Shear price sticker shock

[lwalker]

I'm in the market for a small benchtop shear. It will cut mostly FR4 (glass fiber/epoxy composite -- rather abrasive stuff) circuit board material and light gage aluminum sheet and only used once or twice a month. I figured a cheap one like one of these http://www.wttool.com/category-exec/category_id/16745 would do the job. Price ranges from $70 - $120, seems reasonable for an import.

But then I remember that the first place I worked at used a Pexto shear for the same purpose and ended up giving it away free when it wasn't used any longer, so I hop on eBay to find a used one. BIG eye opener. These things are insanely priced to the point that they seem like collector's items. I really like the sturdy looks of the DiAcro#2 6" shear, but $500 for a small, heavily used, manual shear? $1100 for a 9"? I could get a nice lathe for that price!

Is this just eBayers preying on the HSM guys (these are "buy it now" prices) or are they really selling for that much? I know, I know: what the market will bear and all that, but these prices look all out of proportion to value.

Another question would be: has anyone used one of the shears like the Wholesale Tool one above for cutting PC board material? Does it do a good job? Alternately, have any of you guys built your own shear? I'm thinking it might be a fun project.

[ptjw7uk]

You have stumbled on the ebay Phenomenon, some things go for very silly prices. I sold a Myford milling slide and ended up getting £210($420) for it for which I was glade as it had been under the bench for 20yrs I turned the money into things I really wanted.
You just have to be extra careful on ebay if you want a bargain.

Peter

[DR]

No better example of getting what you pay for.

I bought a Di-Acro 12" shear ten years ago at a local auction for $550. Perfect condition with the micrometer back gage.

It's used for precision shearing small pieces. It can hold size easily within .005"+/-.

I wouldn't shear circuit board material on it cause then I'd have to send the blades out for sharpening.

[Ries]

I would buy the cheapo chinese version, and try it. For a hundred bucks, what do you have to lose?

As for the prices of used, high quality, american made sheet metal equipment- Well, what, exactly is "value"?

The new prices on small Di-Acro or Pexto shears are well over $1000, so ebay prices are running 50% to 75% of replacement, new cost.

As long as the alternative is buying a new one at full price, then decent used ones will bring a fair amount.

We tend to be spoiled by the fact that many obsolete machine tools are now available for scrap price or below, used.

But to say you good buy a "nice" lathe for $1000- well, new price, for the only manual lathes still made in the USA, the Monarch 10EE or the Hardinge HVLH, are both over $50,000.
I have no doubt that in many parts of the country, there are used lathes for a grand- but any company that needs a brand new machine, that will work right out of the box, pays retail- and in an environment like that, ebay prices on used high quality shears dont sound that high.

Its all about where you live, how long you are willing to look, what you are willing to repair, and whether you are doing 5 day a week industrial production vs hobby work.

A Di-Acro or Pexto will satsify the needs of a real industrial sheet metal shop, and so they are priced accordingly.

[rmack898]

IF your not in a big hurry, there are good deals to be had (even on ebay). I looked for a shear for about 2 months and came across a Pexto 137 for $75. It was quite rusted but it cleaned up well and it cost me $135 to have the knives sharpened.
.

Now I am looking for a 52" shear and there are 37" everywhere. Last week there was a Pexto on ebay with no reserve and a starting price of $99 and nobody bid on it. The deals are out there if you can wait. As far as the cheap import sheet metal machines go, you need to buy bigger capacity than what you need. If you need a need a machine to cut 16ga full length, than you need to buy a 12ga machine. Don't forget about Tennsmith and National, both good USA made machines that can often be found for less than Pexto, Diarco, Cincinatti and the rest of the big USA names.

[ttok]

Lwalker -

I'd sell you my surplus 24" Di-Acro shear for $350, but the freight from south Texas would be more than the sale price! Seriously, you are in the homeland of Di-Acro - Lake City! There should be deals on their machines all over the place! From my vantage point, there are a LOT more of them up in Minnesota than there are down here. Just be patient - a good used one will come up. They are almost indestructable, but new blades are expensive - about $330 each. Each blade has four edges that can be sharpened and usually lasts a long time. They made (may still make) a special alloy blade for stuff like you want to shear.

A.T.

[HSS]

Hey Mac,
Is that tread plate on your workbench? Nice!

[rmack898]

HSS,

When I built the shop I got a good buy on 5x10x.083" sheets of bright aluminum diamond plate so I used it to face the front of the benches and as a back splash. I also used it as a chailr rail in my office. I still have about a sheet and a half left even after my son diamond plated everything in sight.

[lwalker]

The new prices on small Di-Acro or Pexto shears are well over $1000, so ebay prices are running 50% to 75% of replacement, new cost.

This I didn't know. Since all the links I found when searching for Di Acro were auctions or used machinery I assumed they were long out of business. A reference point of about $1,000 new changes my perspective: then some of the prices I'm seeing for used are quite reasonable. I just didn't think a small shear would cost that much.

What all the searching has done though is made me question if it's worthwhile to buy a shear at all. I can get prototype PC board in just about any size I need (it's just cheaper to buy larger panels and cut down) and I just found that Online Metals has a cut-to-order policy that's reasonably priced for the relatively rare times that I would need it.

[lazlo]

I'd sell you my surplus 24" Di-Acro shear for $350, but the freight from south Texas would be more than the sale price!

Hey AT -- are you serious? Drop me a PM!