Anybody have any experience with the cheaper ones (under $200)? Am looking to get one for use on 24 to 16 gauge. The Eastwood 11797 looks ok...Speedway sells one from Woodward Fab... Any advice??? Thanks
they work just fine for 18 gauge and thinner... I took the blades off and put them in the oven for around 400* to temper them to prevent chipping prior to use. I've cut some 16 with it, but I really hate to abuse tools.
Which did you buy? The Speedway, Woodward Fab and Baileigh look pretty much identical.... The Eastwood and HF look the same... Is there any advantage to the round blades or curved type?? Thanks-
i have the HF one.. I only use it for trims I dont care about, or getting me within 1/8" of where I want to be, so I can hand snip it at the end. I use it on 19ga 99% of the time, and will eventually upgrade to a true beverly, but I use it damn near everyday.
I have the Woodward Fab one in my shop and it has worked great for me. Really made making and triming odd shaped patch panels much easy to cut out.
I have one from Woodward Fab that I've used for about three years I really like it and have had no problems cutting 18 or 16 gauge. I have the ten inch model not sure what the model number is Hobo Jim
We have one from Woodward Fab at our shop for a few years now. It gets used pretty heavy on 20 gauge and almost as much with 18 gauge. It works really well. I don't use it for 16 gauge and heavier, as I can use the plasma cutter for that. I would buy another.
I have a cheap one too. Needs to be tuned up every once in awhile. Tighten the handle then the linkages then adjust the blades. Mine is on a bench and if i lift the handle too high the blades open past each other. If it is out of tune they will collide when the handle comes down. Thats my only complaint. I love the tools that are quiet and require no electricity.
I have the HF model. It has been working fine. Lots of cuts over several years with no adjustments.It is OK for a hobbyist.
I bought the cheapo from HF about five years ago and after adjusting the blade mesh it works great. I use it mostly to trim patch panels in 18 gauge cold rolled steel. It is solidly mounted to a steel fab table. Replacement blades are stocked at the local HF.
I too am wondering if one (rotary verses fixed blade) is any better than the other??? As of right now looks like I am learning towards the Woodward Fab one only because Speedway carries it and I need to order some stuff from them anyhow, that and the fact it has gotten some ok's from the folks here...
I was gifted ( yeah, OK ) a throatless shear from my last employer. Was probably 50 years old. Worked great. My dumbass let it go on a "bundle" deal with a '53 Stude I sold. Been kickin' my own damn ass since!
I prefer the Rotary shear I have two of them from Sikes Pickavant one is used in the shop for the last 15 years and i have one at home. My personal opinion is that they provide a better cut than the beverley type and a bit more versatile. I got mine from. Fournier Enterprises http://www.fournierenterprises.com/
I bought a Beverly model B1 for use in my business (Classic Fabrication Inc) 0ver 30 years ago. It was used almost every day to cut 18 gauge stainless (16 gauge mild). In all of those years it never had to be adjusted in any way and is still sharp today. I believe I got what I paid for ! LoL.
I was told, by my metalshaping instructor, that the throatless shear was one of the few tools that was worth buying from HF, because the more expensive brands did not offer a significant advantage vs. the cost. I don't have one though, I've been saving pennies for a rotary shear from Baileigh (Alliance Vendor too).
We have a Harbor Freight throatless shear, after damaging the first set of blades we bought a second set, they are now damaged (on the HF site the reviews talk about brittleness being an issue) and you can't buy new blades, I think I will look at the Fournier Enterprises product.
I believe the rotary shear is around $100. The one at the shop did need a new blade after some abuse we used it to cut .125 aluminum. Not recommend!
I've got the HF and it has paid for itself many times over, and works fine, at least at my skill level. I'm not a metalworker, though: More of a metalhacker. Picked up a spare set of blades on clearance at HF, but the originals work fine.
I can say that ours are underrated. I regularly cut 16 gauge with my EW shear with no issues and have for years. They do need adjustment out of the box to get the tolerances set right, but work well after that. We also offer extra blades and are a Alliance member FWIW.
Thanks for posting this Rex. I have been wanting to get a bench shear and didn't know what was the best bang for the buck!
Well we bought the Woodward Fab. from Speedway. Right out the box the kids started using it without any tuning/tweaking - burned through 24 gauge like butter (it had better!!) for the toolbox projects they are making. Couple other kids used it on 18 gauge (more realistic test of its capabilities) while making some patch panels (again without any adjustments to the machine) and it worked good. So I guess I would recommend the Woodward Fab with the limited experience we've had with it...
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