So I bought an Ironworker.......

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Hi guys, another newbie here, I've been following the forums for some time, and thought I'd sign up, and make a post.      I bought an Ironworker for the shop a couple weeks ago, and am anxiously waiting for it to arrive.     It is a Uni-hydro Pro 125, with angle shear, notcher, etc....  125 TONS of metal chomping BLISS!!!! I've run the 80 ton units, liked'em too,  but the salesman said this one will knock me over!  Sure hope it lives up to the claims!   Any thoughts?
Reply:sounds like fun bb,  good luck...dont chew your fingers off waiting though lolIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:We got the 42 ton Uni Hydro in the shop at work. That is their small model, but it pretty much does everything we need it to. We just do light fab and repair with it
Reply:Does anyone here have a higher tonnage machine that is similar to this one? any pros or cons for the Uni-hydros? besides price? Cool Tools, tricks, or modifications? Lost finger, or appendge stories?Last edited by BBchevy396; 12-10-2005 at 06:37 PM.
Reply:I have a Geka ironworker, lower tonnage, but it does have a few cool features you might want to try to copy- check out their website-http://www.comeq.com/If you download the brochures, you can see two things they come with that are way cool, and I cant figure out why every ironworker doesnt have-First, big flat 1" plate tables, which are quick release, of course, on the punch and notch stations. These support your material, so you only need outboard stands on really long pieces. But even better, they have built in quick release stops in both the x and y dimensions, with built in stainless steel rulers in milled in slots. So you never need a tape measure, or to center punch for a hole- you just set the stop for, say, 4" from the end, 1" in from the back, and you get a perfect hole, centered in your 2" flatbar, right where you want it, and repeatable.Most other brand ironworkers I have seen are covered with cobbled together pieces of angle iron, vise grip clamps, and tape measures duct taped on.The other thing they come stock with is a electrical length stop for shearing. This is a big, 1 1/2" diameter bar that clamps on the back of the ironworker, in 4 foot segments- I have 3, so I can go 12 feet out, which gives me all possible cuts from a 20' stick. It, too has built in stainless steel  rulers the whole length, and a swinging quick release clamp arm that reaches all the shearing stations- and it has a switch right in it.Set your length, shove your metal in, and the switch trips the ironworker. Shove it in again, cut another one. I frequently cut a couple hundred pieces this way, but its so quick to set up I use it to cut just one piece- its quicker than measuring, marking the steel, then squinting to see if your mark is lined up with the edge of the shear blade.Frankly, If I bought another brand of ironworker, I would buy one of these from the GEKA parts department right away, and put it on- it just saves so much time, and makes the parts accurate for length.I still cant figure out why every ironworker doesnt come with this stuff.
Reply:Ries, Thanks for the feedback........... I haven't recieved my machine yet, but I am having a few regrets already. I see a 120 ton geka demo on ebay, for 18,000.00 & change, with all the little things that matter. the electric backstop, channel, angle, rod shear. a nice gauging punch table, etc. I already paid for the machine, and it is being constructed at Uni-hydro. DAMN... I didnt get a Geka, well.... 'cause it cost 10,000.00 more. But, I guess you get what you pay for. For another ten smakers, and a few mod's, I'll have a very capable machine, BUT, still not a Geka....... Isn't it how it always goes. You look and look, finnaly you buy, and the thing you wanted suddenly appears! Oh well, I know I'll love  a 125 tons of "shear" metal tearing destruction, but I also suffer from the debillatating condition often called the "more's syndrome"."If one is good, MORE'S BETTER" !!!!!!
Reply:BB...your commiting the coveted sin of metal work!!! As confussus would say "Man who looks in hindsight, always see 20/20 with disgust!"   I read my furtune cookie last night and It said never look back!  always look forward.  Its true.  The choice you made is your best.  IF it wasnt youd not made it.  Sides, if youd gone and bought it chances are something would have happened and youd regret it...ie you needed that money, or it wasnt you rmoney and you found you couldnt repay it.  Im glad to see youre getting a good machine.  I can say im envious of what youre getting IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:It's hard waiting for a new "toy". I constantly find myself at the drill press, the saw, with the torch or plasma in hand, thinking to myself, "I could have done this in one chomp, on the ironworker, in seconds"!  I spent about a week making several 1" steel plates, chock full of 1 1/16" holes. cutting, grinding, and drilling.....lots of drilling. Garbage cans FULL of piggies. All the while thinking.....pop, pop, pop,...." could be doing sumpin else by now!  Besides, punch plugs make great slingshot ammo. Just think of all the windows my kid could break!!!!!  No , but I am really looking forward to the increased productivity. After every tool addition I've made. I think "how did I live without it".   A couple years ago, I "picked-up" a 30" swing, 20 foot bed Summit lathe.. like new... thousands in tooling. Very impressive machine. It makes metal chips that look like car springs! At the time I needed a bigger machine than my 18" monarch, but thought " Man, I really dont need one this big!" Well, I use it daily, and sometimes seem to find things that just wont fit! It's funny how one seems to find projects to fit the tool!!! The tools get bigger, and so do the parts!
Reply:I would love 120 tons- I do a lot of stainless, and there are times when my 50 ton Geka just wont do it. There is nothing more satisfying than watching an ironworker effortlessly punch a 3/4" diameter hole  in 1/2" plate.I am not a big fan of Uni-Hydro, though, as I think they suffer from the same factors that have caused a lot of american manufacturers to go out of business- a cross between "not invented here" and "we dont have to change" syndromes.Dvorak invented the first modern ironworkers in the late 40's, and since then, his son hasnt changed em much.The stuff that comes standard on the GEKA has been around for 20 years at least, yet not ONE american manufacturer (piranna, edwards, scotchman, metalmuncher, uni-hydro, HMI) have bothered to add any of these features to their machines.Just silly, in my opinion.I have used a few different ironworkers, and the improvemnts on the european machines make  them much more productive.So, if you have already paid for the Uni-Hydro, then you should be scheming how to copy the good things about the GEKA, and improve your new machine. The base Uni-Hydro is a good machine, it just needs better gaging and stops- their accessory stops are kind of a joke.Like I say, if I was you I would get the GEKA catalogs, and just make your own punch stop system, copying theirs- you wont be sorry, it will save time and make every job more accurate, and you can build it from scrap in an afternoon, just buy some stick down tape measures.I would also copy their length stop system, with or without the electric switch. The switch is nice, but just having a 12' length stop with a built in tape measure would make a world of difference. I think you can buy the whole shebang from Comeq, who sell Geka, but I think its around a grand.
Reply:Still waiting.... but not too long now!! here's a pic.....it's of an Pro 80, but the 125 is close. Attached ImagesWe need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:ohhhhhh.... its a machine.   whew..... I thought you went out and got an slave with ironworking experience.
Reply:Actually,,,,...... I do have a couple of those!!!   But I have to "buy" them by the hour!!!!We need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:lmao welll have none of that naughtyness in this forum!     heheIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:So........ I finnaly got it!! Waited fior 3 months, and since , I have used tthe c**p outa it!Here's a pic for the guys who remeber..... Attached ImagesWe need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:1 1/16" holes, in 1" plate......Butter! Attached ImagesWe need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:proof....... Attached ImagesWe need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:lmao...guy goes and gets banned and comes back wth one hell of an ironworker...heckava job there Jim!IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:LMOA ...... Thanks TX... Hard to punch holes in that!Except for with my shiny new ironworker!..... KA-CHUNK!We need to protect Freedom of Speech, otherwise, how would we know who the A-holes (like me) are.
Reply:When punching those holes, does the machine slowly ramp up and apply the pressure, forcing out the plugs? Or does it slam down with great force and pop them out with a BANG?
Reply:its like hot knife into butta    come on back JimIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:very nice, me jealous. Have you had a chance to build any of the attachments listed above? I have some switches that might be perfect for them.Millermatic 251Century 180 migSpectrum 625 Syncrowave 250DX
Reply:Originally Posted by CarterKraftvery nice, me jealous. Have you had a chance to build any of the attachments listed above? I have some switches that might be perfect for them.