# Where can I get plans for a 3-in-1 sheet metal shear/cut/roll machine



## ARC-170 (Aug 28, 2021)

I would like to make a 3-in-1 sheet metal shear/cut/roll machine. I'd like on that is about 18" wide. The 12" ones are a little small, and the 24" ones are really expensive. I was not able to find anything easily in an internet search. Do such plans exist? I'm looking for something along the lines of the JRW sheet metal brake: no welding, just steel plate and rod, with common fasteners.

I don't really need a roller (famous last words, I know), so not sure if that makes it easier or not.

I'm using a small vise-mounted set of anvils to bend sheet metal. I cut it with my bandsaw and then sand the edges straight (ish). I've started a new job and no longer have easy access to a metal shop with a brake and shear. If I start teaching Engineering, maybe I'll be able to get something.

The cheapest machine I was able to find was this one, at $306:








						VEVOR Sheet Metal Brake 3-In-1 12-inch,Shear Press Brake 20-Gauge Capacity,Combination Sheet Metal Machine Solid Construction,Shears and Slip Roll Machine for Shear Bending Rolling  | VEVOR US
					

Discover VEVOR Sheet Metal Brake 3-In-1 12-inch,Shear Press Brake 20-Gauge Capacity,Combination Sheet Metal Machine Solid Construction,Shears and Slip Roll Machine for Shear Bending Rolling, Combination Machine and Durable Material at lowest price, 2days delivery, 30days returns.




					www.vevor.com
				



It's only 12" wide. There are many other companies selling what appears to be this same one, with different color paint jobs and price points.

I did find a smaller shear/brake, but I think it was 8" wide. HF has a 30" wide 3-in-1 for about $500, but they are not available for awhile and that's too big for my needs and garage anyway. There is currently nothing on CL or FBMP.

I downloaded the SolidWorks file for the JRW machine, but there were no part files, just the assembly; you need both in order to work with it. I thought I might add fingers and at least get that feature, then work on some way of adding a shear.

Seems like there could be plans for a 3-in-1. Anyone got any ideas?


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## tweinke (Aug 28, 2021)

I found those plans also awhile back thinking it may be a useful project. what I down loaded was a PDF with a parts list and drawings.


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## ARC-170 (Aug 28, 2021)

tweinke said:


> I found those plans also awhile back thinking it may be a useful project. what I down loaded was a PDF with a parts list and drawings.


I also found the pdf of the JRW machine, but it's only a bender. I'd like plans for a shear/bender/roller, or at least a shear/bender.


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## Alexander McGilton (Aug 28, 2021)

I think the reason that there isn't an 18inch machine on the market is that you don't find much 18in or 16inch wide squares or rectangles from suppliers. 12inch or 24inch are easy enough to find as they divisible from a 48x96.

 The extra 6inch adds a lot more to the machine, 24x24 and 24x48 are very common off the shelf.


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## C-Bag (Aug 28, 2021)

I have no space either but managed to fit my 30” 3n1 on a cart. It has turned out that it is what I really needed as anything smaller would have been too small.

I‘ve run into 30” 3n1’s for cheap on CL. Last one was $100. Unless you have access to super cheap metal there is almost no way you could make one for $500. The exact same machine sold by Grizzly is $1500. Lots of times different HF stores have things when others are out.


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## Alcap (Aug 29, 2021)

I bought a 24” Shop Fox 3 in1 Oct. 2020 on sale in Amazon $440 w/tax . I checked and it seems to be discontinued even on the Shop Fox web site . Like you I didn’t want one too big and 12” didn’t seem big enough. They don’t come up for sale too often used except once you get one lol . A HF and a Shop Fox like I just bought came up on CL within weeks of me getting mine lol . Hang in there and keep searching even if you have to drive a distance, I think there would be more legwork getting material to make one but I can give you any measurements and pictures you want if you decide to build on .


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## Aaron_W (Aug 29, 2021)

Lots of DIY brake plans, but shears and rollers not so much. I've never seen a DIY 3 in 1. Agree with Cbag, the 30" Harbor Freight 3 in 1 seems a bargain, it would be hard to build one for less. I was going to build a simple brake into my outdoor work bench, but now plans are to get a 3 in 1, hopefully used if one turns up, but otherwise the HF unit. I don't have a ton of room, but with some careful placement and wheels I think a 30" could be tucked out of the way when not being used.

If you really want to make your own, there are some good Sheet metal books from Gingery that include plans for several DIY sheet metal working tools.


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## C-Bag (Aug 30, 2021)

The HF 3n1 is by no means perfect, but for small jobs it is way better than nothing. It is very heavy with cast iron sides, table and frame. Even so it could use more stiffening for long bends. It’s hard to beat if your concern is space as it packs a lot of basic functions in one package.

It is a total roll of the dice if it will functional even new. Mine was NOS and completely unadjusted and full of cosmolene and paint where there should have been sliding surfaces. The used ones I’ve seen had been heavily used but I would rather put my time into reconditioning than building from scratch. YMMV.


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## ARC-170 (Aug 31, 2021)

I found a 30" Jet 3-in-1 that has what appears to be surface rust all over the non-painted parts. Seller wants $500. It weighs 300 lbs and he can't help me load it. I'm currently in a sling from shoulder surgery so I can't even load up my engine hoist in my truck. I thought maybe I'd look at it and see if I could take it apart and load the pieces.

Yes, buying the material to make one would be expensive, BUT, I can get scrap metal for free from the machine shop teacher at the adult school in the district where I used to work. I would still need to buy a blade and common springs, fasteners, etc, though. I guess I need to decide if I really want to spend the time designing and making my own, or just wait and find a used one.


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## ARC-170 (Aug 31, 2021)

Here's a picture of the one I found:




I think $500 is way too high. Thoughts?


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## C-Bag (Aug 31, 2021)

You don’t have any friends, neighbors who can help you?

It doesn’t come apart as easy as say a lathe does. And there is a lot of crucial adjustments and small parts.


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## C-Bag (Aug 31, 2021)

ARC-170 said:


> I think $500 is way too high. Thoughts?


I agree. Just because it says Jet doesn’t mean a thing to me. It’s made in the same factory as the HF. Different paintjob and stickers is all. Why do the sellers always think “surface rust” doesn’t mean anything? If nothing else it means they should have cleaned it up then it would maybe worth $500/$450. But rusty….I gave half that for mine that had no rust and was basically new, still on the shipping skid.


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## ARC-170 (Aug 31, 2021)

C-Bag said:


> You don’t have any friends, neighbors who can help you?
> 
> It doesn’t come apart as easy as say a lathe does. And there is a lot of crucial adjustments and small parts.


I do, but they are not easily able to take a 3 hour trip with me there and back, including loading time. I might be able to convince someone to come if lunch is included. Even weekends are busy for them.
Yeah, I looked at the photos and even the component parts are heavy and would require two hands to get apart.



C-Bag said:


> I agree. Just because it says Jet doesn’t mean a thing to me. It’s made in the same factory as the HF. Different paintjob and stickers is all. Why do the sellers always think “surface rust” doesn’t mean anything? If nothing else it means they should have cleaned it up then it would maybe worth $500/$450. But rusty….I gave half that for mine that had no rust and was basically new, still on the shipping skid.


I think this seller doesn't know much, but I could be wrong. Maybe they looked up a new one, saw it was $1200 and thought this was worth half that, instead of looking up other ones and seeing the lower prices and asking why someone would pay more than the price of a new one for a rusty used one? I guess I could go and offer way less and see what happens. I'm not up for a long drive, but I might be if it's worth it. I'd rather be there with cash if I'm making a lower offer; sometimes money talks, even if it's less than they were asking.


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## C-Bag (Aug 31, 2021)

ARC-170 said:


> I think this seller doesn't know much, but I could be wrong. Maybe they looked up a new one, saw it was $1200 and thought this was worth half that, instead of looking up other ones and seeing the lower prices and asking why someone would pay more than the price of a new one for a rusty used one?


I have no idea what goes through these people’s minds but it’s not their $$ that you’re using. It’s yours. If they were going to look up the price they should look up the price when it was bought, not the current price. 

The HF 30” has always been around $400. So I always figure around 60% of new, then price, not now. So when I picked mine up $230 that seemed fair, the bonus being it was unused. If you can’t get them below $300 I’d walk. Believe me the machine is not perfect even in perfect shape. It’s a Jack of all trades and master of none and no matter the paint or sticker it’s not worth more then $300 IMHO. And this coming from a guy who’s had one now for several years. 

For that $1200 for a new one you could buy a used Pexto 36” stomp shear and Enco finger break. They were in CL in your area last month for $500 total for the two of them and they were not hobby machines like a 3n1.


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## C-Bag (Sep 2, 2021)

Dude, jump on this, it was just posted here in Los Osos, brand new. $220!









						Press brake roll 30" new in crate - tools - by owner - sale
					

#0" press brake roll. New still in crate



					slo.craigslist.org


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## SLK001 (Sep 2, 2021)

Alexander McGilton said:


> 12inch or 24inch are easy enough to find as they divisible from a 48x96.


So is 16".


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## Alexander McGilton (Sep 2, 2021)

Yeah, I know that from stud patterns. should have said even division.


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## C-Bag (Sep 2, 2021)

C-Bag said:


> Dude, jump on this, it was just posted here in Los Osos, brand new. $220!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Gone…….


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## ARC-170 (Sep 2, 2021)

C-Bag said:


> Dude, jump on this, it was just posted here in Los Osos, brand new. $220!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Too late, already sold! But thanks!


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## C-Bag (Sep 2, 2021)

It was gone by 11am.


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## ARC-170 (Sep 2, 2021)

C-Bag said:


> It was gone by 11am.


Clearly, I'm not the only one looking.


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## C-Bag (Sep 2, 2021)

That was weird,new, still in the box. And in my town.

 Mine sat on CL for weeks before I got hold of him. I’ve seen others that were on CL for weeks.


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## ARC-170 (Sep 2, 2021)

C-Bag said:


> That was weird; new, still in the box. And in my town.
> 
> Mine sat on CL for weeks before I got hold of him. I’ve seen others that were on CL for weeks.


The one I'm looking at is being sold by a friend of the owner, a "good guy who always bought and used quality tools." was what he told me when I asked what else he could tell me about it.

I'm looking at getting one of those trailer hitch cranes for my truck. I've wanted/needed one before, and I think I found a decent used one. I can have my 16-year old son help me with the crane and with the machine.


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