The Armour Archive

hoping to start retooling the shop.
what brands/models for basic tools do
you all use?
spacificaly
drill press
shear
grinder
angle grinder
welder
ect.

drill press: don't use one. I use a miller 1/2" chuch drill for all my drilling. I'll probably replace it with an 18v cordless when the time comes.

shear: beverly #2 and #3
grinder I use belt grinders alot. I have a dynabrade dynafile, and coote, burr king and wilton 2x72 machines. the Burr king's variable speed and I'd convert the others to that if I could afford it.

angle grinder: pneumatic camplel hausfeld

welder: Miller tig and mig welders and a henrob oxy/acy outfit. I also use various propane tourches for lower temp work

Stuff you didn't mention;

I use whitney punches. I prefer #8's but have a jr for some tight work.

I find a die grinder pretty usefull, especially for cleaning up stainless, mine's a snap-on.

Pexto stakes are good but kind of soft if you're working alot of stainless.

I have a Skutt electric kiln I'm setting up for heat treating.

Baldor buffer 3/4 hp 1800 rpm

Cordless Drill=Aaaaagh

You better have a lot of batteries, and probably a lot of chargers, too, unless you also keep a drill w/ a cord. It always runs out halfway through a job, and you're left with nothing to do while it charges. Unless you hope to do a lot of armouring in the field rather than in the shop, I'd stick with something you can plug into the wall.

Dewalt 18V Cordless drill = Yay! no cord!

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=6141

It runs all day on one charge. I have a spare battery just in case though.

Quality tools = no frustration

Drill Press - No-name Harbour Freight floor Press, 16 speed.

Shear/sliproll/Brake - Pexto

Welder - Miller electric 220 mig

Punch - Roper whitney

hydraulic Press - Shop built 20 ton

Power Planishing Hammer - Shop Built

Plasma Cutter - Miller electric

Abrasive Cut-off Saw - NoName Harbour Freight

Metalcutting Bandsaw - Chicago Electric


-hope that helps

-Derek

DeWalt, 4" angle grinder.
Craftsman, 2HP 3200 rpm buffing motor.
Craftsman, 2" X 42" belt sander.
Craftsman. 1HP 1200rpm tool grinder
Eastwood. contact wheel
Generic, air die grinder.
Generic, 6" vertical belt sander
Black & Decker, electric hand drill 1/2"
Roper Whitney, Jr.#5 punch
Heinrich, bench top hole punch.
Victor, small Oxy/acetylene welder
Atlas, 6" metal lathe
Rockwell, bench top drill press
Milwaukee electric hand shear
#2 Beverly shear
Snap on 18" bull dog snips.
VRAH planishing and dishing machine