Looking for info on a 12" Di-Acro Brake

[ypmc]

I discovered this forum while looking for info on a used 12 inches Di-Acro Finger Brake that I got lately. The machine is in good shape and it works well: I was able to bend a little sheet of metal very easily. I found the manufacturer's manual at the www.diacro.com site but it doesn't give much info on actually how to use the machine. Being new to metal working, I'm looking for help on how to use this machine effectively: basic and advanced operations, tips and tricks, specifics about this finger brake, project ideas and instructions, etc. Please let me know if you can help. Thanks in advance!

[Steve_in_Mich]

Here is one sheetmetal course outline - maybe you would consider taking a class.
http://www.moe365.org/moeu/moeu2003sheetmetal.pdf
After it loads use your scroll wheel to page thru. If folks knew where you are (no location given) they may offer you some course options in your area or possibly a shop visit.
Another college shop class; http://www.stanford.edu/class/me203/pro ... sheet.html the last photos on the page are of a finger brake. These type course outlines suggest books for study and lab assignments (projects you can have fun with) it takes a bit of searching but Google "Sheet metal fabrication - brake bend" or such word strings to locate information. This link has a 34 page lab handout that covers Milling, Turning, Casting, Brazing etc. used to produce a magnifying glass (sorry no brake work involved in this project) - it's just one example of what can be found with a little searching. Here is the direct link for the lab handout/project.
http://www.stanford.edu/class/me203/han ... ndouts.pdf

I had a link I wanted to give you on aircraft sheetmetal repair that discussed several common sheetmetal forming machines and its use. Had a good section on brakes but the link in no longer connected directly. Here it is another way;
http://www.tpub.com/content/aviation/14018/
Scroll down to chapter 13 and dig in. A discussion of bend radius calculation is in there too.

Or you could sell me your 12" finger brake cheap - I have been watching for one for quite some time but they bring a good price, usually much more than my budget for one.

[Ries]

Good sheet metal books:

"Metal Fabricators Handbook" Ron Fournier, HP books.
Auto oriented, but an indispensible book for anyone working with metal. Ron is the man.

"Sheet Metal Shop Practice" Leo Meyer, ATP Publications
Apprenticeship textbook, starts at the beginning, simple and easy to understand.

"Sheet Metal Machine Processes"
"Sheet Metal Hand Processes"
Both by Zinngrab and Schumacher. Published by Delmar.
Good in depth textbooks about tools, and how to use them.

All of these should be pretty easy to find used on ABEbooks.com- they are not antique or collectible, so they should be cheap.

Study up- sheet metal is logical, and not hard if you are patient, and most anything can be done by hand, with a few cheap tools. Of course, its always nicer to have a shop full of big green hunks of D&K, Whitney, Pexto, and Niagra equipment, but you dont HAVE to.

[ehughes]

I have a 12" Diacro brake & instructions (such as they are). If you would like a copy, let
me know & will send you one. Regards, Earl

[Mike_Henry]

I'm not the original poster but would like a copy of the manual (I have a 9" shear). Is this something that can be emailed?

[Steve_in_Mich]

Mike, Go back to the original post and CLICK on the DiAcro link given, then to the bottom of that page where you will see a button for MANUALS. Click and download the manual of your choice. Very nice of DiAcro to provide this information for us, I think.

[Mike_Henry]

Steve,

Oops - guess I should learn to read the posts more thoroughly. Thanks for pointing out teh link.

Very nice indeed for Diacro to supply this info on-line. Sadly, not too many of the domestic manufacturers supply manuals any longer, either free or for a charge. Clausing is one exception, though.