Sorry it's a bit off topic but I thought it worth an ask with all the engineering bods on here.
I'm after a box & pan folder, a fairly big one. The smallest that will do the jobs I have in mind would be 6ft & fold a thickness of 16g (1.6mm) but ideally I'd like something bigger.

Thought of making one?.

A 6ft 'er will cost good money.

The locost option is better, Just some large Angle iron and a hinge in the right place, and a big lever.

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Originally posted by wilkingj


A 6ft 'er will cost good money.

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The price is indeed a problem, a new one is £3-4000! And as they dont really wear out an old one is still worth a lot. I've considered making one, a straight folder wouldnt be too hard to do but doing one that'll do boxes as I need it to is far more complicated. I did think about just cutting slots in the clamping bar at various different distances but sooner or later there would be a job where none lined up.
The price of steel of the kind of strength needed would be a fair way to a S/H one anyway, although the posts from an old 2 post car lift would mabye do & they're worth nowt but scrap once the threads are worn out.

[Edited on 29/4/07 by hillbillyracer]

if you have 3 phase power then an old treadle style press brake is a better bet as you can fab up top tools for awkward jobs and you can always compensate for wear in the machines bed which you cant with a hand folder. i picked up a 4ft adira press with some tooling cheaply from an auction and with a few more dies will do up to 4mm plate 4ft long . the 3ft hand folder ive had for years is ok but you cant get anything other than a 10mm rad and small flanges are a non starter

well sell machine tools & have a couple of 2m box & pan folders in, think one is £1850 not sure as not at work. only problem with making one is that you will put a load of money & work into something that is not saleable, at least if you buy something decent then you can always resell it ?!?! u2u me if interseted & can send pictures

Making one was only a thought, you're right it'd be a lot of work & virtually unsaleable. More to the point I doubt whether it'd perform anything like good enough.
What I have in mind is making tractor mudguards & the like. We have a tractor which needed new ones & they were £1200 for a set! We tried some fibreglass ones but they were poorly made & not even the right shape so I made a set, I made another set for a mate & now I have someone else wanting some, there are plenty other machines around that could use a set too. Of course it would get used for loads of other jobs too. There is money to be made & I enjoy doing that kind of work but it's quite an investment

Have a word with Malcolm Donald on Kingstown industrial estate Carlisle ( Donald Engineering or similar name-sells welders in portakabin and has an old MOD building where they fabricate white lining machines for high ways depts , he has all sorts of sheet metal machines and has offered to chop big sheets up into usable sizes for us. Possibly youcouldcome toan "arrangement"

Great stuff, is that on the main Kingmoor site or further round on the more undeveloped bit where Park & Gate, Welters & EMS are?
What I really need is someone who'll let me have the use of a machine on a Saterday morning in exchange for a few beer tokens, then I'll get my own kit if I think it's worth it later. I've already asked around but no-one wanted to know but I didnt know about your man, thanks.

It is in the old bit on the back road round to Rockclife and Cargo- big hanger with the afore mentioned welding suplies portakabin shop fixed on front, we sold him a massive pile of miling cutters at a good price, good bloke to deal with,
mike
ps if any probs finding him send me an email / pm / or phone and I'll dig out his details, the woman who answers the phone and runs office is his wife, (shrewd business move!) so be on your best behaviour!!

Yeah, I was round there today fixing a tractor at Welters so I thought I'd call in & see what he said but it took me till 5.45 to fail to fix the old thing so they were all locked up. However, failing to fix it means I'll have to go back so we'll see what comes of it then.
It was you that got the old chassis of me wasnt it? I've a vague memory of you telling me about this guy then but I'm getting old (30) so my mind plays tricks on me. I never got you the wishbones for it dropped off, still got em if you want them.

I picked this up on tuesday, got it on Ebay & think I've done quite well. It could do with a tidy up & some of the fingers squared up a bit but it was £660.

Hi, yes wishbones still needed but no rush still waiting for abigger door which is promised"soon"

atb Mike

I used to make boiler panels on something like that about 30 years ago, it was like torture