Plate rolls

[Welderpaul]

Need to invest again

Need a decent set of plate rolls that will roll 10mm plate max. Ideally 3m width but would settle for a bit less.

Which are the decent makes to be looking for?

And what's 'double pinch'?

 

[Hitch]

Double pinch, top roll is central to the moving lower rolls, you can go from a flat plate to a rolled cylinder from either side of the machine.

Easy on ours, they can be used either way, the 2 bottom rolls move independently. Prebend from either side, then set even to roll it up.

If you only have single pinch, you would need to prebend each side, by turning the plate round. You don't want to be doing that. Infact, i dont think i have seen heavy ones like that.

 

[Welderpaul]

One to watch for then, cheers.
They the same as a section roller then? All rolls are driven?

So, prebending both ends of a plate; rolling up a cylinder...the plate will need to be shoved right into the machine so the edge of the plate is on the centre line of a bottom roll, top roll comes down-bends. Does it start to slip off the bottom roll?
If it is any further over the bottom roll you will end up with a flat portion on the jointed edge?

Options seem to be..Initial Pinch / Double Pinch / Pyramid Pinch /Pyramid What's best to go for?

 

[Hitch]

All 3 are powered on ours, not sure about all of them though, i think some are just the 2 lowered as powered rolls.

To prebend you can grip the sheet with 2, then bring the back roller up, to form it round the top roll, then roll through as a flat and pre bend the other end of the sheet, then level them up and roll it up. The weight of the sheet is sometimes a pain, it will pull out some of the roll if unsupported, being able to tweak once rolled is usefull- i use the 2rolls to push the join together for tacking up half the time. Even if youve made a tiny bit of a 6 or 9 out of it, moving the join left or right and one up and one down can true it up a little to get the edges in line.


Like this.....

 

[Welderpaul]

What happens if you try roll it once its tacked up? What diameter are the rolls on yours?

We've some 200*10 flat to roll for some landing stringers, any tips for shoving it in straight? Worth fabbing up a squaring arm or just do it by eye?

 

[Hitch]

Just end up with an egg if you try and roll it once its welded together. Stretches and then theres no where for it to go.
Think they are about 250 diameter, maybe slightly more.

Eye is normally good enough, if youve got a lot to do might be worth marking the floor....? Bottom rolls on them have guides to assist in getting the sheet in straight.

 

[Welderpaul]

Bigger than it looks then. Few ton there. Does 10mm over it's full width? Where's the guides on the bottom rolls? side guides or markings on the rolls?
I've given rings a quick bit of a roll over the weld if they have not been quite right - as long as you don't go right round it comes out ok.

 

[Hitch]

Longways, on the rolls Just a few small grooves full length.
Think they are 10mm capacity.

 

[hotrodder]

Much heavier stuff than i play with but just to complicate things more there are also 4 roller double pinch which are supposed to be 'the daddy'. As i understand it the extra roll completley seperates the pinching from the forming making them faster/easier to use and more versatile

Don't know whether it's normal to rate them this way but these will roll 14mm but only pre bend 11mm... http://www.qualimach.co.uk/machine_7449_FACCIN_3HEL_3128.php

 

[astro_al]

I did this about 6 months ago. There are some good vids showing how each roller type operates, on YouTube I think, they were simple computer animations.

It's probably worth contacting Keith Senior at Qualimach, he was offering me some real good deals at the time on the kind of size machine you're after.

Al.

 

[Welderpaul]

You bought much off them Al? I've had a few machines from there, pricey but they seem to give them a decent look over and know what they are doing.
There's quite a few chancers around selling painted-up rubbish.

 

[astro_al]

I'm in the process of doing so.

In my experience they are honest and straightforward about what they've got. Like anyone, the price is a starting point for negotiation, as long as your not trying to take the p.

Based on recent experience I'd recommend them. They've been real good to me so far.

Al

 

[Welderpaul]

Yeah, i'd agree. We had some teething problems with our big guillotine we bought off them, they sent a fella over within the hour to show us where we were being stupid with it. Had a walk round their warehouse?....mega!..

 

[astro_al]

Not yet, no, I need to pop up soon and pick up half a tool to install before they deliver the other half. Looking forward to having a good old look around while I'm at it!

Cheers, Al.