Ironworker for hobby shop

StevenHolmes · Oct 4, 2022

Greetings,

I've been reading for the last couple of months about different types of ironworkers. I'm a hobbyist maker and would love something that will punch, shear, and bend, up to 1/4" steel. It will probably only get used a dozen or so times per year, but reliability for occasional use is important. Any recommendations on an ironworker that'll do all three? I've also been looking at a bunch of the chinese stuff on Alibaba and am considering one of them as my use case is so sporadic. Thoughts?

Gordon Heaton · Oct 4, 2022

I'd say 30 ton minimum. If you're punching larger holes go 50 ton. We have two 50 ton units at work, one a Geka, the other is domestic (USA). Edwards, I think. If you go chinese, figure the 50T to be closer to 30. Even if the offshore unit can generate 50 tons, the frame likely won't hold up well.

StevenHolmes · Oct 4, 2022

Gordon Heaton said:
figure the 50T to be closer to 30

Good call on that, thank you for the rating recommendation. A Geka would be awesome, I just cant justify the cost for something that will see such minimal use.

Gordon Heaton · Oct 4, 2022

Or can you? I don't know where you are, but have you looked for a used machine? Even when used heavily, the better brands hold up for a very long time. Its the dies and fixtures that usually take the damage and you'll probably need to get or make those to suit.

akajun · Oct 4, 2022

I’ve got a peddinghouse “ peddy” it’s about 30 tons, will shear 1/4 plate, 1” bar, 2.5” angle etc. small footprint The job I bough it for I’ve finished if your interested and willing to travel to Louisiana let me know

Overland · Oct 4, 2022

Good used ones are out there. Keep looking.
I picked up a 50 ton Geka in nice shape for $5k.
I sold a Mubea mechanical in nice shape for $3k.
Bob

RC Mech · Oct 4, 2022

Edwards make a nice machine. I was looking at a 55 ton the other day.

BT Fabrication · Oct 5, 2022

RC Mech said:
Edwards make a nice machine. I was looking at a 55 ton the other day.

Bought a 60 ton last year, its been good so far. electric motor is starting to make a rattle noise, dunno but it sounds like a fan might have loostened up.
use it all the time, changed the punch table to my own design and bought it before it went up 30% to 25K now.
i regularly punch 3/4" holes in material from 1/4" up to 3/4" in everything.
some user gripes about the functionality of it all, like needing to hit the E stop to turn it off every time instead of having an actual stop button.
then setting the press stops isnt very precise for a proxy sensor. need to change it out myself for more of a limit switch to be precise for bending etc.

BT Fabrication · Oct 5, 2022

StevenHolmes said:
Greetings,

I've been reading for the last couple of months about different types of ironworkers. I'm a hobbyist maker and would love something that will punch, shear, and bend, up to 1/4" steel. It will probably only get used a dozen or so times per year, but reliability for occasional use is important. Any recommendations on an ironworker that'll do all three? I've also been looking at a bunch of the chinese stuff on Alibaba and am considering one of them as my use case is so sporadic. Thoughts?

for the price, sub it out or buy other tools to do the same job like a mag drill and a set of cutting torches or plasma.

dkmc · Oct 5, 2022

BT Fabrication said:
Bought a 60 ton last year, its been good so far. electric motor is starting to make a rattle noise, dunno but it sounds like a fan might have loostened up.
use it all the time, changed the punch table to my own design and bought it before it went up 30% to 25K now.
i regularly punch 3/4" holes in material from 1/4" up to 3/4" in everything.
some user gripes about the functionality of it all, like needing to hit the E stop to turn it off every time instead of having an actual stop button.
then setting the press stops isnt very precise for a proxy sensor. need to change it out myself for more of a limit switch to be precise for bending etc.

Edwards quality may have improved over the years? I know their prices have increaed a lot. I have a 50 ton from the late '80's and it's obviously built to the lowest possible price point, similar to agricultural equipment. The 3600 rpm motor and pump scream, sound similar to a stuck car horn. Numerous other small details hint of cheapness throughout. It does the job.....barely. It's a bit humorous that, if you punch holes at the machines rated capacity, the shock from the shear action upsets the machine to the point the magnetic contactor drops out, shuts the motor off. This is with brand new tooling, not abused, dull crap. And A36 plate, not leaf springs..... :eek:

gbent · Oct 5, 2022

My suggestion would be a Hossfeld to handle the bending and a Hypertherm Powermax45XP to handling the cutting and larger hole making operations. Then get a good quality drill press or used mill to handling the smaller holes. This will give you much more flexibility than a hydraulic iron worker. Don't even think of a mechanical iron worker.

Cyclotronguy · Oct 5, 2022

Ditto on the Powermax: in my regard it allowed me to move away from the manual band / cut-off saw.

dana gear · Oct 5, 2022

If your going new, check out Uni-Hydro. The price is allways been resonable.
There great machines, just alittle over looked, I have 4 of them and have never had a single problem with them, two of them are over 16 years old.
They make there own punches and dies at very good pricing.

BT Fabrication · Oct 6, 2022

yep 1000% on the hypertherm, I have had a little 30 for years and is fantastic. just upgraded and spent the 6K on a brand new sync(yet to plug it in due to no time to tinker) but got a smoking deal on it and needed something a bit bigger as the 30 could cut 3/8" and half but was slow. mostly used it to blow holes in things, cut large plates down and blow out welds. Used I had found one years ago for $1000 and only been through 7-8 contact tips in that time. Just the new sync tips are all one piece and $75 each compared to each part was $10-15 before.

BT Fabrication · Oct 6, 2022

dkmc said:
Edwards quality may have improved over the years? I know their prices have increaed a lot. I have a 50 ton from the late '80's and it's obviously built to the lowest possible price point, similar to agricultural equipment. The 3600 rpm motor and pump scream, sound similar to a stuck car horn. Numerous other small details hint of cheapness throughout. It does the job.....barely. It's a bit humorous that, if you punch holes at the machines rated capacity, the shock from the shear action upsets the machine to the point the magnetic contactor drops out, shuts the motor off. This is with brand new tooling, not abused, dull crap. And A36 plate, not leaf springs.....

quality I have on them isn't bad, been able to punch some pretty large 1 1/8" holes in 5/8" plate with 60 ton no problem and shear 12" wide 3/8 plate like butter.
a couple small user gripes like said above, and wishing I didnt have to change the punch out every time I want to put the press brake on it.

but after changing my table, and taking 2 min to set the hard stops i built, i can punch out 80- 100 holes in as little as 10 min. 100X faster then drilling 3/4" holes at 1 per minute manually. and no deburring afterwards.

metalmagpie · Oct 13, 2022

I have a Scotchman 314 with the angle shear attachment and the notcher attachment and the 6" press brake attachment and a pretty comprehensive set of punches and dies. I have had this machine about 20 years and have done lots of work with it including fabrication jobs that brought me in lots of money. It has a modest footprint and doesn't need much maintenance. I think a small ironworker is entirely appropriate for a home shop.

metalmagpie

Servicar rider · Nov 29, 2022

Nothing wrong with a Scotchman. I once worked for a company that had a Scotchman and a Pirana and everybody used and liked the Pirana better.

cg285 · Nov 29, 2022

METALpro - Homepage

110 volts never worked so hard! MetalPro creates the best ironworkers and tube & pipe benders in its class. Built with our customers in mind, our machines rival top-of-the-line competitors in power, precision, and lifespan - at half the price.

www.metalprocorp.com

40, 45 or 50 ton

memphisjed · Nov 29, 2022

Servicar rider said:
Nothing wrong with a Scotchman. I once worked for a company that had a Scotchman and a Pirana and everybody used and liked the Pirana better.

That would be a no brainer. You have piranha and then the rest of the list begins.

Nmbmxer · Nov 29, 2022

I think the hydraulic ones are a lot safer than mechanical ones, especially for a casual user that isn't used to operating one. I've not personally seen someone get hurt on a hydraulic one but have seen smashed fingers from trying to hit two interlocks then grab the part before the punch hits on a mechanical.

Ironworker for hobby shop

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