Tools I want

[moon puppy]

What tool would you like to see on the market?

I bought the Elbow Bender from UMM-USA the other week.
http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_100&products_id=28
Along with the punch and die set.
http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=21_145&products_id=3660

I played around with the Elbow bender some last night and found some of it's shortcomings. For one thing, it has recessed hex head screws to secure your work. Well that's kinda cumbersome when you are trying to line up your work and keep everything square. Should be thumb screws IMHO.

The Small Shop makes a great line of PE Folders. I have the 8 inch one.

http://thesmallshop.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=8

Has thumbscrews to secure the work and the hold down plate is spring loaded so when you loosen the screws the hold down plate lifts up and gets out of the way.

I want to see someone combine the two! Put a break/Elbow bender on a PE hold and fold. I know it would cost a good bit but if it's the quality of The Small Shop products it would be worth it.

That's all..

OH and Brass Bazookas! :dude

 

[Iron Mike]

I'm still hoping Ausfwerks brings back the Fender Bender.

http://ausfwerks.com//store/ausfdesign/main.html

If anyone has one they would like to sell, I'm interested! B)

 

[Sherman 18]

I think I know or seen what you guys are talking about but if there could be some pictures I f=would find that to be great.

 

[Iron Mike]

The Fender Bender in action.

http://ausfwerks.com//techniques/FB/main.html

Great site, lots of good tips!

 

[moon puppy]

But not available. If Ausfwerks can't deliver, someone else should.

 

[paddy]

I have a little 2" hold and fold and its all i have ever needed. You can buy thumb screw knobs very cheaply or cut down a couple of Allen keys/Hex wrenches and super gluer them in the cap heads ? you will need to grind them though, a hacksaw will not work

 

[moon puppy]

I thought of that Paddy, don't mind grinding, got a bench grinder in the shop. I guess I could bore out two of the holes and install a couple of light springs. The guys in the maintenance shop wouldn't mind at all. That'll pretty much cover my complaint about the Elbow Bender.

 

[paddy]

with my engineers hat on... the problem i can see for some with a bender like that is setting the PE thickness spot on to the beam/blade gap or you will get a radius bend rather than a sharp right angle. I have flight path PE that is twice as thick as Eduard for example. Any material lost in a bend will make the folded length wrong.

I googled thumb screws and there are hundreds on line if you know the thread size. Trouble is while cheap you might need to buy a box of 50 ... :laugh:

 

[moon puppy]

that's why handy and quick lock down of your work is required. If you don't hit those score lines you've screwed up...ask me how I know

 

[paddy]

No what i mean is the edge that clamps is called the blade. The bit thats lifted and folds is called the beam. You must me able to adjust the distance from the edge of the blade to the beam in the folded position to be exactly the thickness of the PE. if its less it will shear the PE if its more you will get a radius fold.

 

[moon puppy]

I've got some thick PE left over from the old M1A1 Halftrack, maybe some of the thickest I've worked with, I'll give it a shot and see if it's a problem.

 

[Sharkmouth]

For my review of the Fender Bender (on Track-Link) bending brake, I bent a double thickness PE to test it for scratchbuilding.

http://www.track-link.com/reviews/1667

At the bottom, you can see the radius bend Paddy is mentioning. This wouldn't occur (I've checked) with PE sets that have fold lines but for scratch-building, the options are to stack some stock of the appropriate thickness on the bending leaf to lessen the radius. Alternatively, one can score a line with a diamond tipped scriber giving a path of least resistance but I haven't tested that.

I spoke to Jeff about that when I visited to get a new set of T-shirts and he only has one left which he won't sell for sentimental reasons.

I've had most of the popular bending tools and the ones I have kept are the Hold in Fold 2 inch Bug, the 5 Speed, the 8 inch for long bends, and the Fender Bender. I use The bug the most.

Regards,

 

[paddy]

Be careful if the PE is thick you dont damage the edge of the blade.

You can see here the gap is the thickness of the PE between the hatched beam and the clamp blade in the folded position ie the thickness of the dark line. It looks to me like they give you this adjustment with those brass screws on the end of the folder ?
Its not a problem but keeping that gap correct will give you a sharp fold.

 

[Jeeves]

I'm one of the fortunate few that owns the Fenderbender and it is one of my best tools...Jeff and Ted hit a homer with that one although I haven't heard from either in a good long while. My only regret is not getting one of their Grab Handlers...I received the Micromark version as a gift that works OK...the one thing I am really lacking is a good PE roller for things like gun barrel jackets...I did find a reamer from AC Moore that might work but haven't tried it yet...

 

[Sharkmouth]

the one thing I am really lacking is a good PE roller for things like gun barrel jackets...

The Small shop has two items...

http://www.track-link.com/reviews/1426

http://www.track-link.com/reviews/1021

The rollers in the first set is more complete but the base, with the rubber back, from the Deluxe set is better. I keep them all together in one box.

Regards,

 

[phantom II]

Not so much what I would like on the market but what I would like to seeat my bench.

# 1 the PE roller

# 2 the jig? transporter from UMM .

Both are pricey considering how seldom they would get used but very helpful when you need them.

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[moon puppy]

Oh, the UMM Saws, I'd like for them to market one that is pre cut to fit a hobby knife. I know you break them and make them fit but that's hit and miss. Sometimes you need to get in tight corners and that big handle with the wide blade don't cut it.

PE Roller would be really cool. You can get the one with the wooden dowels and add your on rubber foot to it.

 

[SA Dave]

I want a couple of small modeling fairies to hold small parts in place and find the parts I drop

 

[jknaus]

I need a new compressor, but the tool I really really really want is a 3d scanner and a 3d printer. Not asking for much I know, but oh if I had tons of money.
James

 

[nerdling]

The tool I really want is a proper spray booth. But I did just buy my first Xuron pair of sprue cutters. They are very nice and the price wasn't bad either.