I’ll have to check the cause budget, but so far I haven’t heard any recent requests for a brake other than the pan brake request from last year.
Edit: I’m looking at Hare and Forbes site now to get prices. What capacity are we thinking? we also have to consider space in the shop as well.
2nd Edit: H&F prices will most likely blow away the cause budget
my project is only small, some fiddly pieces for a computer case and maybe the case itself.
More than a large size is the configurable clamp(?) sizes so you can bend four sides. I don’t know if that’s something that’s automatically done got all brakes though
the rolls royce is something like this, alongside other tools: http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S542
but the practical choice for us re features v price etc is probably this: http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S652
repeat - press brake != panbrake
Right, now that know the nomenclature I’m talking about a pan brake. What’s the use case for magnetic pan brakes, except they’re super cool and probably more convenient?
If someone has access to, or knows where I can use one of these: http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S249 that’d be super neat!
Mganetic panbrakes allow you to fold up shapes of enclosures that traditional clamped panbrakes do not.
They are also lighter (ues less material) than traditional panbrakes there fore should be cheaper to manufacture.
See the web page of on of the inventors for in depth info about magnabends
I’m a little confused re: press brakes. We use large hydraulic press brakes at work, we have different size and shape dies, and they have a ton of different length fingers they use. We use them to fold all the Toolboxes, and I’ve seen Brendan work some black magic with the shapes he pulls out sometimes.
Panbrakes make squarer folds than press brakes. Particularly in small thin gauge steel that small boxes are going to be made from.
Your ally tool boxes are probably wanting a round(ish) corners and panbrakes prob have a hard time gripping checker plate. So the press brake probably suites better in that use case.
How square your edge is on a press brake depends on your tooling, but it’s totally possible to get the same inner+outer radius with either. Just be warned, tighter bends need more force and will put more internal stresses\microcracks in your material.
For toolbox making in the past, I’ve folded diamond plate aluminum in a pan brake and tig welded, which has worked well and not rusted, although most diamond plate has a coating so it’s not the prettiest welds you’ll ever do. In addition to corrosion, if you use 1.44x the material thickness of aluminum to steel you get the exact same panel bending stiffness at 0.48x the weight, so 1.5x and half is a good enough approximation for most people…
OK - my only experience with press brakes are the 3-in-1 units from hare and forbes.
They do not make a very nice sharp edge and even a cheap H&F panbrake does much better.
Any of these options are better than a hammer and the corner of a bench. My recommendation is the cheapest, reasonably sized unit we can get.
Flash back arrestors for the oxy please
Machine Shop
Need
Carbide tooling for the Big Lathe. - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/L4532 - This is going to have swipe access on it, before it ever sees any service. Given there’s accountability for the tooling and the skill level expected of anyone using this lathe, we can have decent tooling for it and allow the machine to work as intended. I’d prefer a kit that matched the insert style of the carbide cutters we have for the mill to save costs there.
DRO for Both Lathes. - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12-Digital-Readout-Read-Out-DRO-w-remote-LCD-for-Milling-Machines-or-Lathes-/130757733115?hash=item1e71c4aafb:m:m_rqGv-RixYtXvs3KK5h3KQ
Hard Jaws for Big Lathe. We dont have a 4-Jaw for it, so if youre going to rechuck anything with any accuracy, we need decent jaws. The ones in it now a chowdered to hell. (Not caused by a member, they’re just old as the hills.)
Want
Boring head - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/M1823 - Allows us to make big holes in stuff. Also doubles as a gigantic 100+mm Face Mill.
Rotary table/dividing head. - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/R00651 - Allows us to work in a 4th axis and cut gears. Could be CNC’d at a later date.
Finger style dial indicator. - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Q217 - Allows much quicker setup in certain situations.
Welding.
Need
Plasma Cutter - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/K017A3 - Makes processing materials much much simpler. Plug it in to power and air, and you’re away. Much cheaper in the middle to long term than most other cutting processes.
Want
Common Tooling.
Need
Flashback arrestors.
Bulk Drill Bits. - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/D1266 - Its incredibly handy to have spares around. This kit would keep the entire space stocked with bits for as long as we exist.
Parts Washer - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/A3682 - Big tub of recirculating degreaser for removing caked on grease. Sooooooooo handy.
Panbrake - http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S2495 - As @andrew1973 said, NOT a pressbrake. A press brake is fine for putting creases in a sheet, but if you want to make any kind of box or do more intricate shapes, then a press brake will not do the job. A pan brake has a number of differently sized “fingers” which can be used to get into corners and such, to bend up complex shapes.
Want
Car hoist - http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/pinkenba/other-parts-accessories/1900mm-lift-happ40-4t-clear-floor-car-hoist-wh-s-approved-/10948182345 - Makes working on anything car related an absolute breeze. The pit is good, but a hoist is frikken amazing. Having this alone attract a great number of folks.
The link for the Hare & Forbes site came up with an error but, i think i found the page you may have been intending
http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/L453
hopefully this link works, in any case
it’s a - ( copied from the web page)
**
Description
Compact turning kit with right hand and left hand turning tools and a boring bar. The kit is designed so that all the tools use the same inserts.
The inserts used in this kit are ISO standard and can be substituted with any of the major brands of inserts.
Includes
1 x Right hand turning tool MWLNR2525 M08W
1 x Left hand turning tool MWLNL2525 M08W
1 x Right hand boring bar S25TMWLNRM08
10 x inserts to suit all tools(WNMG080408)
**
this would be a good purchase but, (and imho) i feel the left hand turning tool would under utilised to the point of never used…
Brendon
Yeah, it would barely get used, but its cheaper to buy the kit, than just the things you actually use all the time.
Also, @Svenska found an ebay store selling insert holders etc. http://stores.ebay.com.au/T-CARBIDE?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
At $100 for a set of holders and 10 inserts, Im not sure that H+F set is worth 3x the money, so im considering getting a set myself.
WMNG’s are probably the best ‘general purpose’ ones, maybe grab a few WCGT as well. if we want to build up a collection past that its starting to border on ‘you should probably supply your own’. Although I’d be down for us having holders for the various shapes.
G’day,
I’ll put my opinion in again…
if you could get the just a right hand OD turning tool and a matching boring bar in a matching carbide insert that would be an excellent start.
the WMNG’s are good for OD turning and facing off without having to adjust the tool position, and can handle removing large amounts of material quickly, like it should easily remove 10mmOD+ in mild steel without breaking a sweat.
I use the WTJNR style holders at work (TNMG insert,16mm side, triangle shape, negative rake, hole in the middle) and perform well the jobs we do, the best i’ve done with the TNMG insert is 8mmOD and any more and the lathe start to stall up.
the boring bar purchase should be looked at what bore diameters you may intend to do, and what drill sizes you have to get close to before you begin boring. from memory, the TNMG holder i use at work requires about 31mm hole for clearance to get the bar into it.
Hopefully i haven’t added more confusion but, i think if you end up different tools with different insert styles, it can become expensive to replace inserts, as you well already expect.
Brendon.
I’ve never really needed to do any big boring. I’ve got 2 big drills in 18mm (for boring out to a 19mm shaft coupler) and 24mm, which area really handy for getting close to where you want to be, I’m going to get some larger ones eventually though.
We did have a small carbide insert boring bar, but someone overheated it to the point the seat melted out of it. 
Would be nice to have some carbide boring stuff again, but I think you’re right about just getting the right hand tool.
The little lathe will only do like 3mm cuts without struggling, its not very powerful. You’re also very right about using the same inserts across tooling, makes things a lot easier.
The other thing about using inserts is, it makes it easy for us to just keep a stock of inserts folks can buy as they’re needed. Buying a pack for $100 isnt something most people are going to do, but getting single inserts puts it within reach.
I just ordered the cheapest holder I could find on EBAY,
One of them. I’ll report back on quality once I’ve had a play with it. I’m assuming the inserts are going to be cheese compared to “real” carbide, but its more the holder I’m interested in anyhow and its definitely a low risk buy haha, one way or another I’m sure it’ll be more durable than any HSS.
Got that tool holder above, gave it a run last night. They’re 100% worth every bit of $35 (I think it can be had even cheaper if you don’t order it from Australia.). The holder isnt perfect by any means. But it certainly does the job for any basic turning. The only way I managed to break it was with a piece of hardened and splined gearbox shaft, which is to be expected haha. For the price of 2 pieces of HSS, you can have that holder and 60 cutting edges, fine deal in my book.
G’day,
Been a bit slack spoosed to reply a little while ago but eh i’m here now…
i good project to make is a custom packer for the tool so that it will always be a the correct centre height.
I’ve included a handy chart i purloined from carmet.
carmet doesn’t have wmng tooling in their catalogue but, i’m sure if you rang them they would find it for you at a price.
Brendon
