Homemade Box Pan Folder (30 years ago)

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All

I made this Box Pan Folder mainly out of scrap pieces of material that I had lying about. The only material I purchased was for the fingers. I was very fortunate to work for a company that I was able to do a bit at lunch times and built it over several weeks some 30 years ago. I recently gave my slip rollers a make over and decided to do the same for the folder. This little folder has been a great little servant and deserving of this makeover for all the jobs it has produced over the years. Originally painted in green hammer rite I now what was I thinking (It was 1989)

It is able to bend 16 gauge and the front former can be raised and lowered to change the bend radius for different gauges of material or set to a desired radius. The fingers are different imperial widths so they can be gang to together to create the require width of bend when making boxes etc.

For those interested in the slip rollers here is the link.Sheet metal rollers





Thank you for viewing
The Home Engineer

[bobs409]

I'd like to see that scrap bin! That's really nice, looks commercial!

[Toolmaker51]

I'd like to see that scrap bin! That's really nice, looks commercial!

Just love that sentiment 'looks commercial'. It's a compliment alright, mostly observing the fit-up. That brake looks just right; not embellished, pure functionality, eased edges and good ergonomics.
Meanwhile, commercial doesn't look so hot anymore.

[Gadgeteer]

Of course I made my comment as a compliment. Sorry, I'm a bit late with this clarification, but I missed out on your reply a couple of years ago. Your work shows more than a functional tool... it's a work of art.

[Crusty]

As you blokes say over there "That's a rather nice piece of kit".

[thehomeengineer]

Why thank you Crusty.

Bobs409 I worked at a research laboratory and every Tuesday dinner time they sold surplus material as scrap at £0.03/kg and I was able to buy load of 50x25mm solid steel bar in meter lengths, so was perfect for the start of the folder. I still have some left knocking around the workshop even after all this time. The money made was then given to charity. So some weeks you were really lucky and others just lucky . But there was always a shed load of material available from aluminium, brass, stainless steel and steel.

Thank you both for the kind words

[Tonyg]

Very nice build.
Just got to add that my go to paint is still hammerite mid green (apart from the few that are still red oxide and probably will stay that way)

[thehomeengineer]

Don’t get me wrong green hammerite is a great paint and really protective but I think you have to be pretty good painter to get a good finish and unfortunately I am not the greatest at using this paint. When you see a good job made and then reined by a bad paint job that is me with hammerite. I am sure there must be a technique to using it and it is a pain to have to buy their thinners as the paint and thinner is very expensive in my opinion. I even struggle with smooth hammerite

[thehomeengineer]

Don’t buy red oxide paint from Toolstation either it is like treacle.

[olderdan]

Firstly that is one unbeautiful box folder.
Forget red oxide primer it is old technology. Bondaprimer is the best I have found, it looks like red oxide but has anti rust bonding and etching agents and can take any kind of paint. I could go on but the proof is that I have given one coat on steel outside and never got around to applying a top coat, 5 years later and no rust. (usual disclaimer). I to have long given up on Hammerite it is too much of a pain for me to use.