Harbor Freight 30" bending brake #67240

[geraldmorrissey]

I purchased this brake because I had no way to bend spar to rib attach angles. As received, the clamping bar was cut to a sharp bending edge with about 10 degrees of relief for spring back. I tried to bend an attach angle using this setup and got a bend radius of about .050 or so. I could just see light under a 1/16" radius gauge. Plus I could not get a 90 degrees bend. The limited relief for spring back left me at about 85 degrees or so. Too tight a radius for .032 2024-T3 per AC 43.13 which recommends 2T - 4T. So I spent a few hours sanding and filing a 3/32 radius on the clamping bar and added more relief to achieve a 90 degree bend. The result is a very usable tool that nets parts with a perfect 3/32 radius. I'm very happy with the tool and give it two thumbs up. I paid $48 including tax with my 20% off coupon.
Cheers
Gerry
Patrol #30 Wings

[BTAZ]

I made some modifications to that brake and have been using it a lot.

First I stiffened it up by welding some square tubing to the fixed angle and the leaf.

Then I set it up to clamp the foot in place with some threaded bars. I used magnets to hold the foot to the added top crossbar so the setback could still be adjusted.

By setting generous setback and using a .020 foot cover I have bent everything from the wing rib attach angles to the steel brackets for the gear and wing attach points on the fuselage.

Pgs 13,14 and 15 here(https://www.dropbox.com/s/xkt9a5ro3x...wings.pdf?dl=0) show the mods

[davzLSA]

I have that same brake but I have not modified it but I have only been bending steel with it, I think I will do the same mod as Gerry when I start bending aluminum, my next project will be my instrument panel so it will have to be modified before bending that aluminum. Brad I think you jacked that thing up and pulled another one under it!!!