The Chopper Compendium

Hi guys and gals, well today i have been going through my pile of materials to find stuff to build a 4ft long metal bending brake. I need one for summer because i am going to be working on my camaro sheetmetal replacement and need to make all sorts of door edging bends etc. Here is a pic of some of the starting materials.

I'll re-post my sheet metal folder plans and pics if that would help you......

All you need to do is make the thing the length you need.......

Maz xx

Hi maz, i am just trying to get some of the tools i need for the summer. I really need to get my camaro sheetmetal replacement work done, plus i need to finish my bodywork on my ford ranger pickup truck. Lots to get done, if you can give me some plans for the metal brake that would be cool. I need to make one for all the 90 degree bends etc in the new sheetmetal for bottoms of camaro doors to do the bodywork right and easier, i figure the metal brake only needs to be 4ft-5ft long and i will mount it on one of my work tables.

Todays metal brake progress, i am making the metal brake 3ft long that should be a fair size to start with and i can always make it bigger if needed later. Very first time building one with no plans just winging it by pictures etc. It will need to bend 18gauge and 20gauge sheetmetal, that is what i need to use for my new rocker panels and quaterpanels on my camaro. A few

Here is some mock up pics of where i am at so far, about 2hrs or so trying to figure out the design. I will bolt it down onto one of my worktables, decideing to either drill and bolt it all together or weld it together. I think welding would make it probably more stronger.

You should check out Dave Gingery's "Sheet metal brake" at www.lindsaybks.com , very good instruction and it will result in a good robust machine !

Hi gearhead1951, well todays progress of getting it a ligned up and started doing some solid tack welds. Been a while since i have used the welder so it has been fun making this 3ft long metal brake.

Well , almost got the metal sheetmetal brake built. Screwed up my last welding nozzle tip so i need to get another pack of them plus a roll of welding wire, then i can finish up the last welding and figureing out where to mount it and do some testing to see how it works.

make it portable as useful as it might be it always seems to be in the way in my shop and nice work there

Hi curt, hope things are going good for you. You can see the brackets on the bottom on each side of my metal brake that have holes drilled in them so i can put some bolts nuts and washers on to a good solid worktable and mount it up good and strong, and i can always un bolt it and move it to any area i need to put it.

Hi guys and gals, picked up another roll of welding wire plus a pack of new tips so now i can get the last welding done on my metal brake and get it all mounted up to use it. Some pics coming soon.

looks good so far Thomas - I'll be posting some of my plans as soon as I can rescue the files from my dead computer.....I just hate technology when it goes wrong

Maz xx

Hi maz and curt, i now what you mean about computer problems since my old big one burnt out. But i have a nephew who builds them for a living and he is going to build me a kick ass computer for around $1,000.00, i just need to make some extra money to afford it hahaha.

Well, all i need to do now is the final welding and weld on a good pull bar arm on both ends so i can get a even pressure to bend the sheetmetal then get it mounted good and solid. So sundays project is to hopefully get it all done and ready to use. A couple pics of the final setup for finishing welding