On 2011-09-07, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...

[ ... ]

It does seem to contain more warnings and safety advice than
information on how to actually *do* something with it. :-)

And I like the fact that it can (supposedly) roll and bend 22
Ga. mild steel, but can only *shear* 28 Ga. mild steel. It does not
fill me with confidence. :-)

[ ... ]

IMHO they are for hobbyists who don't -need- a sheet metal machine. Mine is
a second-hand reject from industry. I could have used one to wrap enclosures
around circuit boards for heavy in-house use or make board meeting demo
prototypes of products if I hadn't had better equipment.

Sounds like a realable use for it.

But that better equipment takes up a lot of space that I don't have in my
basement, thus I put up with the 3-in-1.

I've got a 24" DiAcro finger brake and a 24" DiAcro shear --
both good to 16 Ga (about 0.062") in mild steel. But yes, they do
consume bench space.

Effectively it helped expand my reputation until they'd give me a rough
circuit sketch and leave me alone to build it however I wanted, my idea of
the ideal techie job.

Indeed the ideal.

This cuts 1/8" steel easily for a lot less money:
http://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Metal-Al.../dp/B001BZ720O

A variant on a Beverly shear. Great for making curved cuts, but
a bit of a pain to make straight cuts with. The price on that web site
looks pretty tempting, if I had any more bench space to mount it. As it
is, the shear it taking one end of a bench, and the reloading press the
other end of the same bench. The back side of the bench with the brake
is loaded with arbors and tool holders for the Nichols horizontal mill. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

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