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Wedge style Tapco brake

m2akita | Posted in Tools for Home Building on September 25, 2008 03:17am

Guy near me is selling a 10’6″ Tapco brake.  It is the older wedge/ shim style.  Does anyone know how these compare to the newer style ones that work more on a cam system.  Are the wedge style ones even worth looking at.

Ive only worked with the cam style brakes and really dont know that much about them as it is.

Thanks for any info.

 

 

Live by the sword, die by the sword….choose your sword wisely.
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Replies

  1. hmj | Sep 25, 2008 03:18am | #1

    I have one, gets light use, works fine for me. You can still get parts from tapco

  2. sledgehammer | Sep 25, 2008 03:53am | #2

    Not bad if you do bending infrequently.

    I no longer have the hands to pound that lever tight... I'd give up a bending job in a heart beat if all I had was a wedge bender.

    1. m2akita | Sep 25, 2008 06:08am | #4

      Most/ all of my bending is for flashing (over windows & doors), possibly a water table here and there, and maybe a drip edge.  Dont do a ton.

      Is it really hard to pull that lever to get it tight?  Suppose I could take some scraps over and try it out, see what I think myself.

      Kinda figured there might be a problem with the wedge style, since you dont see that around any more.

       Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.

      1. seeyou | Sep 25, 2008 02:22pm | #5

        I'd never buy a wedge clamper again. That being said, my 1st brake was a wedge clamper and I did a lot of copper work with it for several years. I did have to rebuild it often (not that hard) and it took a lot of umph to get it clamped.

        They're harder to line up since you're at one end and can't reach the far end, so you need to spend extra time checking your left hand mark. But, if you're not using it everyday, it's true, and the price is right, it might serve you well.View Image

        1. DaveRicheson | Sep 25, 2008 02:37pm | #6

          I have an old Windy style brake like the one you are lookig at.

          Ditto what seeyou says.

           Even using the stop gauges you spend a lot of time walking from one end to the other,adjusting to your mark. The new cam style breaks are also easier to make smaller hems with than the old Windy's.

      2. Jim_Allen | Sep 26, 2008 05:40am | #7

        "Is it really hard to pull that lever to get it tight?"Not really. I used to slide a slightly longer section of 1 1/2" pvc over it and that made it "real easy". I wouldn't pay too much for one of those older ones. I bought an 8'-6" one back in the early 80's and it still works like new for me once or twice a year.

        1. User avater
          Sphere | Sep 26, 2008 01:45pm | #8

          I remember grease-ing them wedges often. I used Graphite grease.

          My center handle cam action was a hassel with two of us doing  long tapers,  when we were at the lifting handle locations we had a head reach to the lock down..fixed that by drilling and adding two ( one cut in half) fiberglass sledge handles bolted nearer the ends.

          Now even working solo I can reach the snug it up stage from the very end , then full clamp from center. I ahve mine set pretty tight, and it'll flip on ya when clamping it down, if it isn't held down.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

          Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

           

          They kill Prophets, for Profits.

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4

           

          The world of people goes up and

          down and people go up and down with

          their world; warriors have no business

          following the ups and downs of their

          fellow men.

  3. ponytl | Sep 25, 2008 06:04am | #3

    LOL i didn't know there was anything better...  i have a wedge style and just glad i have a siding brake when i need it...

    and here i was all happy to have a brake... now i have to be on the lookout for something better...

    p

  4. frammer52 | Sep 26, 2008 07:28pm | #9

    The answer is, if you are using it a lot, forget it, buy the better.  If it is for occaisional use it will work, just not as well as the other style.

    I, like Seeyou, started with one back in the 70's, worked fine..  Until we tried on of the newer style.  Bought one, never looked back!

    1. m2akita | Sep 27, 2008 12:31am | #10

      Thanks all.  Think Ill pass on this one, wait for cam action one.  If he's still got it for sale next week might make him an offer.

       

       Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.

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