Sheet metal bending and cutting?

[Frank O]

For an upcoming project, I need to make cuts and bends in 5052 aluminum in two thicknesses, .050" and .100", to make up a box approx 5.5 x 8 x 1.5 inches. The fellow who gave me the specs (not local to me) said he has a small metal shear and a bending brake for this.

I don't want to invest a lot of money at this point on something I may be using only occasionally. Does an inexpensive brake like a Harbor Freight 30-inch seem like a reasonable way to go? Anything else better that isn't many times more expensive? Is there a shear not too expensive that can do ok? Or would I be better off finding a local shop to do this for me?

 

[Reddinr]

I'm listening in on this one. I have similar needs for a small but tough brake from time to time.

 

[Janderso]

Man, me too. If you have a metal shop, you need sheet metal equipment. A good shear and finger brake would be a place to start.
I saw their 30" finger brake for $499. It has a capacity of 20 gauge at 30".
I don't want to spend the money but sometimes it sure would be nice to be able to work with sheet metal.
Surprisingly there are commercial variants that pop up from time to time on CL.
There is an equipment dealer in Sacramento that has some good equipment for a fair price, I just don't have the floor space.

 

[Kroll]

Most stomp shears for the every day hobbyist may do anything from 20ga and thinner even if it is aluminum. .050 may be little tough but that .100 is going to be also tough. But if your blade is sharp then you be able to make few cuts,but it get to the point that the cut edge will start to roll over leave lip. Benders are about the same,rated by thickness it will bend over the length.Most that the normal kinda guys will have bender that do say 18ga and thinner over the length.Anything thicker cost is a big jump and thats in used market.But if you have a 36" bender from HF and your only trying to make a 12" bend then it will work.What your bending is little thicker and its aluminum it will bend but bend slow to give metal time to kinda expand little as you bend or stretch. But you will need to adjust what I think is called the top rail or part that clamps down on metal,it will have to be adjusted back enough to make room for the thickness of the material that your bending.You be able to tell if its going well if you don't see splits in bend of the aluminum. By no means am I sheet metal man or tin bender or tin knocker but I have use a stomp shear and finger brake mostly on 16 ga steel at work for my projects. Always wanted a finger break but always out of my hobby finances.

 

[Winegrower]

If you want to make boxes, you need a finger brake, not the HF one shown in the OP. I have a 24” Diacro shear that is terrific, and an Enco 12” finger brake that is adequate. I have made boxes from roughly 3” cubes to 12” cubes, but the bigger ones need to be done in halves and joined. About 0.060” in aluminum is as big as I have tried, and that is no problem.

 

[Frank O]

If you want to make boxes, you need a finger brake, not the HF one shown in the OP.

Thanks. One thing maybe I should have clarified is that I'm not trying to make an entire box (or even halves) out of a single piece of metal. Rather, each of the six sides is a separate piece, and the only things that need to be bent on each one are lips on the edges. Then they all get attached together. Probably sounds a little wonky, but some of the sides are actually items like large heat sinks or perf boards.

I have a 24” Diacro shear that is terrific

Is that like this one?

https://www.diacro.com/product/model-24-shears/

If so, way out of my price range ...

 

[Winegrower]

Frank O, my shear is exactly that model, except it's outside my price range too. Mine does not have the hold down attachment, but doesn't seem to need it either. The micro-adjust depth stops are excellent. I found mine on Craigslist from a guy in Alameda for $200, with the stand.

 

[Asm109]

The tool you showed will make your 0.050 thick part. Won't do the 0.1. no how, no way. What is the maximum bend length of the 0.1 material. That will drive how much tool you need to buy. Trying to use sheet metal equipment above capacity just ruins the tool AND produces crap for product.

 

[Frank O]

The tool you showed will make your 0.050 thick part. Won't do the 0.1. no how, no way. What is the maximum bend length of the 0.1 material. That will drive how much tool you need to buy. Trying to use sheet metal equipment above capacity just ruins the tool AND produces crap for product.

Thanks. The designer says instead of 0.100 I can use two pieces of .050 back-to-back. This is basically for a spacer.

So the main thing I still need to figure out now is how to make straight, clean cuts in .050 5052 aluminum sheet. I wonder if I could rough it out (bandsaw? scissor-type hand shear?) and then clamp the piece in the vise and use an end mill to finish the edge? Or would it flex too much?

 

[Larry$]

If the parts will fit on you mill just clamp some heavy support pieces to very near where you are cutting. Angle plate bolted to table near edge so longer work can hang over the side of the table. Rotate & extend the ram to get out near the end of the table if required.