Adjusting A Sheet Metal Brake

If you are having a hard time with the bending action first check to see if a smaller piece of scrap metal can be easily bent.

Adjusting a sheet metal brake.

To tighten clamping pressure release the top nut and tighten the bottom nut. Adjust by means of clamping handle adjusting nuts as shown. Adjust the brake so as to be adjoined to metal strip tightly. When hemming and flattening material where double or triple thickness is.

Once again place the sheet metal strip 0 50mm from previous step between bender and bed but this time a little higher from the surface of bed bender. Do this on both sides of the brake. Use test strips of metal approximately 3 inches by 3 inches each of the thickness you will be forming for the following adjustments. Place another piece from the same sheet metal strip 0 50mm vertically onto the bed and between the brake and the first one.

Check clamping pressure by placing test strips in the brake about 3 or 4 inches away from each end of the brake. However if you are using large sheets of sheet metal it may not bend easily. Check end to end clamp alignment by placing a test strip. For the following adjustment use test strips of metal each approximately 3 inches by 3 inches of the thickness being formed.

Set the clamping pressure so that it is enough to keep the material from slipping during a bend. Operate the brake and bend some material first before attempting any major adjustment. Allow 4 to 6 feet behind the brake 6 to 8 feet in front of the brake and 3 feet on either end of the brake. There must be adequate area around the brake for free movement of the operator and the handling of large sheets of metal.

A sheet metal brake should bend sheet metal with much more ease than trying to do it by hand.