thanks for the link

 

I'm going to go get those side panels on Saturday morning, should make building the tub a little easier. Also due to some issues with my dad the all my jeep and stuff is getting moved to my stepdad's larger garage and I'm moving over there too. So you guys know I'm only 15 so I still live with my parents, I hope to get a full time job at a tree farm this summer to pay for more jeep parts. Here is a cell phone picture of the garage.

 

cell phone pic? that looks like it came from a regular camera...

good luck on the job...

 

It has a 5 mega pixel camera, it takes nice pictures for a phone.

 

I'm ordering the metal brake tomorrow and a bunch of other stuff from HF too. In a couple weeks hopefully I'll have enough cash to buy a Hobart handler 187, some welding wire, and a big ol tank of argon/CO2. Sometime this week I'm also getting a nice toolbox to put all my tools in since I don't have one, I'm thinking of this one. My friend is also getting a bunch of Snap-on air tools from his autobody teacher, he is going to sell me a Snap-on 3 inch cut off tool, 90 degree die grinder, and a dual action sander for $50.

 

Do a Google search for "make your own sheet metal brake" - http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source...ake+your+own+sheet+metal+&fp=c26c79a56c95bda8 Get your welder first and use it to make tools.

Lots of people have posted a brake project, and you can get a lot of ideas from those. Plus I recall someone has instructions for beefing up the Harbor Freight brake, somewhere. It's main problem (IIRC) is that it's made from lightweight materials and it is not as rigid as it could be. I may have seen this on Pirate, or maybe got a link from there.