Hi Folks,
I'm looking to improve the way I do my sheet metal at present as my method at present is just born of what limited tools I have with a limited knowledge of whats possible/ available.
I'm looking for a bit of input re the best tools for the job here, any suggesting welcome!
This is what I want to be able to do;
I need to make boxes with one open end. Ideally the sheet would be cut out (lengths up to approx 6ft x 1ft) allowing for a 3/4" tab to run down the length and on one end. These should have 1/4 holes drill/ punched in.
The tabs would then be folded followed by folds in the relevant places to form the shape of box required (different sizes of rectangle).
The box is fixed with 1/4" copper rivets.
The rectangular base of the box is then measured up, cut out, drilled/ punched, dropped into the bottom of the box to sit of the tabs already present and riveted in place with 1/4" copper rivets.
Steel is 0.9mm SS.
Cutting is not a problem at present. I will need a folder with capacity enough to be able to make the first fold to form the tabs so it'll need at least a 6ft bed. It must be a box/ pan as I also make lots of odd shaped and sized ash pans etc. I've been noticing some old Edwards imperial folder come up on eBay so may look into this further. I already have a 2ft Edwards box pan but he's not really up to it. I do occasionally bend 2mm mild in 17" lengths.
Punching drilling- this bit seems clearer to me. A fly press would surely do the job no problem? If I wanted to be able to punch through 3mm and 4mm stock as well (say up to 5/16"-3/8") I'd obviously need a heavier tool. It would be nice to invest in something fairly versatile for other jobs/ projects. Is a 6T press a pretty good allrounder? I'm not expecting to knock 100 x 1" holes through 3/8" plate in an afternoon!
Riveting- I'd like to use the fly press for this as well, I'd presume it could be used as a "squeeze riveter" in this way? Especially with small OD soft rivets like the ones proposed? Problem is how could you rivet a bottom into a box that's 1ft deep? Same goes for the seam that joins the sides? Perhaps I could find a press that unbolts from its bed and make up a custom one to hold a die for the riveting and have two presses set up next to each other, a lighter one set up specifically for riveting and the other for punching/ forming/ bending etc?
Anyway, there's a lot of questions there.
Cheers,
Olly
I'm looking to improve the way I do my sheet metal at present as my method at present is just born of what limited tools I have with a limited knowledge of whats possible/ available.
I'm looking for a bit of input re the best tools for the job here, any suggesting welcome!
This is what I want to be able to do;
I need to make boxes with one open end. Ideally the sheet would be cut out (lengths up to approx 6ft x 1ft) allowing for a 3/4" tab to run down the length and on one end. These should have 1/4 holes drill/ punched in.
The tabs would then be folded followed by folds in the relevant places to form the shape of box required (different sizes of rectangle).
The box is fixed with 1/4" copper rivets.
The rectangular base of the box is then measured up, cut out, drilled/ punched, dropped into the bottom of the box to sit of the tabs already present and riveted in place with 1/4" copper rivets.
Steel is 0.9mm SS.
Cutting is not a problem at present. I will need a folder with capacity enough to be able to make the first fold to form the tabs so it'll need at least a 6ft bed. It must be a box/ pan as I also make lots of odd shaped and sized ash pans etc. I've been noticing some old Edwards imperial folder come up on eBay so may look into this further. I already have a 2ft Edwards box pan but he's not really up to it. I do occasionally bend 2mm mild in 17" lengths.
Punching drilling- this bit seems clearer to me. A fly press would surely do the job no problem? If I wanted to be able to punch through 3mm and 4mm stock as well (say up to 5/16"-3/8") I'd obviously need a heavier tool. It would be nice to invest in something fairly versatile for other jobs/ projects. Is a 6T press a pretty good allrounder? I'm not expecting to knock 100 x 1" holes through 3/8" plate in an afternoon!
Riveting- I'd like to use the fly press for this as well, I'd presume it could be used as a "squeeze riveter" in this way? Especially with small OD soft rivets like the ones proposed? Problem is how could you rivet a bottom into a box that's 1ft deep? Same goes for the seam that joins the sides? Perhaps I could find a press that unbolts from its bed and make up a custom one to hold a die for the riveting and have two presses set up next to each other, a lighter one set up specifically for riveting and the other for punching/ forming/ bending etc?
Anyway, there's a lot of questions there.
Cheers,
Olly