Adjustments for a topca brake - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

TrevorTheSider · 11-25-2007, 02:30 PM

I have a Tapco port a max III brake. When I go to make a 90 degree bend the ends of the material being bent go past 90 degrees. I'm trying to troubleshoot this problem. I have adjusted the clamping presure but this did not seem to make any deffierence. has any one out there experienced this problem or know what the problem is and know how to fix it?

Patrick · 11-25-2007, 02:48 PM

Mine has done it since the day I bought it but it only really sticks out when making long facia, in which case I prefer to be over bent. I have just lived with it. You may want to check the rubber gasket to ensure that there are no bubbles in it or dirt under it

oldfrt · 11-25-2007, 05:38 PM

Trevor,

My Tapco does the same thing.Just take your thumb and gently pull the ends back in a sliding motion along the length of the bend to where they look straight.Work from the inside toward the ends.Takes a couple extra seconds,and a little practice.

dkillianjr · 11-25-2007, 05:42 PM

Acctually my Vanmark does the same thing too and so did my old Tapco. I just bend it back with my hand if needed real quick.

Dave

TrevorTheSider · 11-26-2007, 08:40 PM

Thanks guys, its good to know that I'm not the only one with this problem. I think that I'm going to call Tapco and see what they suggest or if they are even aware of this problem. I bend thousands of feet of coil a year, so I would like to have a brake that is more consistant.

KillerToiletSpider · 11-26-2007, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrevorTheSider

Thanks guys, its good to know that I'm not the only one with this problem. I think that I'm going to call Tapco and see what they suggest or if they are even aware of this problem. I bend thousands of feet of coil a year, so I would like to have a brake that is more consistant.

It's not the brake as much as it is the thin material and the length of the bend. I have a South Bend multi-brake in my shop that will give you precision bends on tin foil, but it weighs eight hundred pounds and can only bend six foot wide material.

house bldr · 11-27-2007, 10:45 PM

All portable brakes bend more on the ends than the middle as there is less resistance on the ends.As mentioned above just bend the middle where you need it and pull back on the ends.Most brakes I've been around are medium duty, I don't know if the heavy duty are as prone to doing that.