What's a 18'' SHEET METAL FABRICATION KIT?

[Visorblue]

Newbie question - I saw this in a HF catalog (Item 34104, $99.99) but I'm not really sure of what it is/does. Anyone know? Probably not the small metal brake I'd like to have but what's it for? If you can point me to another item like it with a better description or pictures of the results that would be nice. Thanks.

Similar Tools Sell for Over $500!

Cut, form, roll beads, and make perfect flanges with one bench top tool. Saves money and shop space. Comes with 1/4'', 3/8'', and 1/2'' bead mandrels; 1/16'', 1/8'', and 1/4'' flange mandrels; and one 18-1/4'' shearing mandrel.

Perfect for auto body workers: make your own wheel tubs, battery trays, dashboards, fire walls, floor pans, and other sheet metal parts and accessories. (Vise sold separately.)

Order the adjustable guide fence to make precision cuts and flanges (item 36474).

* Sheet metal capacity: 18 gauge
* Throat depth: 18-1/4"
* Shipping weight: 60 lbs.

[imagineer]

You use it for rolling beads and offset flanges into sheet metal.

Having a bead or flange in the sheet metal adds a lot of rigidity to the sheet.
Think of the floor pans in a car. Having all the ridges and humps formed into the sheet metal makes it stiffer.

They also provides the opportunity to overlap the edges of sheets for joining while having both surfaces flush.

The way this tool is designed, you can slip a piece of sheet metal into the throat and roll a bead up to 18" from the edge.

[Visorblue]

You use it for rolling beads and offset flanges into sheet metal.

Thanks. When I first saw the picture (didn't notice that it was in a vise) I was thinking it would be a neat do-all hobbyist tool. The "cut, forms..." etc. part threw me.

[bigdogrider99]

Had a chance to try one out using the shearing wheels a couple of weeks ago. I was trying to cut strips from some scrap off a 65 chevy truck hood and it made a nice straight cut but would move around some. Worked alright but needs to be stiffened up. I think I will still buy myself one, but it will need some tweaking after I get it and a stand built.

[Jim Stabe]

The unit definitely needs stiffening because the top and bottom walk away from each other and you lose pressure between the rollers. I added stiffeners to mine as well as a foot controlled motor to drive it. There are tons of ideas how to improve the machine on www.metalmeet.com just look up bead rollers.
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7875

Jim

[bigdogrider99]

That was a good idea you had there for the winch motor to drive the roller. Have any pictures with out the cover on it. I would like to copy some of your ideas when I buy my own.

[Jim Stabe]

That was a good idea you had there for the winch motor to drive the roller. Have any pictures with out the cover on it. I would like to copy some of your ideas when I buy my own.

I used #40 sprockets and chain from www.surpluscenter.com, they are cheap and available in almost any shaft size you want. I turned the winch drum down to 1 1/4" and got a sprocket to match. The top sprocket looks to be a 29 tooth and the bottom is probably around 10 or 11. This gives me a comfortable speed.
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The winch is the HF one that is on sale all the time for $49.99 and I power it with one of their jump start packs. I charged the thing up months ago and have not had to recharge it yet. The winch comes with a forward/reverse hand control that can be adapted to foot control easily. Another nice feature of the winch is the lever that disengages the spool from the motor (originally so you can run out cable quickly). I bolted a 3/4" hex to the upper sprocket and then welded a 3/4" socket to an old steering wheel so if I have some tight areas to do, I can stop the motor, disengage the spool and turn it by hand until I get through the tight area and then use the motor again. It works slick.
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Good luck on your project.

Jim