desk nameplates.....

[Loyd]

People really like these things. Here are a couple of different designs that customers wanted.
Ya'll make some money! I charge $25.00 painted (rattle can). 16 ga.
Loyd

[AnotherDano]

What do you use for the bending, Loyd?

I need to look into getting a bender - badly.

[Loyd]

There is a place nearby me that buys out at auction plants that are closing. Most of the stuff is 3 phase so it is cheap and I just build a rotary phase converter and away I go! I found an assembly press, which is a press used to just assemble parts without a whole lot of pressure. I bought that and one of those roll, press and shear tools from Tractor Supply. I took off the brake and die assembly part and mounted it to the assembly press after taking off all the extra stuff and basically made a light tonnage brake press. I really need a 40 ton or so press but that will have to wait.
In order to bend stuff like this you could build an H frame press really easy and use a hyd cylinder and a motor with a power steering pump for the hydraulic unit. At a shop I used to work at we had a setup like that and used it to press bearing races into hubs.
Just google "homemade press brake" you will get lots of pictures and ideas.
Loyd

[anvilhead]

Loyd those are really great. But you just got me in trouble with the Misses. I made the butterfly name plate for her and now she wants one of each in your photo for her and her sisters. Any chance you could share the files for the other designs? I will be indebted to you for your generosity. I do blacksmith work and the butterfly name plate that I made for my wife was made out of 11ga steel - I warmed the piece with a torch to about 120 degrees and using a brass brush - rub the piece while hot ( too hot and the brass will burn off) and when finished the piece looks like bronze and clearcoat. Love your work. Thanks. CG

[Loyd]

I posted under dxf sharing. That is a cool way to color steel. I have a young friend that is a blacksmith. Makes old flintlock rifles from scratch and has sold some for several thousand dollars. He wrote an article in Muzzleloader magazine Jan/Feb 2007. His father and I were in the Corps together. I taught him some machining skills when he was young and he took off with the blacksmith stuff. He worked with Hershel House for a while.
Loyd