How to put a 1/8 radius ona bending brake

Hi guys.

I bought a 40 inch bending brake on sale $179.00 CND from Princess auto(Canadian version of harbor freight)

whats interesting about this brake is many others that cost $1000 or more don't let you set the foot/edge back, this one you can move the foot back and forth quite a wide range.

Nice looking tool but I want to put a radius on the foot, I can remove the foot to work on it easily

But do you guys get good results with just a sacrificial scrap on the edge or should I put the radius on the edge for best results.

I was going to make up a jig with a 1/8 radius on it and start hitting it with a file, its Chinese steel I`m wondering if a grinder is too much.

Thanks

Michael in Toronto

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Permalink Reply by Bob Pustell on November 9, 2017 at 11:30pm

I have a small brake (maybe two feet long at the most) for making small parts. Like yours it was a bargain bin unit but not bad for small parts. Like yours, it had no radius. I removed the edge part and put a radius onto it with a belt sander. Worked fine, the brake has served me well for many years now. I did make a few test bends on scrap aluminum with the non-radius edge before I put the radius onto it, just to see what would happen. Sure enough, the aluminum bent with no radius broke very easily at the bend. The conventional wisdom is correct! Gotta have a radius.

Permalink Reply by Chris Beebe on November 11, 2017 at 6:51pm

I have one similar and my solution to the problem was to drop it off at a machine shop and have them mill the radius into it. only cost a few bucks and its uniform across the bar.

Permalink Reply by Brian Thomas on November 12, 2017 at 6:29pm

I have a Harbor Freight hand brake.  I got good results using .025" scrap as an edge spacer.

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