Request for help related with a Mini Shearing and Bending Brake tool

Hello all!

I bought an 8" Mini Shear and Bending Brake from ArcEuroTrade (AET) and have already proceeded to clean and assembly it as recommended, I think. The manual that come with the tool apparently is not written by someone whose mother tongue is English and only supports assembling.
After mounting already tried to cut and bend thin metal sheet and was impressed.
But, as I've never used a tool like this, I'm afraid of not having it tuned properly.
If anybody own a tool like the one I bought I would like to know:
1 - Is it normal to hear the two blades rubbing on each other when moving the blade up and down without cutting any material?
2 - What criteria shall I use for the tuning of the laminae of the shearing part?
2 - Is there any recommendation that I should follow to not make mistakes and get the most out of the tool?
3 - On the site of AET no reference to the replacement blades. What to do if and when the blades become blunt?

Thanks in advance
Dias Costa

Edited By dcosta on 12/09/2013 19:26:32

Point 1 is normal as far as I am aware. Unable to answer 2 and 2. For point 3 - replacement blades are available even though not shown on website. Will get them on site soon.

Hi Dias,

Have you directec these questions to Arc themselves, from past experience Ketan is more than helpful in answering queries.

I suspect there will be some contact of the blades as they perform a shearing action, much like a larger version of hand operated metal shears. If there was clearance between the blades, there would be the potential for thinner material to be drawn in between the blades and distorted and not properly cut.

regards

CB

This product was originally sold by Micromark in U.S.A. Have a look at their manual, to see if it is any better than the manual which came with the machine:

http://www.micromark.com/html_pages/instructions/84734i/84734-shear-brake.pdf

Hello Graeme, good to “hear” you.

CB: Have you directec these questions to Arc themselves, from past experience Ketan is more than helpful in answering queries.
DC: No, I did adress to Arc a message with some other questions

CB: I suspect there will be some contact of the blades as they perform a shearing action, much like a larger version of hand operated metal shears. If there was clearance between the blades, there would be the potential for thinner material to be drawn in between the blades and distorted and not properly cut.
DC: I think you are right. And it's also logical. However once I didn't try the shearing mechanism before disassemble some parts of the tool, following the instructions in the assembly manual, I feared I not remember the original position.

Thank you for your help
Dias Costa

Commercial shears do indeed work with a slight gap between the blades (as do punches etc). As I recall, about 10% of the thickness of the material being cut is the rule-of-thumb.

I have a 12" shear/roll/bender and it has adjustment screws to set the blade clearance. And if adjustment screws are provided, presumably they are intended to be used. You didn't mention it, Dias, but does your 8" machine have the adjustment screws?

It's possible, if the machine is made for only very thin material, that they simply don't bother with the blade clearance but thicker sheets are likely to give rather high loads.

That said, it can be pretty fiddly to get an optimal setting on these little machines (also depends a bit on how hard/soft the material is).

Hi Dias,

These are the instructions for adjusting the blade on your Shear/Brake

Tighten the screws slightly, alternating between them to advance the upper cutter toward the raised
lower blade. When contact is made across the entire blade length, lower the lower blade and attempt to
shear a single sheet of paper. If the blades jam, you will need to push the upper blade back in slightly. If
the paper bends upward, the upper blade must be advanced forward with the screw(s) on that side until
you can successfully shear the paper. Once the shearing action is correct, fully tighten the 4 top screws
and tighten the nuts down on the adjuster screws without moving the screws.

regards

CB

Keep within the specified thickness of metal being cut, or bent (Q 2 . 2). Ian S C

Hello Ketan.

Firstly thank you for paying attention to my post and give me some information that helps me to feel more secure in using the 8” Mini Shearing and Bending Tool.
Secondly I have to apologize for not having read end to end the Assembly and Operating Instructions accompanying the tool before writing my post. The fact that I have found several orthographic errors led me to move ahead without giving it the attention I should.
The manual you recommended me, although it is written in better English has essentially a similar content of yours. However there are some differences (eg: on the use of T-Block).
Amalgamating both manuals, something I intend to do after knowing better the tool, I hope I'll get a better manual.
I take this opportunity to provide you with the corrected address for the Mikromark manual: http://www.micromark.com/html_pages/instructions/84734i/84734-shear-brake.pdf

Thank you
Dias Costa

OK Dias,

Good luck and have fun with your new tool.

Hello OMG. Good after noon.

Thank you for the information.

OMG: Commercial shears do indeed work with a slight gap between the blades (as do punches etc). As I recall, about 10% of the thickness of the material being cut is the rule-of-thumb.
DC: When possible I will try to use your recipe and give account of the results in the forum.

OMG: I have a 12 "shear/roll/bender and it has adjustment screws to set the blade clearance. And if adjustment screws are provided, presumably they are intended to be used. You didn't mention it, Dias, but does your 8" machine have the adjustment screws?
DC: Yes it has. But I did not dare to change its position. I simply push the blade strongly against them and pressed strongly screws retaining plate.

OMG: It's possible, if the machine is only made for very thin material, that they simply don't bother with the blade clearance but thicker sheets are likely to give rather high loads.
DC: As I wrote above this is not the case.

OMG: That said, it can be pretty fiddly to get an optimal setting on these little machines (also depends a bit on how hard/soft the material is).
DC: Yes, I think you're right and I will surely have a lot to learn by practice wishing, however, not to make big mistakes that ruin the blades prematurely.

Thank you
Dias Costa

Hello Graeme. Good afternoon.

Thank you for the precious information.

I'll try to follow your directions. For now, the tool is working and I dared to cut with it thin aluminium sheet and paper.

After having disassembled parts of the tool for cleaning and lubrication, I re-assembled it, and simply pushed the blade strongly against the adjustment screws and pressed tightly the retaining plate screws.

Best regards
Dias Costa