In article .com,
mtbound wrote:
I'm new to metalworking and have been developing an invention that
requires me to gain some knowledge about what types of machines/tools I
would need to manufacture the parts out of my small garage.
I would like to produce 10 to 50 units a day out of 16 gauge sheet
metal.
*Which* metal? 16 gauge mild steel is the top end for most of
the tools which I mention below. 16 Ga stainless steel will break them.
16 Ga aluminum will be dead easy.
The problem I'm having is identifying what tool I would use to
punch out or cut a somewhat rectangular shape about 8x4 inches out of a
larger 2x4 foot sheet of metal.
For that a "stomp shear" (foot pedal operated shear) capable of
somewhat over the 4' width of standard sheet metal (supplied in 48x96"
size normally -- your 2x4 pieces will cost you more.
Once the piece is cut, I would also need to apply 4 90 deg bends to the
cut piece. I've seen finger brakes but am wondering if I need a 4 foot
piece of machinery that I would only use 8 inches of to bend the
pieces.
Finger brakes are the tool of choice here, since the fingers can
be easily arranged to clear the already-bent sides as you bend adjacent
ones. A press brake would need custom bars, but could clear longer side
flaps than the finger brake will clear.
They are available in various sizes. I've got a 24" DiAcro
which would probably be quite reasonable for your task. Is the 8x4"
dimension only a single side, or the overall size with the side flaps
included? If the overall size of the flat piece before bending, you can
use a smaller finger brake if you can find one. Check DiAcro's web page
for that.
But you will also need a "corner notcher" shear to make the
corners to allow the flaps to be bent up. A normal shear only cuts
straight lines, and you will need to cut 90-degree inside corners for
that part.
What would be the best way for me to cut these smaller pieces out of
larger sheet? Is there any other way to bend the small pieces of sheet
metal other than a finger brake?
Sure -- a press brake (larger and heavier and more expensive,
but quicker), or clamp things between pieces of wood in a good solid
vise, and hammer on another piece of wood to apply the hammer force to
the metal, if you are willing to have things look not as nice -- and
possibly need to re-make a higher percentage of them.
I'm looking for suggestions on tooling/machines and any help you could
provide would be greatly appreciated.
DiAcro is one of the US manufacturers, and should be quite good
for 16 ga mild steel. The Stuff sold by importers like Harbor Freight
has a reputation to not being able to bend or shear the specified
maximum size, and some of them are specified to thinner than 16 Ga to
start with, so I would avoid those if I could.
There are other US manufacturers, but DiAcro is the only one
which I know from *personal* experince -- and they may not make the
stomp shear, so you'll probably also want to check out Pexto, which I
know does.
Perhaps by tomorrow, you'll see answers from people who do more
sheet metal work than I do, and who are perhaps familiar with a wider
range of the tools needed.
Good Luck,
DoN.
--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. |
http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---