Okay I'll bite...........................
What possible improvement to a purely mechanical bender do electro-magnets provide?
After reading thru several web pages I see NO benefit to magnets in a bender.
Did I miss something?
Thanks,
-brino
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Plans for a sheet metal bender?
- Thread starter Janderso
- Start date
Okay I'll bite...........................
What possible improvement to a purely mechanical bender do electro-magnets provide?
After reading thru several web pages I see NO benefit to magnets in a bender.
Did I miss something?
Thanks,
-brino
Put simply - it allows you to bend shapes that just aren't possible with a traditional mechanical brake.
Check out this video, if you can (I know the quality is very 1980's, but it's the best description of its capabilities I could find. It gets particularly interesting at 6:30):
Granted, it's probably overkill for the average home workshop - but I suspect that very few of us here have what could be called an 'average' home workshop anyway.
Cheers,...Jon.
P.S. I have absolutely no affiliation with the company, I just think it's a really cool product. I'm not even recommending that anyone buys one, because the inventor, Allan Bottomley, gave all of the plans to the public once the patent ran out, so you can (relatively) easily build one for yourself.
Choices!
Thanks Tom.
I am on my way. I went to the metal yard yesterday. In the scrap pile I found the angle iron for the job.
I have all the equipment to make the project (s).
Looking forward to getting started.
I am mounting a Z axis DRO on the Bridgeport on Saturday. After that, if my bride allows, I'll start laying out the sheet metal brake.
Can't wait!
Thanks Tom.
I am on my way. I went to the metal yard yesterday. In the scrap pile I found the angle iron for the job.
I have all the equipment to make the project (s).
Looking forward to getting started.
I am mounting a Z axis DRO on the Bridgeport on Saturday. After that, if my bride allows, I'll start laying out the sheet metal brake.
Can't wait!
Getting started with the build. I decided on a 31” over all width.
That leaves a bit less than 23” to tackle my sheet metal projects.
I was very careful but I have a bit of clearing to take care of. The plates are tight but should produce a good quality bend.
More to come.
I cleared a small groove in the web?, of the pivot point of the non moveable piece of angle iron. It now has full range with close tolerance and even side to side.
This part was a bit tricky.
Now, on to the top wedge, springs, guides, fingers?
I’ll get it.
That leaves a bit less than 23” to tackle my sheet metal projects.
I was very careful but I have a bit of clearing to take care of. The plates are tight but should produce a good quality bend.
More to come.
I cleared a small groove in the web?, of the pivot point of the non moveable piece of angle iron. It now has full range with close tolerance and even side to side.
This part was a bit tricky.
Now, on to the top wedge, springs, guides, fingers?
I’ll get it.
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I would be interested in making one also, but I need to find a adjustable finger one so you can slide the fingers over together to be able to bend a small side up to the other two sides without the brake being in the way of the other two sides. Hard to find plans for that I guess.