For EddyCurr and those following the 3in1 Machine mods

[CCWKen]

I thought I had posted the mods here before but it may have been on one of the Metal Shaping sites. In any case, I couldn't find it. For those of you with interest, I submit the following modifications made to a Harbor Freight 40" Shear, Brake and Roll Machine.

Here's the stand. It's pretty basic but its job is more than to just support the tool. This image shows a cut-down I-beam added to help support the cutting table. Compression adjustment (support) is provided by the three bolts on top of the I-beam. There's a 3/8x2" flat welded to to top of the I-beam that's drilled and tapped to accept the bolts and provide some adjustment. The nuts (appear later) are to lock the bolts.





At the forward underside of the cutting table, I added four wedges. These wedges are drilled and tapped to accept adjusting bolts that help keep the table from flexing forward or away from the upper cutting edge.




This U-bolt was added later. During cutting, I noticed the machine LIFTING between the leg mounts. Not a lot but it was noticeable. To help reduce the stress on the leg mounts, I added a U-bolt in between each leg bolt. Don't over-tighten this U-bolt--Just snug enough to take-up slack.



(To be continued)

[CCWKen]

This picture shows a piece of 1/2" flat bolted to the upper Brake support. I had to grind an area of the brake support at the center. The casting had an area that projected in the center and kept the flat from full contact. The large number of bolts is to distribute the load.





The next two pictures show the stock cut/brake arm at the upper connection and the stock cam used with the crank arm. The crank had to go!

[CCWKen]

These two pictures show the parts I fabricated to replace the crank arm and allow for powering the machine. It's really just a spud to allow mounting of a sprocket. The parts were duplicated for each side. The original cams were retained.






The last picture shows the mounting of the motor and transmission. Earlier, I stated it was a four speed. It's actually a five speed. I use reverse for cutting and braking to keep the chain tension force off the idler sprocket. I use the other speeds for rolling.

[sasquatch]

CCWken, i don't have one , just wanted to say the pics and info you have posted here will be a great help to someone with one i'm sure.

Helping others like this is the great part of the HSM forum.

[ed_h]

CCWKen--

Great info!

I have one of these machines, and have been slowly doing mods to improve it. I got a lot of ideas from your posts.

One thing I had on mine was that the stiffening strap on the back of the upper shear blade support was useless. With the adjusting bolt slacked off, my shear blades were already too close in the middle, and too far apart on the ends. Tightening the bolt, of course, just made it worse. I had to put shim stock behind both blades to get them so that I could have some tension on the strap and have the blades parallel. Works much better now.

[Fasttrack]

I've been meaning to buy a shear for awhile and I always wondered about those 3-in-1 machines. Looks like, with some modification, they could be very useful! Thanks for posting!

[CCWKen]

One thing I had on mine was that the stiffening strap on the back of the upper shear blade support was useless. With the adjusting bolt slacked off, my shear blades were already too close in the middle, and too far apart on the ends. Tightening the bolt, of course, just made it worse. I had to put shim stock behind both blades to get them so that I could have some tension on the strap and have the blades parallel. Works much better now.

I'd have to go out and look to be sure but I think that center bolt (and nut) can be adjusted to push or pull the ends. Tighten the bolt to push the ends toward the lower blade. Loosen the bolt and tighten the nut behind the bar to pull the ends away from the lower blade. It takes some tinkering but you should be able to get the upper blade support straight.

[Arcane]

Thanks Ken. Using your mods would turn my 3 in 1 into a much more useful machine.

[jjclear]

Ken
The upgrades were posted on the Metalshapers site a while ago. Unfortunately those posts were lost in one of the crashes they had. Thanks for putting this up.

J.

[Bill McLeod]

Have the modifications increased the capacity and if so what gauge can you now use in the machine?