# Siding brake



## timberrat (Jun 18, 2010)

Thinking about buying a used siding brake. Its a tapco pro lll it has a 14"throat and is 10'6" long. Its going to auction sat.
I used it and it seems great will make a 3/8 bend! Most I have used will only do 1/2. Has just a slight bit of sag in it but doesnt seem to bother it. And the cutoff tool worked great with no curl.
So my question is what are your thoughts on this model? and what is a fair price for it?


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I like mine. I have had it forever it seems. Mine has a slight reverse sag where some sheetrockers decided to throw it on top of a pile of scrap. It still works fine.

If it works and is clean, I wouldn't go much above 350-500 unless you really need it. They show up around here for that price all the time without the sag.


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

I like mine too. The Tapco pro 3 14" 10'6"works well and is not too big. $350 is a steal in my opinion... most used pro 3s around here would sell for $700 plus.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

They are a pretty good brake. With the cutoff tool which is around 300 new 500- 700 would be a good price. Who knows at an auction you could walk away alot cheaper too. 

It is pretty hard on a long piece to make that small of a bend with out working things. Not saying you can't just takes work. If it has been taken care of fairly you should be happy with it. 

Mines a Black Max , but I bend steel too.


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## SC sawdaddy (Oct 15, 2008)

I think I paid $500 for mine about 6 or 7 years ago. Its a Tapco Pro II. Its paid for itself many times over. I could have made a lot more money with it if I had rented it to every person thats asked me to "borrow it." :no:


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

For small bends less than 5/8" back it up with a piece of scrap aluminum under it.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I forgot it came with the cutoff tool. I don't like using one, but if you do, then I would go a bit higher for sure.


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## mike d. (Dec 2, 2009)

are making seams or hems that important? My windy tapco dosen't do that....I think


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

properly adjusted pro should have no problem bending 1/4-3/8''.if you find the middle slips out look for a broken bolt or pin at the cam

break shouldn't need to be adjusted tight,that leads to faster wear,i have the non adjustable cams in mine and 5 or 6 years later will do 3/8'' no prob,and i can lock my brake with one hand anywhere along it's length without using the loop handle

it's perfect


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

mike d. said:


> are making seams or hems that important? My windy tapco dosen't do that....I think


yes..


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

Tom Struble said:


> properly adjusted pro should have no problem bending 1/4-3/8''.if you find the middle slips out look for a broken bolt or pin at the cam
> 
> break shouldn't need to be adjusted tight,that leads to faster wear,i have the non adjustable cams in mine and 5 or 6 years later will do 3/8'' no prob,and i can lock my brake with one hand anywhere along it's length without using the loop handle
> 
> it's perfect


Tom, if I try and bend any less than 1/2" or if the material is just short of the vinyl strip in my Pro 3 it tends to want to grab the edge of the coil and push the material straight back in instead of fold it up? whats your trick?


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

MF Custom said:


> Tom, if I try and bend any less than 1/2" or if the material is just short of the vinyl strip in my Pro 3 it tends to want to grab the edge of the coil and push the material straight back in instead of fold it up? whats your trick?


Yes. please do tell Tom.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

put the small bend in the brake and the long part out


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

Tom Struble said:


> put the small bend in the brake and the long part out


Tom that is a good answer, but i think you should have made them take the long way around before you told them that priceless gem of info.:laughing:


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i thought it was common knowledge:thumbup:


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

MF Custom said:


> Tom, if I try and bend any less than 1/2" or if the material is just short of the vinyl strip in my Pro 3 it tends to want to grab the edge of the coil and push the material straight back in instead of fold it up? whats your trick?


Tried that too but still tends to slip a bit at anything under 3/8" Best trick I have found for small bends is to back it up with a scrap piece of coil under it.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

the common reaction when the brake slips say at the middle is to adjust the center cam to close tighter,instead of that try adjusting the cams on each side of the center cam a little looser


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

Tom Struble said:


> the common reaction when the brake slips say at the middle is to adjust the center cam to close tighter,instead of that try adjusting the cams on each side of the center cam a little looser


The way I adjust my brake is with a small 1 1/2"- 2" wide strip of aluminum locked under each cam and I adjust to achieve equal pressure at each cam. Is there a better way?


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

no thats where you start but it's sometimes difficult to judge ''equal pressure'',as you use it you will find where and what needs tweeking

like i said my current brake has solid no adjusting cams which means the jaws meet where they are supposed to along it's entire length,which is what your trying to achieve by adjusting the cams,remember the adjustment screw is like a ''shim'' and sometimes we shim one too high trying for a tighter grip when really we should shim down on either side...this making sense?


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

Tom Struble said:


> no thats where you start but it's sometimes difficult to judge ''equal pressure'',as you use it you will find where and what needs tweeking
> 
> like i said my current brake has solid no adjusting cams which means the jaws meet where they are supposed to along it's entire length,which is what your trying to achieve by adjusting the cams,remember the adjustment screw is like a ''shim'' and sometimes we shim one too high trying for a tighter grip when really we should shim down on either side...this making sense?


Yup... will be bending coil tomorrow and will adjust where needed. Stop by if your in Ringwood I'm working in behind the old Promart.


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## MF Custom (May 3, 2009)

Tom Struble said:


> i went past,you were gone
> 
> i did a few house on that road,9-10 at the beginning and the gray one on the left that looks like a pizza hut and the mansard across the street


Ah yes the pizza hut house had a addition done a few years back... nice view out the back yard there. Did you do work for the Giambistas at the mansard?


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

yes,next to the Imbaciannies


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