Do you like to tinker with metalwork? Do you want to be able to repair your roof, or other parts of your home? Maybe you like to race cars or dirt-bikes in your spare time?

If you can answer “yes” to any or all of the above, chances are you need to look into sheet metal brakes. What are they? They are tools to bend sheet metal. Pure and simple. Have you ever tried bending a piece of sheet metal by sticking it in a vice and pulling on it, or beating on it with a hammer? Did that make you think that maybe there was a better way? The metal brake rides to the rescue.

This simple piece of machinery can help you to:

• Replace a copper or aluminum gutter on your roof. Gutters are just narrow pieces of sheet metal with parallel bends.
• Do bodywork on that weekend-racing car or dirt-bike, and save substantial amounts of money.
• Fabricate parts for rc-cars, planes, boats.
• Make fancy brass stairs for your daughters doll-house.
• The list goes on

All of the above tasks can be carried out on simple, manual metal bending brakes. These can be had from under fifty bucks for light work (like those doll-house stairs), and up to several hundred bucks, if you want to bend heavier gauge materials or make large/long objects.

A new machine is always better, if you can afford the type and size you want. You get a machine that is not worn or damaged, and has a warranty. If you do not have the cash for your desired model though, you might want to look into buying a second hand machine. That is a great way to get high quality on a low budget, as sheet metal brakes are usually simple and sturdy machines that will last for many years. The simplicity also means that it is easy to see if a used machine has problems. A visual inspection in combination with common sense does the trick just fine.

Check this when buying used:

• Does it have rust on the critical parts?
• Do moving parts appear to be well-oiled?
• Is anything bent, broken or chipped?
• Is there any warranty left on the machine?

Happy hunting!