Does anyone have an Ironworker?

[westcoastkevin]

Does anyone here have an Ironworker?
I am starting to look for one.
I want to be able to punch holes and notch and bend flat bar.

I am curious what you have.
What do you like about it?
What do you wish it could do?

 

[Musicinabottle]

If you want a REAL machine, get a Piranha.

 

[PNWguy]

I've used an Edwards, Piranha, a pre-OSHA (and pre-hydraulic) machine that scared the hell out of me, and seen a good demo on a Scotchman. All three were pretty awesome and I'd buy any of them given the chance.

If I was looking for a used one, I'd try and find something with a lot of dies (or at least available dies). I'd seriously consider the capacity of the machine (do you need 1" holes in 3/4" plate?) before purchase.

In the PNW where I am, they almost never come up for sale. If you live in a place with a big manufacturing base, you might have better luck.

 

[930dreamer]

Metal Muncher;

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/249422845761803

 

[Brand X]

If you want a REAL machine, get a Piranha.

If you are going to use that logic, then buy only a Geka. There are many quality machines that work excellent.

I think you would have no problem cutting a Piranha in half with one of these.

http://www.geka-ironworkers.com/universal-ironworker/two-cylinder/hydracrop-165-300/

 

[lis2323]

I found an older 60 ton Pendinghaus earlier this year. It is mechanical not hydraulic so it cannot bend metal as you mentioned.

It was definitely a luxury item as I am retired but sure wish I had one when I was still farming. I LOVE it!

 

[Musicinabottle]

If you are going to use that logic, then buy only a Geka. There are many quality machines that work excellent.

I think you would have no problem cutting a Piranha in half with one of these.

http://www.geka-ironworkers.com/universal-ironworker/two-cylinder/hydracrop-165-300/

Pissed you off. Iron worker is okay but a Piranha is a cut above. Then you get all flip ****. Why not just use explosives. Geeze,

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I have one of the early Scotchman iron workers by Dvorac. I think this is the first hydraulic iron worker. The shearing and bending stations are all right but the inboard punch is kind of limiting. I picked it up for $400 a few years ago and have a bunch of punches for it including oval and square. It's good for light shop use but would be no match for heavy fab work. Ed.

 

[M35A2]

I bought one last year. I got a 40 ton Cleavland Tool & Steel unit which is just a re-stickered Edwards. Main reason for getting it from CTS was they custom made a set of dies for me so I could stamp a custom part for my sons business. He was having issues with his supplier so I became his new supplier and I got the benefit of the rest of the machine. I got it with a set of punches 1/4” - 1 1/4”, and 8” brake and a notcher. Love the machine and has worked flawless.

 

[Brand X]

Pissed you off. Iron worker is okay but a Piranha is a cut above. Then you get all flip ****. Why not just use explosives. Geeze,

Ironworker is a generic term as posted, not a brand. (IMO) so cut above is including every single Brand of them.. I wonder if you even own one? Unlike most people that replied in this thread, that are trying to give correct info on a ironworker.

 

[matt_i]

Having owned a 66T Peddinghaus mechanical and now a CEC Engineering (modern day MetalMuncher) 35T hydraulic, I'd highly recommend the hydraulic versions!! The Peddinghaus scared me a lot to pull that handle. Not to mention it was *heavy*. I think it went north of 7000 lbs with the base that was added to it. I don't think the hydraulic weighs 2000 lbs.

Clausing now supports the MetalMuncher lineup, what I have is now a MM-40. Even the "small" ironworker is quite capable, it will pop a 1" hole thru a 3/8" A36 plate as fast as you can pull the handle. Remember the classic equation LTS/2000 = punching tons where L = length or perimeter in inches, T = thickness of metal in inches, T = tensile strength of the workpiece in psi.

I really like the press-brake kit which came with it as a factory option, 3/8" x 2" hot rolled flat bar bent 90 degrees in no time at all. Biggest factor was the time to change over from the punch unit to the press brake kit.

Probably budget $400 for a full set of round punches and dies if you didn't get any with it.



Where I work we have a Piranha and I don't like the fact that the punch tooling travels in an arc. Many people have crashed the edge of the punch and die operating it.

 

[dr_clyde]

I've got an Iron Crafter 30-30.

Iron workers are definitely a rough tool that specializes in speed. There's always a better way to do what an iron worker does. But an iron worker does a LOT of stuff in one tool, and it does it FAST.

Holes are usually better drilled or bored, but not much is faster than a punch. And if the quality is acceptable, the punch station on the iron worker is probably the most valuable.

If you make a lot of stuff with angle iron, the angle shear makes quick work of straight cuts.

The flat bar shear is pretty bullet proof.

So if you're gonna punch holes, shear bar and angle, then yeah, an iron worker is a great tool.

The other attachments are usually meh, and better off doing another way.

 

[Milton Shaw]

I have an Edwards 55 ton and I love it. I can punch a dozen holes in the time it takes to drill one for instance. I used it for a lot of iron railings around the house several years ago. It doesn't do everything but what it does it does very fast. The later models also take a bender attachment that they came out with a couple of years after I bought mine. Punches are available from several sources.

 

[LXCam]

Keep the info coming guys. I've wanted one for years and if ala smiles upon me they'll be room for one in the next shop. And even if there isn't, I'll build the damn room.

 

[lis2323]

Keep the info coming guys. I've wanted one for years and if ala smiles upon me they'll be room for one in the next shop. And even if there isn't, I'll build the damn room.

That’s the spirit[emoji481]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sierradmax]

I have a Piranha P65. Great tool with a ton of optional attachments.

 

[MO-Iron]

I currently have a 60 ton scotchman, but prefer a Piranha-50 for the type of work that I do.

Any of the better brands will make you wonder how you ever worked without one!

 

[bimmer1980]

I have the Piranha P50 with the 10 hp motor. The newer versions downsized to a 3 hp.

It came with the punch station on one end. I found on craigslist a 8" press brake attachment for it. I am frequently swapping between the two.

It has a joystick to operate the hydraulic beam. What is helpful is that is has a slow speed and a fast speed that depends on which direction you move the joy stick. So you can ease the shear or the punch down to the mark and then hit the fast speed to punch thru.

Depending on what material thickness you are punching, you can get different punch clearances. If you use a punch clearance for thick metal on thin metal, you get more of a burr.... a quick deburring with a countersink on the drill press cleans it up pretty quickly tho....

 

[Cue]

I have a Metalpro 4000 and love it. I have had it for about 2 years and have punched 1" hole in 1/2 plate just to see if it would do it and it did. I have most of the round dies for it as well. Can get it for around $2500 with a coupon from Zoro or northern tool depending on what sale is going on as well. They also have bending brake for it but I have a large Swag offroad kit I use for that.
https://www.metalprocorp.com/30/MP4000-Ironworker

I also have one of these hooked up to an Electric Hydraulic pump, you could also use a manual hand pump though. Yes its China stuff but has seemed to work OK for me. I have punched 3/8" holes in 1/4" plate just fine, but I use it for mostly lighter stuff as the dies are a little quicker to change.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014M9HI0E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[westcoastkevin]

Thanks for the answers.
Specifically I want:

Cut 1/2" thick x 4" wide flat bar.
Punch 1.25" hole in 1/2" thick.
Bend 1/2" thick x 4" wide flat bar to 90 degrees.

Bonus:
Cut 1/2" thick x 6" wide flat bar.
Cut angle.
Punch holes in Angle.
Anything with Tubes.

I would like to have something for SpringTime for a project.

 

[Milton Shaw]

You need to google "ironworker tonnage calculator" and use it to determine the tonnage you need to be looking at. From what you are listing the 1.25 hole in the 1/2 thick steel is going to take a lot of force. The shear 1/2 plate is not nearly as much force. The bend 1/2x4 into a 90 will take a larger bending die set than my Edwards 55 came with as it will do 1/4 by 8 without any problem. It will also shear 1/2x 14 without a problem. So calculate the load and then start looking. I have mine sitting on a set of machinery movers so I can roll it in out to use and back to get more room. The tube requirements need individual sizes for what ever tube you are using. Notching tube is also done on the extra station on mine with attachment.

 

[dkmc]

I have an Edwards 50 ton "Jaws IV" I bought new 25 years ago.
It's been a very handy machine, and saves a ton (no pun intended) of time on some
of the fab work I get into. They included a complete set of Cleveland punches with it
when I bought it which was a good deal. I treat it more like a machine tool, it's never been abused or overloaded like many used ones I looked at were. I think there are many other higher end brands out there that cost a lot more, and are much better engineered machines, but the Edwards has a lot of capability for the price point IMHO.

 

[Musicinabottle]

Ironworker is a generic term as posted, not a brand. (IMO) so cut above is including every single Brand of them.. I wonder if you even own one? Unlike most people that replied in this thread, that are trying to give correct info on a ironworker.

I don't recall even hinting that I had one. I just worked in a shop for 4 years that had one. My point here before you went all **** was that Piranhas are serious machines.

 

[matt_i]

Thanks for the answers.
Specifically I want:

Cut 1/2" thick x 4" wide flat bar.
Punch 1.25" hole in 1/2" thick.
Bend 1/2" thick x 4" wide flat bar to 90 degrees.

Bonus:
Cut 1/2" thick x 6" wide flat bar.
Cut angle.
Punch holes in Angle.
Anything with Tubes.

I would like to have something for SpringTime for a project.

30 tons should punch that hole in A36 hot rolled.

Press brake depends on the required radius. Bigger radius (wider V block) is less tonnage.

Tubes are no-go. Use a drill bit.