Press brakes are invaluable tools when working with sheet metal, but along with their almost infinite versatility comes a dizzying number of press brake types. After starting with an old-school, purely mechanical press brake, [Wes] of Watch Wes Work fame had been thinking of upgrading said press brake to a hydraulic configuration, but soured on this after facing all the disadvantages of the chosen approach. Thus, one does what any rational person does and purchases a used and very much untested 45-ton computer-controlled hydraulic press brake.
The video first explores the pros and cons of the various types of press brakes, with the issue of providing a balanced force across the entirety of the press brake’s dies being the largest problem. Although various mechanical and hydraulic solutions were attempted over the decades, a computer-controlled press brake like this Gasparini PBS 045 that [Wes] got is probably one of the more effective solutions, even if it provides the headache of more electrical and electronic things that can go wrong. The above screenshot of its basic workings should make that quite obvious, along with [Wes]’s detailed explanation.
As it turned out, this about 25-year-old Italian press brake wasn’t in such a terrible nick, but needed some badly needed TLC and obligatory breaker testing to bring it back to life. While it doesn’t like you not centering the part, this can be worked around by specifying that the part is actually larger than it is. Although [Wes] got it working well enough to do some work with it, it still has some gremlins left in it that will hopefully be hunted down over the coming time and video(s).
Clearly, this man has some pressing problems.
Right. I’ll show myself out now ….
Some people just fold under pressure, but this guy keeps push hard.
Dream tools: Press brake/finger brake + water jet.
Clearly bent out of shape over purchase…
It’s still better than a 5 years old chinese machine where they literally use bondo putty to cover abysmal quality welds (at least those visible to the
suckercustomer).No, not even “the grinder and the paint make me the welder I ain’t”. They seriously use automotive putty there XD
“Welds” outside: https://imgshare.cc/k2payeb1
Welds inside: https://imgshare.cc/5tmr4j6d
I agree with you. But hey, that price reduction had to come from somewhere ..
Eh…did the welds fail? Like, are you having a problem with it? I always start with “is it broken?” as the first step of a fault analysis…if you skipped that step before inspecting the welds then your fault analysis is fatally flawed….
But anyways without knowing the actual price point, i still would guess you got what you paid for. Like, i got a benchtop drill press for $60 shipped 20 years ago. The only thing about it that surprised me is that it actually showed up! At that price i thought it had to be a scam! Yeah even for my uses i can point to some flaws with it but i definitely love having it. If you’re running a factory cycling the tool as fast as you can load material into it, you won’t mind shelling out the big bucks but for the rest of us i appreciate the heck out of the drastically cheaper option.