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[mlappin]

The days of using a uni shear and flat folders for sheetmetal work is quickly coming to an end. Neck issues from getting rear ended years ago cause the hands to go numb in short order. When home and I have stuff to do a straight edge and the plasma cutter makes short work of any cutting project. I built crude dies to place in our shop press for a down and dirty press brake.

However I’m looking for something that I can take to jobs with me and use on site. I’ve found several used ones in the area, some are obvious chinese crap from either the name or price. One possibility is a Enco combo shear/press brake/roller. However for a few hundred bucks more than they want for it, plus the 2 1/2 hour drive each way I can have a brand new Jet delivered to the farm. Jet isn’t my first choice if I can afford it, however it would be higher quality than the other chinese knock offs and most likely the Enco as well.

Looking at 30” capacity machines for portability.

A new Jet delivered to the shop is $849.

A new Dayton picked up from WW Grainger is $923. Made in China, looks just like the Harbor Freight model practically, different color paint.

A Balleigh, which I’ve never heard of with shipping comes out the same as the Jet.

The Enco is $500 plus my drive time. I’ve not been able to find anything on Enco, but haven’t gone thru a 6 pack of adult beverages looking either.

Harbor Freight, $400. Obvious lower quality.

Then a few brands that Northern Tool carries. They have Jet for the same price I found before, but additional shipping charges then something called a Klutch for $500 plus shipping.

Anybody ever use any of the above? If the Enco was closer I’d look pretty hard at it, Enco always was imported stuff, but used to be higher end imported stuff instead of imported crap from what little I’ve found on the internerd.

Back in the day when I first got out of high school and worked at a factory doing maintenance and fab work, Dayton always cost more, but it was always made in the USA, now Dayton just costs more but more than likely is chinese.

I’m leaning towards the Jet atm. I’m sure I could find something cheaper, but I’ve never minded paying more for tools as long as the difference in price is reflected in quality. 50 years from now I plan on people saying “he sure had a lot of nice stuff” at my estate sale instead of “what a bunch of crap”.

[mlappin]

After much research (looking real close at the pictures) it doesn’t seem to matter who you buy it from, these things all look to come off the same assembly line in China.

Got to talking to the welding/fab/machinist shop owner in town. Alan Lee said that most likely they are all made in the same place, however the higher quality stuff goes into the Daytons/JET/Baileigh stuff while the parts that just barely pass QC end up at harbor freight. This I can believe, I went to Harbor Freight and looked at their $400, 90 day warranty model. Ended up buying the Dayton one, might be the first time ever but I got a deal from WW Grainger, put it at the same price as the JET and before I could say anything they had a ticket printed out for the farm account with no sales tax, which actually made it cheaper than the JET. The design is identical to Harbor Freights, however the fit and finish is hands above Harbor Freights model, no porosity in the castings, much better finish, etc. The Dayton also comes with a three year warranty.

[BoilerHouse]

Had you checked Craigslist for some older USA stuff, or are tools like that unobtainium?  My neighbour just picked up an older 8 foot brake but he just happened to be in the right place at the right time.  I don't recall whose make it was.

[mlappin]

Craigslist, the Facebook market place, Ebay….

None of what I was looking for or did find a few used 52” ones.

[mlappin]

Bought the Dayton, longer warranty than Jet and can order any repair parts direct from WW Grainger online. Much nicer castings and finish than Harbor Freights clone.