Sheet Metal Brake

[jrdepew]

All,

I am working on a screened in porch for the back of the house...Currently sitting at this stage:


I am getting close to the point where I need to do the soffit and aluminum wrap on the fascia. In the past, whenever I built something, I would have a local metal shop bend up my metal for me. But, I have never done a job this size, and I will need a larger variety of profiles and sizes.

I am not sure if I should rent a brake, buy a brake, or pay someone to do this for me? Any input here? Any tips for someone who has never used a sheet metal brake before? (I have used a brake before, but it was 20ga and up steel in a machine shop setting, not coil stock).

Thanks,
Joe

 

[RNeumann]

your desire to hire it out or do it yourself will be the decider. A lot can be done with clamps and a few pieces of heavy angle iron- a second person helps!
Beyond that it’s budget and desire to do it yourself. Buying a break long enough to do that type of work will be big money and take a lot of floor space.

 

[Peter 315]

Home depot rents Aluminum Brake 10' give them a call, 260.00 for a week

 

[flingwing1969]

What is the width of your coil stock? You can often buy a 3' or so brake for under the price of a week's rent from Home Depot.

 

[jrdepew]

I haven't bought the coil stock yet, but I think longer brakes would be better in the end less seams. I have to cover 12' and 9' sections of fascia, some 14' step flashing, and some drip caps for a window and a door.

The rental place down the road from me would be 300 for a full week, or 75 for a day, which doesn't seem too bad. I am just not sure if I will spend the first 6 days swearing at the thing and then scramble to finish the last day :laughing:

I have thought about a short brake for bending metal for small flashing areas, but I never seem to buy...

-Joe

 

[RNeumann]

It would seem (u catch that) silly to make a bunch of short bends to avoid having a shop take about 3 minutes to break 8-12’ facia in one piece

 

[Ford850]

I had a small job to do, needing a variety of pieces. I took my list to a soffit and gutter shop expecting to get an estimate for them to stop out and do the install. The guy said "got a minute" and proceeded to fly through the list in a matter of minutes. Then he told me the price and I was shocked at how little he wanted. I tossed him some cash, grabbed my pile of aluminum, and headed out. Later found out he rounded everything up giving me extra pieces.
I've also had a shop do an install and they fly through that with true skill.

 

[PILOON]

Back when I did a lot of renovations I'd take my material and dimensions and set up the metal brake at my friend's rental shop yard and DIY it right there.

Often contemplated buying my own but simply could not justify outlaying all them hard earned $$'s for something that I'd use 2-3 times a year.
Soffit, facia and mouldings are so easily off the shelf that it gets hard to justify a good brake which you generally only need for some special jobs like maybe capping posts of matching trim on older window frames.

 

[Cord]

Just rent an aluminum break. This is pretty easy stuff to do.

 

[TnAndy]

Unless you find a real deal on a used one, new is going to run $1,000 or more, even for an 8' one. I'd rent one (if I didn't already have one, which I do). They aren't that complicated to use.

 

[fidowanttobe]

I had a small job to do, needing a variety of pieces. I took my list to a soffit and gutter shop expecting to get an estimate for them to stop out and do the install. The guy said "got a minute" and proceeded to fly through the list in a matter of minutes. Then he told me the price and I was shocked at how little he wanted. I tossed him some cash, grabbed my pile of aluminum, and headed out. Later found out he rounded everything up giving me extra pieces.
I've also had a shop do an install and they fly through that with true skill.

What he said. I used to hang siding so would often bend up clads, wraps and facia for walk-in DIYers. Renting a brake isn't a dumb idea either as long as you don't waste a lot. I believe it is around $100-120 for a 2x50' roll.