DIY press brake

[Paul Allwood]

Here she is in uniform....

 

[Paul Allwood]

Got the 2 x 20 tonne air over hydraulic jacks hanging in place today. I've left some of the threaded stem on the jacks accessible so I can adjust to get the top and bottom tools parallel.

I've only got a small lathe so the bits that go around the knob on top of the jack screw were slow going. I made them a week ago.

Each jack can slide side to side. Not sure if I'll ever need to move them but seemed like a good thing to allow for now rather than wish I had later.

 

[Paul Allwood]

A bit more progress over the last few days. Still not finished, but enough to give it a test. I tried it on a piece of 6 mm mild steel 340 mm long because that's what I had. The air over hydraulic jacks are slow but it worked.

23 October 2025

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[Runs With Scissors]

Looks great man!

I agree it’s a "wee bit" slow. I suspect that it's partly due to the air being “split” between the 2 jacks.

Still better than pumping by hand though.

One thing I noticed with my Chi-Com “air over” jack is that the colder it is in the garage, the “less good” it works.

I have had it not work at all when the shop was near freezing last year.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Looks great man!

I agree it’s a "wee bit" slow. I suspect that it's partly due to the air being “split” between the 2 jacks.

Still better than pumping by hand though.

One thing I noticed with my Chi-Com “air over” jack is that the colder it is in the garage, the “less good” it works.

I have had it not work at all when the shop was near freezing last year.

I might try bumping the pressure up a little tomorrow and see if that helps. Then next week I might even get on to making the loader bucket so I can move some dirt.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I might try bumping the pressure up a little tomorrow and see if that helps. Then next week I might even get on to making the loader bucket so I can move some dirt.

This is phantastic !

To be honest, for bending the round shape of the front bucket I do not think I would want it faster.

What is this pneumatic over hydraulics thing? Is the pumping of the cylinders done with pressurised air? Could you connect your tractor hydraulics maybe?

 

[Paul Allwood]

This is phantastic !

To be honest, for bending the round shape of the front bucket I do not think I would want it faster.

What is this pneumatic over hydraulics thing? Is the pumping of the cylinders done with pressurised air? Could you connect your tractor hydraulics maybe?

Thanks Hugo - here's a description of how an air over hydraulic jack works from a Google search....

"An air-over-hydraulic jack works by using compressed air to pressurize a smaller amount of hydraulic fluid, which then acts on a larger hydraulic piston to lift a heavy load. The process involves compressed air entering an air chamber, which pushes on a hydraulic fluid reservoir. This pressure is then transmitted through the hydraulic fluid to the main piston, causing it to move upward and lift the connected load."

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Hi Paul,

thank you for the explanation!

I was thinking about a loader as well for my Micky-Mouse "tractor" at some stage and one of the problems would have been bending the front bucket. I have a bending bench, but it would not handle 3mm steel, I think.

And you simply go ahead and build a brake press! I find that great, please keep us posted of your progress.

Kind regards,
Hugo

 

[Sidekick]

Looks great. You could always upgrade to a. Chinesium 120 volt hydraulic pump and some cylinders if you need alot of fast bends. I think slow creates less stress in the metal though. On my northern one in the press when bending thin metal I put a 1 inch thick 3 inch wide strip of spring rubber made for dies under the part being bent and get sharper bends tight on the top die profile.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Hi Paul,

thank you for the explanation!

I was thinking about a loader as well for my Micky-Mouse "tractor" at some stage and one of the problems would have been bending the front bucket. I have a bending bench, but it would not handle 3mm steel, I think.

And you simply go ahead and build a brake press! I find that great, please keep us posted of your progress.

Kind regards,
Hugo

Thanks Hugo. It's just bits of steel.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Looks great. You could always upgrade to a. Chinesium 120 volt hydraulic pump and some cylinders if you need alot of fast bends. I think slow creates less stress in the metal though. On my northern one in the press when bending thin metal I put a 1 inch thick 3 inch wide strip of spring rubber made for dies under the part being bent and get sharper bends tight on the top die profile.

Thanks, good ideas.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Here she is in uniform....

I also have a PTSD service animal... well wolf...
I've had a service animal for over 25 Years now.
I teach people how to train their own service animals.

I don't do a vest as they don't work for me, I need the tactile engagement.

It's odd that OZ chose that term, because an assistance animal is a much lower class of training in the US.
They also do not have the same protections and privileges.

 

[Paul Allwood]

I also have a PTSD service animal... well wolf...
I've had a service animal for over 25 Years now.
I teach people how to train their own service animals.

I don't do a vest as they don't work for me, I need the tactile engagement.

It's odd that OZ chose that term, because an assistance animal is a much lower class of training in the US.
They also do not have the same protections and privileges.

I'm sorry and glad to hear that all at the same time. Great job on the training - it's an important thing.

In Australia assistance animals have an all access pass to go everywhere - same as a service animal in the US. So far in 3 years Jayse has been everywhere with me except into surgery.

No idea why we don't call them service animals same as the US. I tell people Jayse is an assistance dog, and often they will say "oh, you mean a service dog".

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm sorry and glad to hear that all at the same time. Great job on the training - it's an important thing.

In Australia assistance animals have an all access pass to go everywhere - same as a service animal in the US. So far in 3 years Jayse has been everywhere with me except into surgery.

No idea why we don't call them service animals same as the US. I tell people Jayse is an assistance dog, l often they will say "oh, you mean a service dog".

Yep my girl goes everywhere I go.
She is very well know around here.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Finger brake....I bought an extra top tool and cut it into different width sections to give me a bit more flexibility with the press. So now I have two full 600 mm top tools plus the cut sections.

Also cut one of the bottom tools in half so that one 600 mm section can sit in the middle - less likely to bend the supports and also more bending flexibility.

The cutting was a slow process - all done with a 9" angle grinder.

I still need to work out a way to get the top tool to return up after pressing - it weighs about 90 kg (about 190 lb).

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I still need to work out a way to get the top tool to return up after pressing - it weighs about 90 kg (about 190 lb).

My little "SWAG” press brake uses 2 springs (one on each side) to “return up"


Looks like a lot of cutting with an angle grinder.

I like the idea of the fingers, but they look a little “long/tall” to me.

Is there a reason for their height?

Perhaps a clearance reason?

 

[Paul Allwood]

The length of the fingers is to match the rest of the tooling so they can be used in conjunction with the other top tools - they were cut out of the same top tools. Most likely the thinnest ones will be placed between wider tools for support when needed to make up specific lengths. It's unlikely that the smallest ones would ever be used by themselves.

The height of the top tools does allow for taller side folds, but I suspect the original reason for the height is strength. The original kit I bought was intended to be pressed down from a single central point in something like a garage press. I've just cut and adapted them for a different use.

You're right, it was a lot of cutting with an angle grinder - it's the best tool I have for the job.

Springs are an option. The kits I bought came with springs but they won't be enough with all of the weight I've added in the top tool carrier.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

+1 for the warning stickers !

Get two way hydraulic cylinders and run it from your tractor.

 

[Paul Allwood]

Also an option. It would need two 5.5" bore cylinders, or smaller cylinders with some heavy duty levers, to get the 20 tonne that I'm supposed to be getting with each jack.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

What is the pressure of your tractor hydraulics pump?
With 200bar two 80mm cylinders would give you 200kN.

I wrote it before, for bending round shapes I think slower is better.

But then, maybe you are working on a sheet metal rolling machine already

And you do not want to produce 200 buckets per hour (I think). With the number of potential bends you will make you will spend less time the way it is compared to the time spent modyfying your existing setup.

Anyway, keep up the amazing work and keep us updated !

p.s.: with this brake press work you got me thinking about a front end loader again