Building a 6’ 30Ton press brake!

Well, totally new here, but excited to explore this forum! I recently embarked on my biggest tool build yet, I’m scratch building a 6’ long 30Ton press brake for bending sheet metal, and hopefully some thin (smaller pieces) of plate.

I’m logging the build on my YouTube channel, if you’re interested to see how it goes, feel free to subscribe and follow along! I’m hoping to have the main structure and assembly done in the next week - though I’m sure there will be a lot of fine tuning after the main build is done!

Here are the first two episodes, should be a 3rd in the next few days.

Any feedback is welcome! (Keep in mind that the videos lag behind the actual build so stuff may already be built!)

Episode 1, the layout - and welder I’m using:

https://youtu.be/vDHn3DAUh0c

Episode 2, frame welded, making lower, and upper die holder - and my plasma cutter

https://youtu.be/zVo0yE9_2GU

Here we go with #3, not quite going as fast as I had hoped, but progress is progress and I’m still moving! Got further along on the upper die holder, and the lower die is almost done...

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/VwgyU3r6iwc

Well folks, here is episode 4, things are getting a little heavy!

I’ve tried to improve the sound quality, and edit out a little more of the dialogue... let me know if you see any improvements.

Next video I will try to capture more of the action...

Episode 4 - enjoy!

https://youtu.be/0rRiy412wII

It BENDS stuff!

Got my dies built and attached the doe holder to the traveler beam - put the jack in place and did a test bend.

Still a lot of fiddly bits, but it’s operational now!

https://youtu.be/kG89powpbkg

Wow, you folks are the quietest forum I’ve ever been on, but you sure like watching the videos! 48% of the YouTube views are coming from this website! - Thanks!!

There are generally not a lot of comments during a build unless the builder asks for advice.
I'm not one who cares to comment on videos all that much since I am only interested in the end result. I generally set the speed to whatever the max is drop the head phones in a bucket then use my mouse to zip past most of the processes.
When there are pictures and commentary associated with a build I normally become involved.
So far from what I have seen your build is progressing well enough. I have seen a few areas where personally I feel you are a little lacking on structural but again until I see the completed product I reserve comment since I don't know if you are planning on adding some strengthening members to those areas or not And since my name is not Roger Egert I don't critique films.

Good to know - thanks!

Yep, definitely more structure coming to a few places, and more accurate movement in other areas.

Thanks for commenting and letting me know there are people alive here ;cD

However now that you are in the test bend phase I think I can see where you are not planning on adding in the strengthening members I feel would be prudent for a press break of this width. Many much smaller breaks than yours have much heavier built tables and traveling beams
The relatively thin webs of your beams may become problematic over time. especially the table beam if you are applying 30 tons of force in the center,
to me it looks like it should be boxed in to add rigidity and an adjustable truss brace underneath it with a series of jack screws forcing up to the bottom of the beam over time these may have to be adjusted to maintain flatness through the 6 ft length. Not saying it will need this but not a bad practice to have them and never need them than not to have them and have a 6 ft bend go rainbow on you.
I would box the traveling beam as well for much the came reasons the web offers very little resistance to twisting.
you may find that someday you have a sheet of metal that turns out to be thicker or harder than you and anticipated then you might be tempted to add another jack or a pair of them or have multiple hydraulic cylinders to to the pressing By stiffening both the table and the traveling beam prior to this you are or can be in a more comfortable position not to destroy such a fine machine.
Also by adding another feature called cross equalization stabilizers to the ends of the traveling beam will prevent the beam from ever becoming canted to one side or the other.
These are simple devices to install usually either roller-less roller chain or leaf chain or can be wire ropes 1 would be mounted to the top of one of the support frame members then pass under a roller mounted on the traveling beam then over a roller on the opposite side then down to the bottom of the frame on that side then the same thing is done in reverse starting at the top of the structure of the opposite side then bringing the chain / cable across and ending up at the bottom
this way if one end of the beam tries to go up the other end must go up at the same amount. Your guides then only have to keep the beam vertical and receive no stresses from any other plane of movement. .
Just a suggestion not a criticism.

I've seen some amassing things welded up with these little 140 amp welders I have a Hobart 140 myself but hardly ever use it for anything but body work or welding on stuff less than 18/" thick mostly because I have several larger welders better suited for the thicker structures, and can get the job done in less time.
My worry about the smaller machines is they can not achieve the penetration depth of a higher amperage machine.
That being said there was one time when the only machine I had at my disposal to do a repair with was another guy's 140 and what I had to weld was well over 1/2" thick the weld was 6" long. I preheated and pre heated till I was blue ion the face then proceed to run several passes of .030" gas-less wire. It took forever and I had to keep heating almost all the time but in the end everything held together just fine. Sometimes we do what we have to do.

Yep, we're here. Just waiting patiently for the next video.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank S

To me it looks like it should be boxed in to add rigidity and an adjustable truss brace underneath it with a series of jack screws forcing up to the bottom of the beam over time these may have to be adjusted to maintain flatness through the 6 ft length.

---

Oh I like the idea of screw jacks! I do plan on adding more structure to both the top and the bottom - this is really just the basic frame (which is why I only did a small bend!). I can definitely incorporate screws into the base - great idea!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank S

Not saying it will need this but not a bad practice to have them and never need them than not to have them and have a 6 ft bend go rainbow on you.

---

Totally agree!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank S

I would box the traveling beam as well for much the came reasons the web offers very little resistance to twisting.

---

Yes, my engineer friend suggested (before I even started) that I add vertical “webs” into each of the horizontal beams to help prevent them twisting - I had planned on doing this, and then capping at least the upper and lower to also tie into the added structure below the lower and above the upper. I see no reason not to include this practice in the traveler beam as well - stronger is better!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank S

Also by adding another feature called cross equalization stabilizers to the ends of the traveling beam will prevent the beam from ever becoming canted to one side or the other.

---

I like the sound of this... my car hoist has cables that do this - I suspect I could copy the routing from the way it’s done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank S

These are simple devices to install usually either roller-less roller chain or leaf chain or can be wire ropes 1 would be mounted to the top of one of the support frame members then pass under a roller mounted on the traveling beam then over a roller on the opposite side then down to the bottom of the frame on that side then the same thing is done in reverse starting at the top of the structure of the opposite side then bringing the chain / cable across and ending up at the bottom
this way if one end of the beam tries to go up the other end must go up at the same amount. Your guides then only have to keep the beam vertical and receive no stresses from any other plane of movement.

---

Will have to look into some pulleys - but again - I like it!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frank S

Just a suggestion not a criticism.

---

Absolutely, all great suggestions and taken as such! - thanks!