How to make a DIY sheet metal brake | I Like To Make Stuff

Need to bend sheet metal? It's really easy to build a simple DIY metal brake!!

TOOLS & SUPPLIES:

A FEW OTHER METAL BRAKE PROJECTS:
(There are LOTS out there)

A few weeks back, I was working on a project that required bending some thin sheet metal and was having some trouble. While on a Google hangout with my Patreon supporters, my friend Evan mentioned making a sheet metal brake. I started looking into it and found lots of DIY versions online. There were all different types requiring different tools and providing different results. I mashed up techniques from several of them and made one in an afternoon!This is a 4 ft version that clamps down to an existing table when in use. When I'm finished with it, I can easily hide it away in seconds. This is great for folding aluminum, steel and more. There are lots of different ways to make these tools, some of which don't even require welding! Check it out!

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We have lots of projects including woodworking, metalworking, electronics, 3D printing, prop making and more!

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How to make a DIY sheet metal brake | I Like To Make Stuff

I Like To Make Stuff

[Iliketomakestuff]

Some great ideas in the comment so far..
1. Springs under orange piece (under wing nuts)
2. Using bed frame steel for the project

Let me summarize the rest of comments on this video for you :)

Cool project but..
1. I hate your music!
2. I love your music!

1. I hate your beard!
2. I love your beard!

[EvanAndKatelyn]

The metal break turned out great! And thanks for the shoutout 😁 Always fun to chat and brainstorm on the monthly Patreon hangout

[georgie]

Your a life saver. A large break is in the $1000 range. Just so happened that I had ever bit of the same material here to do this. Great video!

[Ctfulmer]

*CONTRARY TO OTHER COMMENTS* - I really noticed and LOVE the extra effort in video quality and color correction. It makes it feel even more professional.

That being said, if it's eating up too much of your valuable time (for family) then maybe consider creating some LUTs (Look Up Tables) so that you can just apply that to future videos shot with the same lighting condition.

All in all EXCELLENT work Bob!!

[djmorgan]

What a great idea. Funnily enough the other day i found two old wire sprung be frames in the loft i never knew we had, and i thought of doing a project with them. And now i know, cheers for the upload!

[bobjanis]

I have a small 30" all in one shear, brake and roller which i use quite often, I don't always need a 48" brake but lately I could have used this several times. That is why I am making this my next shop this afternoon. Thank you great job

[cemx]

One suggested improvement is to add small coil springs from the hardware stored to go under the orange bar onto the hold down carriage bolts. That way when you undo the wing nuts the orange bar will lift up slightly to allow the sheet metal to easily slid underneath.

[tootallreggie]

I made it! It turned out great too. Thanks. A few things while they're in my mind.
1. If you have angle iron that isn't even have the short side on the bend piece.
When you drill through the metal and 2x4 using the pilot bit use the forestner bit in the woods before you step up. You can't effectively use a forestner bit if the hole is too big. If you make the brake bigger know that the size doesn't translate to the piece. A 4 foot brake can't bend a 4 ft piece of metal. You must measure the space in between the screws. Lastly i made mine 4 ft. Because of the spacing the middle section of the bottom sagged so i drilled a hole in the middle, counter sunk it and put a machine screw in it. That's all i guess.

[madgardener]

I watched this last night and so inspired was I that I went to my shed today and made one of these from a couple of hoofing great hinges, plywood, angle iron and a cut down aluminium spirit level.
It works, it actually works

[essextwo]

I visualized how I wanted my frugal project to be executed, then found a video that matched. Awesome. What a stellar build.

[hlrembe]

That is actually one of the easiest brakes I have seen and one of the best descriptions of the build out there.

[lendoggy]

I've 'looked at lots of these 'how to make a metal brake videos', and your video is one of the best. Thanks.

[tomsdreamshopworx]

I have been researching making a brake for a while now and have started collecting some of the parts. Brian's brake is awesome (so is his channel). That was a great idea you had flipping the hinge around! Good job.

[jkharwood]

The mashup of functionality and frugality is over-the-to commendable. Nice work.

[ThisIsReMarkable]

I was just thinking that this video seemed 'fresher' somehow and now that I've wondered into the comments, I realize it's the color correction. Nice!
Anyway, great project. Practical for those that need it! I'm looking forward to the project this tool was needed for!

[David-Alfonso]

This video was edited very well. To clarify I don't mean that Bob's normal videos are bad. They are not by any means. What i mean is that this video had a great "flow" to it. Good job! :)

[PJGalati]

Love the simplicity of the build. I don't have a use for one of these, but if a project comes up where I do need one, now I know it can be made for no money as I have everything you used in the build, just laying about my shop nearly all the time.

[juanpulgarin]

Wow after so many years looking for a metal brake instructions and video this is the BEST of ALL. Thanks a lot and have fun on your next project

[BeyondDuctTapeFixItRight]

The pacing on your videos is terrific! You do a great job touching on the options while moving forward with the approach you selected.

[johngray]

Best of all the diy light weight sheet metal brakes. Logical, concise, complete, inexpensive and well presented. That is from an old military/civilian instructor! What s thickest gauge metal you can bend? 16 gauge would be nice