Which Sheet Metal Press to buy?

[1973Guppie]

I am rebuilding my FJ55 and will need to find something to make decent bends in sheet metal. I will be restoring a hood for it and will need to replace the front lip of the hood with new sheet metal which will require a bend on the front lip of the hood piece that I replace. I will also probably need to bend up some other areas like the rear rounded areas on the wheel wells.

I found this at Harbor freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34104

What I am unsure is if this will be able to make bends like the above I am describing? the directions mention rolling beads which at this time I am not too concerned with but will need to be able to make nice clean bends to match up per my description above on the hood. Does anyone have the above press and is it fairly universal to bend sheet metal and make customized repair panels or would you reccomend something else. Looks like there is an optional piece that they say allows for flanges and cuts. I don't own a shop so I can't afford a very expensive tool which is why i thought this would work for me.

any help greatly appreciated!

Noah

 

[lavarunner]

VERY cheap tool. not in price but in quality. my opinon. also.. I think you would be better suited with a break. you can get cheap small ones for about that much. with sheet metal tools you deffinately get what you pay for. .. OR PM me.. I could build it for you and send it to you. the lttle piece that is.

 

[honk]

I think that the tool linked to would do little but frustrate you. In the first place it's too small, and in the second it makes you work at your bench with your ability to get parts into limited by the bench itself and anything nearby.

To work on something as large as a rear quarter needs a lot of room around whatever tool is used to make bends. Think about where is the rest of it not being worked. It's why sheet metal benders and other tools are almost always standing alone with space around them.

 

[REZARF]

I have one of the tools above, I got it on major sale at HF years ago. It is a good little tool for things like battery trays, and similar sized parts. It only has an 18" throat so you are pretty limited what you can and can't fit into it. It works well, but you will need two people to get straight lines/cuts/beads in your material.

I got it for 40 bucks and it is one of those tools that you get what you pay for, however, I am not a fabricator by trade so it gets me by.

just my.02

 

[Pin_Head]

All it does is roll flanges and beads and it is limited to 18 ga or less. If you need to make flat bends, you need a brake. A brake can be used to make flanged pieces too, as can a hammer and anvil.
For flat bends, it is easier to use your existing sheet metal as a template.
For compound bends, use a ball peen hammer and an oak block. You can also shrink metal by heating a spot red hot and quenching it. The bigger the heat differential between the spot and the surounding metal, the more shrinkage, so you ned to heat it fast.