Thicker metals used in construction, car, and motorcycle fabrication cannot be bent on a sheet metal hand brake. Attempting to bend thicker metal or heavy rod on a sheet metal brake can damage the bending and holding leaves of the brake, if you can even lift the bending leaf to bend the metal. When attempting to bend thicker metal, round rod, or square stock, you need a tool that has the power and bending capacity to bend structural gauged metals.
Instructions
1. Test the stability of the metal bender by pushing against the top of the metal bender with your hands; the metal bender should not move. If the metal bender moves, it is not secure enough to use. The metal bender needs to be securely fastened either to the floor or in some cases a table-mounted vise. If the metal bender is not secure, refer to the metal-bender operating manual for correct installation instructions.
2. Put on your leather work gloves and open the metal bender by pulling or pushing the bending handle away from the center bending pin. The three pins located on the metal bender will be aligned when the metal bender is fully opened.
3. Slide the piece of metal flat bar into the open metal bender and move the bending handle toward the middle of the metal bender to apply holding pressure to the metal flat bar.
4. Adjust your position to a spot that provides you with the most leverage and apply additional pressure to the bending handle to begin bending the metal flat bar.
5. Reverse the direction you are moving the bending handle, after you have the bend you need on the metal flat bar. You need to re-open the metal bender to remove the bent piece of the metal flat bar from the metal bender.
6. Move the handle of the metal bender inward to close the metal bender. This will keep the bending handle closest to the center of the metal bender and not out in the open.
