Convert HF brake to finger.

[C-Bag]

I bumped into this on YouTube and thought it was worth a look as it was a project after my own heart. Taking a $300 HF 36” brake and making it into a finger brake. Not super detailed but you get the idea. At one time there were several of these floating around used on CL. But since I have the 30” 3n1 I saw no use. But it’s now on the “if one comes up super cheap” radar it would be worth picking it up to mod.

 

[Eddyde]

The guy did a vey good job. But it looks like it would have been almost easier, and cheaper, to just build one from scratch.

 

[C-Bag]

The guy did a vey good job. But it looks like it would have been almost easier, and cheaper, to just build one from scratch.

There were several comments that said the same. While I agree if I was going to buy new, I would only do this if I could find one cheap/used. His price for the 3/8" fingers was way cheaper than I could source new. With the price of steel fluctuating again I would be hard pressed to make it for $300 much less the time involved of building from scratch. While I can build scratch I prefer to mod. Just lazy I guess.

 

[Ken from ontario]

what would worry me the most would be how the fingers close in locked position, the fingers on my cheap bender in closed position have zero gaps at the bending edge (nose and angle bar) and all align in a straight line, that is something I find not so easy to achieve without a CNC machine, at least for me .

 

[C-Bag]

all align in a straight line, that is something I find not so easy to achieve without a CNC machine

I agree. I'm not a CNC guy, but if I can't jig it up in my mill stuff always goes schwangle. And I'm not sure the top piece that needs to be drilled could fit in my mill.

I'm sure there are problems with the DIY mod but for me it was really worth posting because he did something with this I'd never even thought of. I always love seeing other solutions.