Finger Brake for .063 5052 Aluminum?

aberrant · May 13, 2020

I have a need to bend .063 5052 aluminum 18" in length for a small production run (100pcs). I am looking for a finger brake capable of handling .063 aluminum. Does anyone have suggestions? I'm trying to keep the budget around $1k.

Here's what I've narrowed my options down to:

1) 24” Pexto finger brake with backstop currently on Craigslist for $1k in good condition. Pexto says the max capacity is 16 gauge which puts me over that limit. Does anyone have experience with bending .063 5052 on a similar machine? Am I going to push it too hard?
2) Grizzly G5769 - 48" Pan & Box Brake - Grizzly says this machine will do up to 11ga aluminum (I find this hard to believe?) - $800 new but obviously a Chinese import, is this stronger than the older Pexto?

Any help/suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Larry Dickman · May 13, 2020

I used to do some panels that were .063 5052, 8 to 10 in long bend. I bought a Tennsmith finger brake from Rutland. It did it, and I made quite a few of them, but it was pushing it. With an 18" long bend, I doubt you could get it straight and consistent. I wouldn't consider the bear shit one even if it was free. Just going to waste your time. The Pexto might work. Either that or look for a used Diacro

Fish On · May 13, 2020

aberrant said:
I have a need to bend .063 5052 aluminum 18" in length for a small production run (100pcs). I am looking for a finger brake capable of handling .063 aluminum. Does anyone have suggestions? I'm trying to keep the budget around $1k.

Here's what I've narrowed my options down to:

1) 24” Pexto finger brake with backstop currently on Craigslist for $1k in good condition. Pexto says the max capacity is 16 gauge which puts me over that limit. Does anyone have experience with bending .063 5052 on a similar machine? Am I going to push it too hard?
2) Grizzly G5769 - 48" Pan & Box Brake - Grizzly says this machine will do up to 11ga aluminum (I find this hard to believe?) - $800 new but obviously a Chinese import, is this stronger than the older Pexto?

Any help/suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Aluminum gauges are different from steel gauges, and while I don't know of anyone that actually uses aluminum gauges (decimals instead), 11 gauge aluminum is only .090 so I can almost see that working, at least with the softer alloys.

For .063" 5052, any brake that will actually handle 16 gauge steel should do the job. I'd be hesitant about a Grizzly that is derated at half length, but I think it would still handle it. A Pexto would almost definitely be adequate.

L Vanice · May 13, 2020

Just my own opinion, without trying to do online research: I think Di-Acro (or Pexto) ratings (16ga.) are meant to apply to common cold-rolled low carbon steel. And they apply to a bend the full width of the machine, so thicker metal could be bent if narrow enough. I have bent narrow pieces of steel that is thicker than 16 ga. on my 24" Di-Acro finger brake.

The Bear probably meant annealed 1100 aluminum.

As for 5052 aluminum, forming it matters a great deal whether it is annealed or H38, for instance. But even H38 has lower tensile and yield strength than 1018. So a brake that can do 16 ga. (.060") steel can do .063" 5052.

Larry

LKeithR · May 13, 2020

aberrant said:
...Pexto says the max capacity is 16 gauge which puts me over that limit...

16 GA is .063" in steel. All the brakes I've ever seen are rated for steel, not aluminum. For a given thickness and
width of material it takes nearly double the force to bend steel compared to aluminum so that Pexto brake should easily
handle your job. I would take it in a heart beat over the Grizzly unit...

gary-sc · May 13, 2020

A diarco will handle this very easily, rated for 0.63 mild steel, 5052 bends like butter. I have a Gerver 16 gauge and bend .063 5052 for an ongoing production run. Tight tolerance stuff, +- .003". I wouldn't ever think about buying a grizzly unless your tolerances are +- .063 and even that may be hard to pull off. Personally if possible I'd stick to Pexto, Gerver, or Diarco you will be very happy you did.

Limy Sami · May 13, 2020

I'd look at subbing it out - IM limited E, getting 100 off a folded part identical is not easy, ……...and might cost you a lot of material in scrap.

Just sayin

Fish On · May 13, 2020

LKeithR said:
For a given thickness and
width of material it takes nearly double the force to bend steel compared to aluminum so that Pexto brake should easily
handle your job.

Double may be the case in 1100 aluminum, but it's most definitely not the case in 5052. Depending on whether it's H32 or H38 or whatnot, you'd only be looking at 1.2 or 1.3 times the force to bend steel over the equivalent thickness aluminum.

aberrant · May 13, 2020

Thank you all for your insight and fast responses! I think I was getting mixed up with the gauge conversion from Steel to Aluminum. I'm definitely going with the Pexto given your feedback.

Graham Gott · May 15, 2020

I think the Pexto is a wise choice over the Grizzly if it's in decent shape. The imported "16 gauge" finger brakes are pretty optimistically rated...they might bend 16 gauge the full width without breaking, but I wouldn't want to do much, and the bend isn't going to be consistent across the full width due to deflection of the brake.

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Finger Brake for .063 5052 Aluminum?

aberrant

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Larry Dickman

Titanium

Fish On

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L Vanice

Diamond

LKeithR

Stainless

gary-sc

Aluminum

Limy Sami