Henry Pels & Co Ironworker

[WRH51]

Does any one have info on a Henry Pels & Co Ironworker? I got a deal on a mechanical ironwoker awhile back and am getting it up and running. Shears angle, round and square bar and plate fine. Also has a notching shear and area for punching which looks like it could be uses for other applications. Appears to be adjustable. Any info would be appreciated.

[kevan]

No info unfortunately, but quite a bit of envy!
Kevan

[mike-hr]

Could you post some pictures of it? I can't really help you with information, but I bought a big mechanical ironworker a few years ago, and don't know what brand it is. I haven't set it up, I'm kind of scared of it. I was told it would shear 1 inch plate, but don't know if I want to be in the same county when the lever trips.

[aametalmaster]

I would like to see some pics also...Bob

[WRH51]

Took some pics last night. There are several areas to make adjustments on the punch area of the iron worker. I want to make sure everything is aligned before I start using the punch. I'm not a fan of shrapnel. I does have a lever to move the punch by hand to check this alignment but it appears that the stroke is adjustable also. Anyway, capacity is 1" round and Square stock. 3/8" plate on the shear and nother. 3/8 3x3 angle. I can't remember the punch capacities. I hope someone has some info on this machine.

[MooseRidge]

THAT is some serious metal....

Be interesting to see what it (and you) can do....

[arftist]

Sounds like about 40 tons, should be able to punch .75" hole in .5" mild steel. Looks to be fairly complete, exept drive motor, switch, drive belts and guards. Requires 2 hp at 1725 rpm. To line up punch and die, manualy roll the larger flywheel towards you while depressing foot petal, slowly. Adjust for even clearance all around. Heart shaped guard should cover both fly-wheels and drive belts. Also VERY IMPORTANT, the cover over the notcher at the oposite end from the punch Must always be down, not up as in picture. Realize that when you engage the clutch, all three work stations engage. This is certainly a machine to be respected, but not feared. A very productive machine, in some ways better than a modern hydraulic version. Some where on the large flywheel, there should state rpms, you can use this to determine pully size for drive motor.

[WRH51]

Plate list punch capacity as 3/4 in 3/8 plate and 11/16 in 1/2 plate. I have the motor, leather drive belt and guard. I think this was made to run off a line shaft as the motor mount plate and guard do not appear to be original. The notcher will act independently of the notcher and shear on the other end, two seperate engagements. The punch also has a hand lever to move the punch up and down to check the clearence without engaging the pedal. I was wondering if the punch attachment could be removed and replaced with other attachment such as a brake. I have some punch/die set ups that came off of a punch press. Don't know the technical name but they have the sleeve bearings that ride on guide posts for precise movement. Would be neat if I could use them on the ironworker. Thanks for the info arftist.

[arftist]

Yes you could remove the punch holder and the die holder and replace them with a die stock, BUT, set up for a brake would require such presice adjustment, that It would probably be faster to put your brake attachment in an h-frame press, unless you were planning to do huge amounts of the exact same bend. before you mount other tooling, I recomend buying a die maker's text so you can determine the force required for the job you want to do, thereby not overloading and crashing your press.

[rigger]

The little bit of info I have is:

Pels and Company, Henry
90 West St.
New York, NY 10006

I show machines were manufactured between 1919 and 1935.

Dennis