Magnabend

Oh, that's cool! I wanna' build one. Maybe use a bunch of microwave oven transformer coils. I wonder if there's anything special in the controls. E.g., a special waveform driving the electromagnets.

Thanks, Bob

Magnabends are standard issue in most NSW Gov't high school metal shops. (Australia)

Brilliant devices. More capacity than you would imagine, and more than I usually need. Fine for all sheet work, only a problem when I try plate rather than sheet. Able to do stuff a simple brake cannot do, due to the placement of the keepers.

There is a safety issue, however, particularly with adolescent kiddies. They have a two-stage magnet:

1) when you press the "on" button, the magnet comes on gently - just enough to hold the keeper in place on the job. 2) when you lift the arm up, a microswitch turns on the main clamping magnet, which is one mother-of-a-magnet. (*tons" of clamping force, it feels like)

This is good, unless you are silly enough to have your finger under a keeper when the second switch goes on. Your finger would then be converted to 2D, and quite useless for picking your nose (or anything else).

Now - you would have to be extraordinarily stupid to actually arrange to

*have* your finger under the keeper when the second switch goes on, but, ...did I mention these are used in our schools? With 11-18 year-olds?

A likely scenario: two people working on the job (not unlikely with long jobs which are tricky to line up well), and one of them lifts the handle before the other one clears his finger out of the line of fire.

Hence rule #1: One person at a time, no exceptions. And rule #2: No fingers under keepers. And rule #3: See rule #2.

They are great machines. Thoroughly recommended.

Some folk may be under the misapprehension that the clamping force is applied directly to the ferrous job. No. The metal being bent has nowt to do with the magnetic clamping, which is *all* applied by the steel keepers.

Oh - and I have made some special-purpose keepers from 1/2" steel for special projects. Works beautifully.

-- Jeff R. (from not-flood-affected Sydney)

That is a seriously cool tool. I wonder why I;ve never heard of it before now.

Aye, I did notice that when he put the workpiece on the unit it "stuck" enough to hold it there for positioning, but less than when he actually turned it on. Thanks, it makes sense now.

Jon (who likes his fingers in three dimensions thankyouverymuch)

BTW: here is the URL for the local one; dunno how much they go for new:

That was a good post!

Pete Stanaitis

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Wow. There is a lot of good information on the various Lazze links.

DL

It's a neat concept. I immediately started thinking about how I would go about making one. LOL. Sorry, that's not even on the long list of future projects. If I ever get to the long list I'll have enough money to just buy one. I do think its neat though.

Buying is great, but building yer own stuff is half the fun. I mean heck, you want the tool to make things, might as well try to make the tool yourself if you can. :)

Jon

That's a neat philosophy, but in this case probably not advisable.

The machine and the concept *look* simple enough, but (never mind the electrics of the magnet) the compound hinges by themselves are probably worth the purchase price.

A lovely piece of work, that bender.

-- Jeff R.

After viewing the video, I would buy the craigslist Magnabend at that price, without hesitation if it were located near me.

The new Chinese 30" shear/brake/slip-roll combination machine that a friend bought (locally) over a year ago cost $400 plus tax retail. OK, it does other functions, but it's Chinese.

That 51" Magnabend handles a full sheet easily. The only part about it's operation that I didn't particularly like, was the stooping to grab the handles (seen in the video). I think I'd need to come up with a different method, as that stooping-to-lift looks tiring.. younger users wouldn't have too much difficulty dealing with it, I suppose.

I believe it is made in Australia's mexico, Melbourne, east of the rabbit proof fence. That is the address on the video. I would love to have on but cannot justify the expense.

If I can beat a seller down by $100 I hope to get a much better power bandsaw than the one I have, more capacity, power downfeed and built in coolant feed.

Alan

They are pretty good. We had one at the school shop I attended. They will do thing you couldn't do with anything else.

Snip>

Melbourne, Australa's Mexico??

The rabbit proof fence ran east to west and it's about a thousand miles from Melbourne.

I should have said Melbourne, capital city of Australa's Mexico

Victoria is " South of the border, down Mexico way" according to my Queensland friends.

north to south

and there were about 3 fences and they only delayed the westward movement of the rabbits. and Victorians !

You bit ! VBG

Alan

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