Top 10 Sheet Metal Brakes - video

[Jon]

Our first official HomemadeTools.net video is live! In this one we look at some of the best sheet metal brake builds on YouTube.

This video is presented by metalworker and Homemade Tool of the Week winner lucia workshop. Thanks also to Altair for the research and editing work. Let us know if we've missed any good brakes, or if you have any ideas for more Top 10 Homemade Tool videos. Subscribe to our channel to catch future Top 10 Homemade Tools videos: https://www.youtube.com/@homemadetools

[Toolmaker51]

Could not have picked a better spokesperson, from 'our' or any midst.

A lot of talk swirls around Mike Rowe's [Dirty Jobs] having females become pipefitters, HVAC techs, machinists, carpenters and especially welders. The conditions are a little different, but they've latched securely onto the Rosie Riveter ideology, for lack of a better term. No sensible person could dare argue against it.

[Frank S]

I couldn't agree more with Toolmaker 51. Lucia has way more than proven herself as a knowledgeable, highly crafts person. Her videos of the builds she has done are testament to her abilities. The composite of simple yet quite functional folding breaks was well thought out and most well within the means of almost anyone who might desire to build one for themselves, obviously there are many more folding breaks in the archives of the HMT.net some are quite well defined some just barely functionable in their simplicity, but all represent a means of accomplishing the task the builders have before them. A few of the more complexly constructed folding breaks not shown in the video could be considered beyond the means of the average homemade tool builder if they possess limited space or do not have access to the supporting tools and machinery to build one for themselves. I would consider the really nice finger break shown in the video as one which would be nearing the upper limit of the capabilities for many home builders, while at the same time shows what can be built if a little more effort and time is dedicated to the build.
I give this first of hopefully many Homemadetools.net videos a big thumbs up.

[ductape]

This was very good information. After watching a few of her videos, it's pretty clear that she has the talent and experience to consider her opinion in high regard. The video production quality is also quite good for someone who doesn't appear to have a whole team working for them, unlike so many others on YouTube. You would have a difficult time finding a better presenter. I am looking forward to more of these.

[mansworld]

Light weight homemade sheet metal brakes.

[Saltfever]

Wonderful idea Jon and nicely put together! Excellent choice of presenter. Looking forward to many more. Ring rollers might be a similar followup. I'm sure there will be a belt sander in the future so I won't mention that. LOL Indexing is a common problem everyone will face (or avoid because of no tool). Even the CNC guys might want to 4th axis a simple indexer.