I just picked up a '62 Vibro-Shear. I know it's not a Pullmax, but does anyone know where I can buy some Shrinking/ Stretching dies? For cheap. I'm not talking $500 for a set of 4. I can always just make them but I'd like to atleast buy the shrinking dies.. And ebay is not helping.. Thanks.
Pullmax and Cheap do not go together. Unless you get real lucky,or make your own stuff. Hotmetalcustoms.com wants $400. Haven't seen thumbnail dies anywhere else for less. I'd be making my own.
There are enough pics available online,eg Clay Cook's site, and www.Allshops.org that you shouldn't have a problem making thumbnail shrinking dies from the pics. Most home built thumbnail dies use a 1/2" diameter pin, 15 degrees from horizontal. The shanks need to be square, the head of the dies can be round. Doming and stretching dies are even easier,if you have access to the equipment to make them.
Great thanks. I've used pullmax's and Larger power hammer's before, like yoder's and such. So I have a rough idea on the shape of a thumbnail die. I'm just not sure on making the upper and lower matching correctly.
No expert here, but I made a set where I just tack welded the two halves together - drilled the "15deg" hole - I left it blind so I could BOLT IN a dowel pin - and replace it later if I wanted to experiment with different shapes. Anyways, then I "broke" the pieces apart - put the Upper piece back in the vise and took the boring head to remove a little extra for material clearance. Worked fine for me.
As said already "Pullmax and cheap" don't go together. Check out this site. http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=80 There is a lot of good information there about shaping metal. Hoosier pattern made a set for my Nibbler Medium. There web sit is www.Hoosierpattern.com Joe
Great thanks. $75 for a COLLET WRENCH? Jesus. That better atleast come with a reach around.. But still, great sites.
You get the reach around only when you buy the collet wrench AND the square lower tool holder wrench. Really, I only bought them so I dont screw up $300 worth of collet nuts! Tim @ www.irrationalmetalworks.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmZ32l86Gxs this is how I did it. Tim Doty over on allmetalshaping.com posted a set of real simple plans. Another method to make them? use a 4 jaw chuck on a lathe, turn it offcenter, use the smily face as a closer.. drill and weld the tuck-pin in at 17 degrees from level. Top die can be made with a grinder and lap pad. Anyone who can weld, grind should be able to make something that can shrink. If all else fails.. look up Joe Andrews of Hoosier pattern.. I got a set of his erollers.. I love my old junky cars and trucks.. can't afford anything nice, So I have to make it. I got a buddy with a pullmax, he is a airplane guy.. can't make his own tooling.. thou I gave him the video I had on it.. a pullmax, reciprocating machine is amazing.. the home made one I got.. I can make compound curves I could never do on the english wheel.. It kills me that pullmax is sitting there collecting dust.. My home made stuff is crap compared to a rolls-royce.
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