I recently got tool that is a combination Shear, Bending Brake,
and rolling mill. My problem is that I can’t get the shear to
work properly. Rather than cutting the metal consistantly, it
will occasionaly pull the metal down between the blade and the
bed of the shear. Am missing some obvious adjustment or a
missing part? It came from Harbor Freight and is very light on
instructions. Thanks - Deb
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It’s a slip rolls, not a rolling mill. Used to bend sheet
metal into cylindrical shapes, like hoops (bracelets),
ventilating ducts (holloware), or what ever. Still a quite
useful tool. But it does not make sheet metal thinner. -
The shears on these are a bit lightweight. Don’t exceed the
guage rating stated. Also, sheet metal will shear more cleanly
if it is NOT annealed. Some alloys, when annealed, get so
ductile that the shear simply cannot “break” the sheet, but as
you’ve noted, simply stretches it between the blades. You may
be able to increase the tension holding the blades in contact,
But I don’t recall it clearly enough to be sure. Shims, perhaps.
Be sure, though, that you carefully think out what you’re doing
to the tool geometry before you mess with it. No tool is
perfectly rigid. Everything flexes at least a little. Increasing
tension to hold two pieces (the shear blades) in close contact
will also increase wear rates. So if this problem is only
occasional, then I’d simply remember that just because it Looks
like a big solid device does not guarantee that it will perform
as well as a big foot operated kick shear. Some of that Chinese
made equipment is an excellent value. And some of it illustrates
that at the price you paid, some compromises had to be made.
But even my rather more expensive Profiform shear/brake (without
the slip rolls) does the same thing, now and then, if I give it
really soft fully annealed sheet.
Peter Rowe
Deb, I just got a Jet combination apparently just like yours,
and have the same problem. I’ve been told that it is an
adjustment. I’ve tried to line up the shear and the bed so that
it would cut paper, but still have the same problem with copper.
I’m interested in the answer too.
Greg Iverson
Seattle, where it’s raining.
Lee Marshall at Bonneydoone.com had a poor report on the 12"
version of this tool a while back someplace. Your problem is too
much clearance between the moveable blade and the fixed blade.
This is either because the machine is set up with the blade too
loose, the machine is too flimsey or you are trying to cut
something too heavy or too strong (like stainless steel). Shear
clearance between the blades should be no more than 10% of the
metal to be cut for soft metals. You will have to check this out
fix it if possible or send the machine back. Jesse
Harbor Freight tools had a great metal shear (avaiable only in
the catalog) mine was only $56. and works great. Many other
meembers in our metals guild have them too. Sue