The 9 Best Sheet Metal Brakes
Editor's Notes
June 11, 2021:
We removed a pair of miniature brakes from Kaka and Grizzly due to availability issues. In their place is the Kaka BDS-8, a versatile option for functional or artistic metalwork. It's meant for use with a bench vise but can also be finagled into working with hydraulic presses. It's about as durable as they come, although its creases aren't exactly razor sharp. For general use, though, it's an effective and dependable choice.
December 06, 2018:
Metalwork can be extremely difficult, and unless your middle name is "Bending," you'll need a machine to get finest creases. Kaka makes quite a few excellent models, ranging from the most affordable to some of the most expensive, and most of their products are supremely well-made. If remodeling your own home got you roped into re-siding multiple houses on your block (it happens), the Tapco is an affordable, large-scale option that can craft aluminum siding like almost nobody's business. Full-time pros will want something more high-end, like the Van Mark. Baileigh is often seen in industrial and automotive shops, and for good reason: they're well worth the investment. And out of all of them, the Swag probably offers the most actual clamping force on the metal.