Sheet Metal Hand Brake Machines by Chicago Dreis & Krump

Our metal benders are available in standard straight bending or Box & Pan brake style, floor mounted or benchtop and even push button control with hydraulic power. A sheet metal hand brake normally bends sheet metal by using a hinged clamping bar to hold the metal down against the bed. A hinged bending "leaf" is lifted to fold the metal around the fulcrum point of the clamping bar to the desired angle which is controlled using a stop rod.
A box and pan brake machine is needed to avoid having the metal hit against the clamping bar when the 3rd and 4th sides are being bent. This is done by removing a "finger" from the clamping bar at each end of the box since the clamping bar is divided up into many sub-assemblies called "fingers".

Chicago Dreis & Krump offers more machine options: Extension Fingers are used to form inside corners with a return flange across the top. See pictures above and down below. Open End Fingers are used to form tubes of triangular, square, rectangular, or tapered shape. See picture below. Radius Nose Bars are available for bending your metal around a radius, which is useful for bending aircraft aluminum. See picture below. An insert bar is used to form offset ("zig-zag") bends close together. Radius formers are attachments used for hand forming of thin sheet metal shapes such as gutters, architectural mouldings and prototype modeling.

Don't settle for a poorly engineered machine. Since the Chicago Dreis & Krump Company pioneered the standard sheet metal bending Hand Brake in the year 1899, lots of people have copied their designs, but none have been able to surpass their quality, engineering, dependability, or options, then or now. Available options include a handwheel back gauge, extra small insert bar, radius formers, open end fingers, extension fingers, radius nose bars, and even push button hydraulic powered metal bending.
For even more info, click for our instructions how to use a Hand Brake Machine.
If you need parts for your old Chicago Dreis & Krump machine;
If you dont want use the strength of your back and arms to manually bend metal on a Hand Brake machine, we offer a push button electric-hydraulic power leaf brake machine to do the same work.
Also see the new innovative magnetic powered hand brake down below.

Haga clic para Maquinas Plegadora de mano en espanol

Click for a Chart of tensile strengths for aluminum and stainless steel
Click for a Bend Radius Chart for aircraft aluminum and stainless steel

Below is a conversion chart that converts sheet metal gauge numbers into metal thickness.

26 gauge

24 ga.

22 ga.

20 ga .

18 ga.

16 ga.

14 ga.

13 ga.

12 ga.

11 ga.

10 ga.

9 ga.

8 ga.

7 ga.

6 ga.

.018"

.024"

.030"

.036"

.048"

.060"

.075"

.090"

.105"

.120"

.135"

.150"

.164"

.180"

.194

.46mm

.61mm

.76mm

.91mm

1.2mm

1.5mm

1.9mm

2.3mm

2.7mm

3mm

3.4mm

3.8mm

4mm

4.6mm

4.9mm

STANDARD SHEET METAL HAND BRAKE: Chicago Dreis & Krump heavy duty machinery construction. Designed for accurate and economical bending of standard and special design forms. Ideal for bending mild steel with a 1 inch minimum flange to the rated capacity of the machine. Capable of 1/4 inch reverse bends on lighter metal. Even usuable for occassional hemming. Options most hand brakes can't offer: • Handwheel Back Gauge - 25 inch travel to measure and square up your metal (see below) • Insert Bar - 1/4 inch (for closer offset bends) • Radius Formers - for forming gutters, mouldings, prototypes, etc, from thin sheet metal.

Request a Quote	Bending Length	CAPACITY		Shipping Weight
		Mild Steel	Stainless Steel
SB 412	48.5"	12 gauge(.105")	16 gauge(.06")	1800
SB 612	73"	12 gauge(.105")	16 gauge(.06")	2275
SB 812	97"	12 gauge(.105")	16 gauge(.06")	3300
SB 816	97"	16 gauge(.06")	20 gauge(.036")	2100
SB 1016	121"	16 gauge(.06")	20 gauge(.036")	3400
SB 1014	121"	14 gauge(.075)	18 gauge(.048")	3860
SB 1218	145"	18 gauge(.048")	22 gauge(.03")	4200

NOTE: Mild Steel = 55,000 psi tensile strength and Stainless Steel = 90,000 psi tensile strength

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BOX & PAN SHEET METAL HAND BRAKE: See chart below. Incorporates all of the outstanding features of the standard hand brake plus removable, sectioned fingers that can bend any length of metal from 3 inches long to the full length of the machine. Boxes and pans can be up to 6 inches deep. A very versatile well built Chicago Dreis & Krump machine. Options most hand brakes can't offer: • Handwheel Back Gauge with 25" travel to measure and square up your metal (see below) • Extension Fingers (to form rigid inside corners with a return flange across the top) • Open End Fingers (to form tubes of triangular, square, rectangular, or tapered shape) • Radius Nose Bars up to 1.5" (great for aluminum aircraft work) • Insert Bar - 1/4 inch (for closer offset bends) • Radius Formers - for forming gutters, mouldings, prototypes, from thin sheet metal.

Click to see push button operated hydraulic power leaf brake metal bending machine

Request a Quote	Bending Length	CAPACITY		Shipping Weight
		Mild Steel	Stainless Steel
BPU 412-6	48"	12 gauge(.105")	16 gauge(.06")	2065
BPU 612-6	72"	12 gauge(.105")	16 gauge(.06")	2670
BPU 812-6	96"	12 gauge(.105")	16 gauge(.06")	3750
BPU 1014-6	120"	14 gauge(.075)	18 gauge(.048")	4350

MODEL	Width and number of Fingers included
	3"	4"	5"	6"	Total
BPU 412-6	5	2	5	0	12
BPU 612-6	5	4	7	1	17
BPU 812-6	5	6	9	2	22
BPU 1014-6	6	10	10	2	28

Add an optional Chicago Dreis & Krump Back Gauge for your Hnad Brake machine Who says a hand brake can't have sophistication? Tired of always using a tape measure to mark lines that must be lined up with the nose bar? This back gauge has a 25 inch travel with a inch/cm scale so it is a must for those who want a labor saving, time saving, accuracy improving hand cranked back gauge to speed up production and improve quality.

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BENCHTOP / PORTABLE SHEET METAL HAND BRAKE

Tabletop Standard Sheet Metal Brake: The full featured machines are constructed with hefty steel weldments using brass hinge pins for smooth operation and trouble free forming. Clamp handles include plastic covers for positive grip. Their easy operation, precision performance, portability and cost make them perfect for light duty table top use, on-site work, sheet metal shops, industry and vocational schools.

Optional floor stand (not shown) is $160 extra

Benchtop Box & Pan Sheet Metal Hand Brake These full featured machines are constructed with hefty steel weldments using brass hinge pins for smooth operation and trouble free forming. Clamp handles include plastic covers for positive grip. Their easy operation, precision performance, portability and cost make them perfect for light duty benchtop use, on-site work, HVAC shops, industry and vocational schools. Removable, sectioned fingers that can bend metal from 2" in length, up to the full length of the machine. Comes with (5) 2" fingers, (6) 3" fingers and (5) 4" fingers.

Optional floor stand (not shown) is $160 extra

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Magnetic Box & Pan Sheet Metal Hand Brake A magnet holds your metal during bending! Maximum Length: Choose from 48" long or 96" long Maximum thickness: 16 gauge steel or 20 gauge stainless. Electric Power: 220 volts, 1 phase.	A strong 6 ton magnet in the bed is activated by foot pedal or push button control to hold down a mild steel clamping bar of almost any configuration across the bed width or bed length. The sheet metal is pinned between the magnetic mild steel clamping bar. The bottom bending leaf is lifted to make the bend. The steel clamping bar can be made of straight bars (of various widths for tight boxes) for straight bends or segmented clamping bars for box and pan applications of any other configuration such as totally enclosed boxes, triangles, alternate bends on varying planes, round items such as scrolling applications, and much more. Great for bending mild steel sheet metal, stainless steel, aluminum, coated materials, and heated plastics. The bottom leaf’s bending extension can be removed for the tightest bends. The scaled stroke angle control can be set for repeat bends. Parts supports and adjustable back gauge for production runs, east to use gap adjustments on the clamping bars for different sheet metal thicknesses.
Click to Request a Quote for this machine	Diamond Pattern Forming Machine GMC DFM-20 This machine forms Diamond Plate Pattern on stainless steel for truck doors, catering trucks, kitchen, etc. Features: Capacity 50" x 20 gauge Stainless Steel. Motor: 2 HP, 110 Volts. Variable Speed. Infeed table with side gauge. Machine weight: 1650 Lbs Dimensions: 63" x 53" x 43 inches Made in Taiwan
Hand Operated Sheet Metal Notcher To notch out the corners for making box or pan shapes using pull down lever Maximum Force: 4 Tons Max Notching size: 6" x 6" Metal Capacity: 16 gauge (.06") [1.6mm] Stroke: 3/4"