Warco Mini Formit - 3 in 1 Universal Sheet Metal Machine

Discussion in 'Tools' started by Rob Pulham, Nov 5, 2018.

  1. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    As some of you know I am a bit of a tool junkie and for some time years Chris and I have been looking for a small but usable Guillotine

    Initially I was looking at one of these and almost placed an order having seen a link to it on another thread https://www.axminster.co.uk/305mm-sheet-metal-worker-900118

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    It wasn't until I realised that it weighed 45 kilos!! that alarm bells started ringing. I have no room for it to live on the bench so need to be able to lift it from the floor when I need to use it.

    While looking for something else today I looked at the Warco site and they have a similar model to the Axminster shown above that weighs even more (50 kilos). I was just about to move away from the page when I noted a link to a smaller model.

    Although only taking an 8" wide sheet as opposed to 12" of the bigger model it's still a useful length of cut but more importantly for me at least it only weighs 17.5 kilos so much more user friendly in my workshop.

    https://www.warco.co.uk/sheet-metal...ini-formit-universal-sheet-metal-machine.html

    [​IMG]

    They are now out of stock since I bought the last one:avatar:. Photos to follow once it arrives
     
  2. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Handy tool for a scratch builder.
     
  3. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    I do hope so, I could have really done with it last week because I struggled to find suitable strip for the N7 window bars. With this I can drill a line of holes or press rivets along the edge of a strip which will help keep it from deforming and then cut it off afterwards. Making my own custom rivet strips should be easy.

    It may even make my GW rolling bars surplus to requirements depending on the difference in thickness of cylinders that they both roll - the Warco will roll down to 29mm diameter but I have rolled a 24mm diameter tube on the GW ones so I will need to see which get's most use before I decide.
     
  4. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Nice piece of kit Rob, if I win the lottery I would definitely invest in one :thumbup:.

    Pete.
     
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  5. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Hi Pete,

    If I win the lottery I will invest in one of their milling machines with digital readouts but I suspect that both of us will be dreaming about it for a long time....
     
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  6. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Too true mate. Still someones got to win, never say never :avatar:

    Pete.
     
  7. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Like I said in the other thread, I really fancy one, but don't really have a need! (I don't do much in metal). You will have to throw some styrene through at various thicknesses to see if it will cut or just mangle, as it would be great for chopping up Wills 2mm thick sheets! Let us know!
     
  8. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Will do,
    The blurb quotes it as being able to take up to 1mm mild steel and 1.2mm of non ferrous sheet so I suspect that 2mm may well be beyond this model's capabilities.
     
  9. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    I finally managed to get the machine cleaned and free of it's coating of gunk that its in when delivered.

    having done that I had to adjust the anvil section where the guillotine blade meets it to ensure a clean cut.

    Having done that and then tried to cut an offcut of nickel sheet it became clear that the guide wasn't square to the blade so the cut was not square.
    having adjusted it, I was still struggling to get a square cut. and realised it was because the guide itself was so short that the workpiece was able to swivel lengthwise around it.

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    The piece of drilled bar in front of the machine is a sprung stop to prevent the sheet from lifting during the cut which I had taken off while setting up the guide.

    [​IMG]

    The two photos above show how short the guide is.

    In order to ensure the cut was square I drilled a short length of aluminium strip that I had to match the holes in anvil which made the guide go almost as far as the blade so that the workpiece now has plenty to push against and keep it square.

    [​IMG]
     
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