Just bought an 8" J&L Brake

[mattmcginn]

So for the last month I went on a tool buying binge and got some really cool items.

The first is the J&L brake-it is really really old-much older than my smaller Pexto brake as it's got olde-tyme rivets in spots! The counter weights look like cannon balls that were contemporary Civil War (Or Spanish-American war maybe) surplus!

It's in good shape, with one repair. There are no markings other than J&L-some searches yielded nothing except some posts here. Does anyone have info as to a range of years it may have been made? I am guessing that its close to 100 years old. My Pexto brake was made in 1936 and appears thoroughly modern by comparison. I would love to get information on the bending capacity, etc.

Also was able to pick up a really nice Pexto 52" gap shear that's also in great shape. Older than any I was able to find pix of.

Will post pix tomorrow.

Thanks for any info!

Thanks,

Matt

[oldgoaly]

Matt,
your is marked on the upper clamping leaf? raise letters in the steel? if so I have the same brake, nothing wrong with them, I use mine allot, those counter weights make bending heavier gauges much easier. The place I bought mine had turned new pins, it wasn't heavy enough for them. It would have been if they knew to put a length of angle iron on the folding leaf. tt