# 24" Finger Break Project Finished



## sd624 (Jan 19, 2015)

Been working on this for a while now when time was available and more important projects weren't getting in the way. The original design was by Jr. Joe Williams that was modified by Mike Ward and was featured in The Home Shop Machinist as a three part series staring with the March/April 2008 issue. I in turn modified the design to suit my needs and to beef it up a little. In the HSM article the author suggests 20 gauge as the max that you should bend but states as a test he bent a 1/16 piece without much trouble but was really pushing the brake to its limit. I want to be able to do at least 18 gauge if needed so that's where most of the design changes came in. 

Heres some pics of the finished break








I have a ton of pics from the project and will post the full build once I get them sorted out.


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## Reeltor (Jan 19, 2015)

That is a beautiful build !!!

Are you planning on a build thread?  I've been looking around for a heavy duty box & pan break with no luck on any that are affordable.  
I think if I want one I'll need to make one, I can only hope it looks half as nice as yours.  Do you have plans with your modifications?

Mike


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## COMachinist (Jan 19, 2015)

Wow! That is a real beauty. 5 star tool. Looking forward to your build thread and more pix.
Thank you
CH


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## brav65 (Jan 19, 2015)

Wow fantastic work that is a beautiful piece of equipment!  A build thread and plans would be awesome. Thanks!


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## ecdez (Jan 19, 2015)

Very nice indeed!  A full on build thread would be interesting.


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## markknx (Jan 19, 2015)

Very nice build! great craftsmanship, Looks like it was just pick-up at the store.  Mark


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## Mark_f (Jan 19, 2015)

Wow! you did fantastic work. I been looking for months for one to build. A build thread and plans for this would be really great. You should be very proud of you accomplishment here.
:thumbzup3:


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## sd624 (Jan 19, 2015)

Thanks guys!!!! I'll start getting the pics together and get the build thread going. The first thing I did was make a complete set of CAD drawings so I do have those however before I share them I need to give them the once over. 

Here's a quick video of our first bends into some metal. We shouldn't have been doing it since half the bolts were loose, the cams were not adjusted, the reach shaft bushings were not installed, the finger bar wasn't adjusted or tight, well you guys get the picture. However excitement got the best of us and the boy and I had at it.

[video=youtube_share;9ImpuX6xewQ]http://youtu.be/9ImpuX6xewQ[/video]


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## genec (Jan 19, 2015)

what a quality looking job


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## Uglydog (Jan 19, 2015)

Impressive!
Consider having a professional type sticker made or somehow labeling it.
This is the kind of machine that will be appreciated for generations.
Someone, someday will appreciate knowing your name and the year of build.

Daryl
MN


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## MontanaAardvark (Jan 19, 2015)

I'm with everyone else - that's a drop dead gorgeous build you did there.  Congrats!!


Bob


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## richl (Jan 19, 2015)

Very nice work, love to  see a build thread and plans also.
Rich


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## iron man (Jan 19, 2015)

Now that is one nice build good job very nice!!!!


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## Torbo (Jan 20, 2015)

:thumbzup3: I cluld not make it better my self!:thumbsup:
impressing!


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## Kevinb71 (Jan 20, 2015)

Wow VERY professional looking! You do some quality work! Please do share the plans and a build thread. We will be waiting eagerly!:thumbsup2:


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## sd624 (Jan 20, 2015)

Thanks again guys for all the great comments!!!!

So here we go with some build pics.

The base plate ends, clamp plate ends, and bending leaf handles need to be mirrors of one another so they were done by clamping the plates together to do the machine work.

Base plate ends.







In this pic I'm just checking the end plates against the base plate and suppout. Its upside down of course.


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## sd624 (Jan 20, 2015)

Uglydog said:


> Impressive!
> Consider having a professional type sticker made or somehow labeling it.
> This is the kind of machine that will be appreciated for generations.
> Someone, someday will appreciate knowing your name and the year of build.
> ...



I was actully thing about that. Got any sugestion weree I can have some made?


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## Tony Wells (Jan 20, 2015)

For a one-off, try a trophy shop. They can do some engraving on a small plate with whatever text and font you want. Plus they are used to doing small orders.


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## sd624 (Jan 21, 2015)

Heres some pics of the clamp end plates being machined. The clamp end plates set the angle for the fingers plus support the top clamp assy. Sorry nothing real exciting here. 








[video=youtube_share;gU2K2mdP8r0]http://youtu.be/gU2K2mdP8r0[/video]


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## MADJACK (Jan 21, 2015)

Beautiful work!


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## cjtoombs (Jan 21, 2015)

Very nice job on the brake.  I looked at this brake in HSM and did a CAD model for it, one thing that struck me was that it didn't look like you could do a very deep box with it as designed.  Is that the case, or was I just imagining it?


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## sd624 (Jan 22, 2015)

I don't think you were imaging it cj. I measure it at about 3" max. It's one of the limitations of the slanted finger design.


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## sd624 (Jan 23, 2015)

Working on the turn buckle ends









Short video of the rotary table in action. 

[video=youtube_share;cBXN-AjuVYU]http://youtu.be/cBXN-AjuVYU[/video]


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