Thoughts on this Shear?

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Shear I've been looking at...36" wide.

A pin needs to be welded back in on the left side bottom. You can see it sitting in the middle of the top part there. Right now, you can only use the right part of the blade to cut. I was able to cut a pretty thick piece of steel pushing down on the right side. Not sure of the gauge, but I'm guessing it was about 16. Definitely thicker than normal automotive sheet metal, which is what I'll be using one for.

He's asking $250 for it...I'll have to rent a truck to move it, so it will cost me over $300 if I can't talk him down any farther.

Should I buy this and fix it? I have a welder and can weld the pin back in. Or should I wait to find another one?

 

[vssjim]

Pexto is a top knotch company

 

[PAToyota]

I'd jump on it. Not sure about "welding a pin in" there - looks like a pivot point.

And over $50 for a truck? No friends? Heck buy a couple sheets of plywood from Lowes, rent their truck for $20, and pick the shear up on the way home.

 

[goodfellow]

And over $50 for a truck? No friends? Heck buy a couple sheets of plywood from Lowes, rent their truck for $20, and pick the shear up on the way home.

Now there is a great idea!!!


I'd get it for that price -- they are indestructable. You may have to have the blade reground, but that's relatively inexpensive.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I'd jump on it. Not sure about "welding a pin in" there - looks like a pivot point.

There's a similar pin in the same spot on the right side.

And over $50 for a truck? No friends? Heck buy a couple sheets of plywood from Lowes, rent their truck for $20, and pick the shear up on the way home.

I think I need a truck with a hydraulic lift gate. I'd need a bunch of people just to lift it a short distance. This thing is "extremely" heavy. I'm no weakling, used to work out a lot, and I can barely lift it.

 

[goodfellow]

Will a foldup 2 ton engine hoist lift it? I picked up, and unloaded a 750 LB mill/drill by myself using my engine hoist. I disassembled the hoist, put it in the back of my truck and then moved the mill/drill without much fuss.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Will a foldup 2 ton engine hoist lift it? I picked up, and unloaded a 750 LB mill/drill by myself using my engine hoist. I disassembled the hoist, put it in the back of my truck and then moved the mill/drill without much fuss.

Yeah, I'm sure that would work. I think the truck with hydraulic lift will be okay, though, b/c I have these little three wheeled dollys I can put underneath each leg to move the thing, then it's just a matter of getting it on the truck.

Anybody else have any thoughts/suggestions on the shear itself?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

36" is not very wide, I'd love to have a 48" but actually passed on even calling on a 36" that has been for sale for quite a while in the Atlanta area. Pexto is still in business, I'd spend the money and buy the pin, rather than ruin the shear welding on it.

Charles

 

[rsanter]

I think its worth the price

if it was near me I might have to recomend that you pass on the deal (so I could get it)

bob

 

[danski0224]

You can get 36" Pexto shears that actually work for $500 to $750 all day, almost any day on eBay... 48" ones around $1200. Some of those actually have the front support arms.

Pexto is no longer in business, they were bought out by Roper Whitney.

I would make sure that the part you need is still available... unless you know someone that can make one for you.

That shear is worth not much more than scrap value. I'd offer $50 as I walked out the door.

It obviously has not been used for a long time and has not been taken care of.

Unless you are bent on getting one locally, and have the ability to fix this one, I would keep looking.

 

[eschoendorff]

You can get 36" Pexto shears that actually work for $500 to $750 all day, almost any day on eBay... 48" ones around $1200. Some of those actually have the front support arms.

Pexto is no longer in business, they were bought out by Roper Whitney.

I would make sure that the part you need is still available... unless you know someone that can make one for you.

That shear is worth not much more than scrap value. I'd offer $50 as I walked out the door.

It obviously has not been used for a long time and has not been taken care of.

Unless you are bent on getting one locally, and have the ability to fix this one, I would keep looking.

Seems like sound advice...

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I was planning on getting it, but in the end my gut told me to pass. I was worried that I'd buy it, get it home, then not be able to fix it to get it working properly. This was the first one I've looked at, and figure another one will come along that I'll feel more comfortable about getting.

 

[wilbilt]

I think I need a truck with a hydraulic lift gate. I'd need a bunch of people just to lift it a short distance. This thing is "extremely" heavy. I'm no weakling, used to work out a lot, and I can barely lift it.

My brother-in-law acquired a 48" PEXTO shear. I was elected to help him unload it.
We built a ramp from multiple thicknesses of plywood and braced it. Even so, it damn near killed us.

I don't know what it weighed, but once it started downhill, there was no stopping it.

 

[Brad54]

I bought a SMALL one, up in Ohio. It's 30 inches wide, in perfect shape, will cut paper, and was $200.
I too agonized about the size of it...30 inches really isn't too wide. Or, more to the point, 4x8 sheet goods are 4x8! With this 30-incher, I can't lop off a full width piece of metal.
And then I got to thinking about it. If you're cutting a 4x8 sheet, you're probably only cutting it once. After that, you're cutting much smaller pieces. it's very, very rare that you need a piece that big for a project. And truthfully, in our hobby shops, a shear really isn't a necessary piece of equipment. We can get by with hand snips, cut-off wheels and electric or air nibblers. But when you find a good price on one, a shear sure is fun to have!
I figure most of my projects are smaller, so the smaller shear will do fine. Plus, it won't take up a huge footprint in my shop.

My dad and brother took it for a "test drive" and reported that it was everything the seller said. It's currently in my brother's garage, until I go up for Thanksgiving to get it.

-Brad

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I bought a SMALL one, up in Ohio. It's 30 inches wide, in perfect shape, will cut paper, and was $200.
I too agonized about the size of it...30 inches really isn't too wide. Or, more to the point, 4x8 sheet goods are 4x8! With this 30-incher, I can't lop off a full width piece of metal.
And then I got to thinking about it. If you're cutting a 4x8 sheet, you're probably only cutting it once. After that, you're cutting much smaller pieces. it's very, very rare that you need a piece that big for a project. And truthfully, in our hobby shops, a shear really isn't a necessary piece of equipment. We can get by with hand snips, cut-off wheels and electric or air nibblers. But when you find a good price on one, a shear sure is fun to have!
I figure most of my projects are smaller, so the smaller shear will do fine. Plus, it won't take up a huge footprint in my shop.

My dad and brother took it for a "test drive" and reported that it was everything the seller said. It's currently in my brother's garage, until I go up for Thanksgiving to get it.

-Brad

I'd like to get a 52" shear...but I can just imagine how ungodly heavy that would be. I can just imagine Willbilt moving that 48" shear. Trust me, this 36" shear was SOLID. I'm guessing maybe 400 lbs.

I think 36" will be fine...I can't ever imagine cutting anything 4X8 size. I'll get a 30" one if I find a really good deal. But 36" should be ideal. I figure I'll have it for the next 30 years or so, so I wanted to be sure when I bought one that I'd be happy with it.

I don't need a 400 lb. paperweight!

 

[danski0224]

I'd like to get a 52" shear...but I can just imagine how ungodly heavy that would be. I can just imagine Willbilt moving that 48" shear. Trust me, this 36" shear was SOLID. I'm guessing maybe 400 lbs.

I think 36" will be fine...I can't ever imagine cutting anything 4X8 size. I'll get a 30" one if I find a really good deal. But 36" should be ideal. I figure I'll have it for the next 30 years or so, so I wanted to be sure when I bought one that I'd be happy with it.

I don't need a 400 lb. paperweight!

Four reasonably strong guys can easily move a 36" shear... just put 2 4 x 4 chunks of wood under the shear bed as handles and lift.

Moving a 52" shear (48") is not much harder. A couple of Johnson bars and heavy duty furniture dollies make it easier... probably around 250# or so more than the 36" version.

A true 30" shear lacks modern safety devices like a material holddown. It is also quite old- nothing wrong with that though.

While you might not cut 48" wide material, diagonal cuts can easily get to 36" width.

Shears are top heavy, so expect some fun if you just plop one in a pickup truck and take off.

A local sheet metal shop might be willing to sell an underutilized piece of equipment... doesn't hurt to ask around.