www.TK560.com

[trapperdale]

OK, 2 gross of parts per day is to much for my back and band saw!

need plans and or links for building a trim press so i can punch out my parts...
working with part 5" x 23" in .060 and .094"
any help would be great...

Scott, still waiting for those links....

Dale.

[jdougn]

Hey Dale, what kind of budget are you looking at? You're working with mostly rectangular shapes with straight sides? My first thought is to look at a hydraulic shop press like Harbor Freight sells for around $140. Of course, it'd still take a lot of creative engineering to build an adequate table and cutters.
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DougN - Just in case you're wondering, I got my "rating" legitimately... by posting aimless drivel, useless advice, and pointless questions.

[trapperdale]

thanks man...

right idea but the hand pump is just to slow.
great lead i never thought of for the base frame!
would save me hours of cutting and drilling...beer for you!!!

the plan is to look at both pneumatic or hydraulic then
the mechanical flywheel type.

pneumatic anything is the cheapest and fastest to build...
parts are every ware, but has limitations on how thick it can cut!
and the speed of the punch is frighting! Oops...just call me lefty....[/b]

[jdougn]

Hey Dale,

Sounds like you're really needing to crank out parts fast. Good for you!!

DougN
_________________
DougN - Just in case you're wondering, I got my "rating" legitimately... by posting aimless drivel, useless advice, and pointless questions.

[kayaker43]

I searched for years looking for die cutting info but there is virtually nothing in print. You can buy the steel rule die or have someone make the cutters for you, they aren't too expensive. They typically use a heavy 4 post press that very precisely maintains parrellelism between the heavy platens. Much too hard to make for the homebuilder. Smaller ones are often called clicker presses and have swing away top platens to allow easy access. Both types are massive, stiff and very high tolerance. The knives come down but never contact the bottom platen and can cut through one sheet of paper without cutting the one beneath it.

You are far better off looking for an old used clicker press, they turn up on ebay sometimes.

Even better would be a router table and simple trim jig if all your cuts are on a single plane.
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Doug Walsh
www.build-stuff.com
Hobby-Vac and Proto-Form machine plans

Also other plans books and videos for people who like to build things

[93RMW]

Hey Dale, why not make a block to guide a nested group or 2 or 3 forms on the bandsaw? A little angle on the bottom of the guide can compensate for change in distance to the saw from the top and bottom forms to keep them even. Seems to me a good way to speed up the process a bit.

Maybe not long term but good middle of the road.

[jegner]

I have looked into this same issue. Never had the time to make the dies though. Basically you need a a fulcrum lever, a wooden or metal plate, with mount points for different jigs. A MDF base, that can be replaced when it gets worn out. And the dies themselves. Me, I was going to use heat-treated sheet metal cut in the shapes I wanted, and then epoxied into a MDF sandwich. These would then be deep cut, to allow the parts to not get mashed up. I really need to upload my sketches for this thing. Not really all that hard to do, but does require some force to 'stamp out.

ANother thought was a hot wire knife, or laser. But I never did do enough research on those options.

[fast_monte]

Do a search for "copy carver".

With this machine you can trace a shape blank on one side and trim the parts on the other. It is very quick.

[jegner]

[Fredo]

Not just a pantograph, A three axis pantograph. A hand guided 3 axis router. What a great simple idea. I have two difficult cuts to make, it's drill a hole and then a jig saw, thin blade. I would need to find the right bit, maybe a thin, down spiral bit. A bit that would penetrate and then make the cut. Just one more thing to check out.. Thanks for the info.........Fredo

[jdougn]

[Fredo]

Found a like new,Craftmans answer to the RotoZip at Super Pawn. It came with a case , flex shaft, circle cutter, fence, ect., a doz. asst. 1/8' downsprial bits, out the door, $26.75, love my pawn shop. Ordering the plans today. It should cut my trim time by 80%. It and my bench router means I can up my production to 50 finished units a day.

I'll keep a building log to post, but to be fair to the seller of the plans, I will not include any measurements. I'm ordering the $26.00 set, it comes with a hard copy. I don't have a printer..... I have another idea, but I'm trying to make expert, so I'll put it in another post.......Fredo

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Fredo: When all you have is a nail, every tool looks like a hammer

[fast_monte]

I have also made a flange trimming tool to trim parts that need a flange.

Use a piece of bar stock twice the diameter of the desired flange, center drill it to accept a piece of music wire, drill and tap for a set screw to retain the wire. The music wire is sharpened to a point using a drill to spin it against a grinding wheel. I sharpen both ends so when is gets dull just flip it over. When you trace the part the sharpened wire scores the plastic around the part equal to the radius of the bar stock. The tool scores the plastic in any direction so corners are easy. The plastic will bend and break at the scored lines.

[fast_monte]

Here is a picture:


Note that I used the nub left over from the parting tool to do the scoring.

These work too. http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html

[jdougn]