Some days it's the little things. Every time we would do a floor pan we used a perimeter kit, either from Stoddard or Restoration Design. We can shape a lot of metal here but I didn't have a sheet metal brake to make the 90 degree angle in the perimeter pieces.
Traditional brakes run between $1000-3000 on the open market and they tend to be big and heavy. I wasn't interested in spending that kind of money or giving a big piece of equipment a lot of shop real estate. Enter Harbor Freight, where some things are good and some are junk. I was wary of the brake they sold so I looked into reviews and youtube videos of different mods people did to improve it. The reviews were generally good and it looked like it would work for the main job I needed so I took the plunge. $250 with coupon, figured it was worth the risk.
The piece on the left is from Stoddard, the one on the right is mine, still a little rough but it was the first one. But the brake did great. I put it on wheels so I can make a bunch of the perimeter pieces and then bury it somewhere in a dark corner of the shop.
The only mod I did so far is the front step. People on youtube said it helped to have some leverage when pulling up on the brake. The only other mod I might do is people added longer handles to get more leverage, but the ones that it came with work pretty well.
Like a lot of things at HF, roll the dice and sometimes win!

Eastwood has a nice bench top brake as well. I agree. Most take too much real estate for how often you use them. I use my little one for making mounts and such…

I bought the HF benchtop one a few years ago, but it wouldn't do the long bends like this one, but it did work nice on smaller pieces and the price was right.

Final mod was extending the pull-up handles to give more leverage. The pipe I used was the perfect diameter to slip over the existing handles, a very tight fit. That and a weld and it's there for life.

If it's cast iron from Harbor Freight it's generally a great tool.
(If its corded and spins, i usually pass!)

That's probably a really good rule to follow!

I'd just say that if it spins, pass. I've found their air tools are not built for longevity either, but are fine for tools you rarely use. Actually, same goes for the corded spinners too. I've got their metal shear that works fine for no more than I use it.

I have the bench top brake. I had to reinforce some welds to be able to do full length 18g bends but agree it is a good value.