Man I would love one of these pieces of equipment. the Geka is suposed to be about the best there is but its PRICY!!. Scotchman has a home shop one for about 4500, but its kinda small.
CK5
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I want to buy an iron worker
- Thread starter rdn2blazer
- Start date
Jimbo*
1/2 ton status
You need to check out this thread, very informative.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/22/838.html
Too bad you're not closer, I could hook you up with a mechanical Buffalo.
Jimbo
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/22/838.html
Too bad you're not closer, I could hook you up with a mechanical Buffalo.
Jimbo
thats funny, I found that same thread online, yes it IS very informative. Im sure the 45 home/shop Scotchman for 4500 bucks would be fine for me. I would not be doing production work of any kind. I just dig the quality of the Geka. I doubt I will ever own one, probably will end up with a Scotchman.
I thought the Perhana's were a good piece, but apparently not bassed on that thread. so atleast I know what to steer clear of.
Jimbo*
1/2 ton status
Try to find one at an auction, the price won't be much cheaper than a new one, but there is usually a bunch of tooling that makes the deal.
As you know, tooling can quickly surpass the price of the machine.
Jimbo
As you know, tooling can quickly surpass the price of the machine.
Jimbo
After Ours
1/2 ton status
I have the scotchman porta fad 45...One of the best investments I made. I have a brake and a tube notcher that bolt up in a matter of minutes. I hate drilling holes. I punched 100, 9/16 holes in 1/4 steel in about 15min....that would have taken 15 days with a drill.....well woth the money.
That is bad ass, did you buy it new? what kind of deformation does it make in the steel around the hole? does it remain fairly flat? the notcher and brake were extra correct?
After Ours
1/2 ton status
It was new. The deforming is little to none in most cases, the bigger the hole and thinner the metal the bigger the chance. Most can be hammered flat.
The notcher was extra and worth it, I save 30 mins on my tube doors. The brake was also extra, but I can now bend brackets/bumpers in house...well worth it.
Scothcman is made in the U.S.A. nothing comes from outside countries. Call them up, they are very proud of that fact.
The notcher was extra and worth it, I save 30 mins on my tube doors. The brake was also extra, but I can now bend brackets/bumpers in house...well worth it.
Scothcman is made in the U.S.A. nothing comes from outside countries. Call them up, they are very proud of that fact.
They also have a decent lease program if you have a business. I went and checked out a 5014 model which is the next one up from the Porta-fab the real only difference is the 5014 has a bigger flat bar shear and its 5tons more powerfull. The large minus in my book is its three phase power and it weighs 1275 lbs. The porta-fab 45 is 110 and weighs 640. I am probally going to get the Porta-fab 45 and build a rolling stand for it.
darkshadow
1 ton status
I always used a Piranha in the shop i used to work in.
VERY versatile would punch in on it all day, had a ton of jigs set up on it to do all sorts of things
VERY versatile would punch in on it all day, had a ton of jigs set up on it to do all sorts of things
the welding school I recieved my certs at has a big Peranha and it worked very well. dont know why the general consenses it the link that was posted earlier said basically they were no good, but hell I know I like to have one over nothing for sure.
darkshadow
1 ton status
well there not liked as much because the pivot at the rear, and the other workers have duel pistons and move strait up and down, with the piranha there can be some ware on the one side of the dies (closest in) I don't know the capacity's but the iron workers like you posted can go much higher tonnage then the piranha.
I used to use one for ornamental welding I made TONS AND TONS AND TONS of fences, railings mostly .100, .120, .135. and it did it all NO problem, lots of .250+ stainless (cant drill) no problem.
we also had jigs to bend pickets on railing and all sorts of things.
I might be able to buy it off my old boss when he retires in a few years
I used to use one for ornamental welding I made TONS AND TONS AND TONS of fences, railings mostly .100, .120, .135. and it did it all NO problem, lots of .250+ stainless (cant drill) no problem.
we also had jigs to bend pickets on railing and all sorts of things.
I might be able to buy it off my old boss when he retires in a few years
