Equipment for artistic bending of metal - automatic and manual. How to make a do-it-yourself cold forging machine? Manual production of decorative metal elements

High-precision processing of wood surfaces for assembly or decorative purposes is realized only with the help of specialized equipment. Today, machines for cutting and engraving operations are presented in a wide range. Moreover, these are not only units operating on the principles of traditional mechanical and thermal effects, but also high-tech laser technology. In addition, manufacturers endow the equipment with the latest software control and management functions that facilitate the tasks of the operator. At the same time, a wood laser machine differs from similar mechanical units in its high cost, so its choice should be approached with more responsibility.

Where is the wood laser machine used?

This equipment is mainly used for decorative design wood surfaces. It is achieved through two main operations - cutting and engraving. For this, different capacities can be used, and, accordingly, each machine will provide certain processing capabilities. The machines are used by home craftsmen at an amateur level, and by professional operators on production lines. For example, a wood laser machine is used in the furniture industry to apply artistic patterns to surfaces. In this case, the possibility of in-line work is assumed, therefore, the machines have high productivity. At home and in small workshops, users are guided by piece production - as a rule, releasing author's products.

Types of machines

The main feature of the separation of machines of this type is the power potential, which is also reflected in the design. Compact devices usually have a power of no more than 80 watts. Such models are suitable for use in small businesses, in the manufacture of the same piece of author's souvenirs and for amateur work. The middle class represents more productive installations, the power potential of which can reach 200 watts. Such models can already be applied in production lines in small processing factories. wood materials and pieces of furniture. And the most powerful laser machine belongs to the industrial field of application. Conveyors of large factory enterprises are supplied with such equipment. Again, they are characterized not only by increased power, but also by a design that often allows them to be integrated into workshops through building installation.

Functional

Modern laser machines are distinguished by a wide range of optional features - this is one of the main areas, working on which, developers are trying to attract an increasing number of customers. In particular, for professional machine tools, it has long been mandatory to have a cooling system. This function is responsible for the timely repayment of the temperature of the working body, which increases the reliability of the installation. An electric nozzle drive is also becoming an increasingly common technical element that is equipped with wood laser machines. The capabilities of models with such equipment are increased due to more accurate positioning and overall control of the working component. In more advanced devices, laser focusing is also provided.

Features of CNC Models

A separate category is represented by units with the ability to program the workflow, which is implemented automatically. The presence of the system practically saves the user from performing mechanical operations. However, in some machines, operators can still be assigned indirect and auxiliary actions. One way or another, a CNC wood laser machine provides extensive opportunities in terms of workflow control. Typically, such models are interfaced with computer stations and controllers. This makes it possible to develop tasks for the machine in a graphical computer form without applying special physical settings for different processing parameters. On the basis of the programmed program, the equipment independently calibrates the working bodies for the performance of specific tasks.

How to make a laser machine for wood with your own hands?

You can independently make a compact device that, in a small area, will perform the function of an automated engraver. This will require materials for the body of the device, a controller, work equipment that provides movement of the laser device, and auxiliary systems responsible for power and cooling. The complexity of this task is due to the fact that it is impossible to purchase a wide range of components on the conventional radio market. For example, a programmable controller with cutters is most often purchased from Chinese online stores. In practice, it is possible to make a laser machine for wood carving only if you have the appropriate knowledge of electronics - at least you should have a wiring diagram for the components on hand. However, this will not cause difficulty if you set the goal of manufacturing a modest power manual engraver without automatic positioning system.

Machine operation

Work begins with connecting the equipment to a power source and preparing the material. Depending on the type of machine, the processing process will be controlled either automatically or manually. In the first case, the initial loading of the final model in computer form will be required. Also, devices of this type often provide for mechanical adjustment of equipment for specific characteristics of the operation. Without automation, a wood laser machine is controlled manually. The initial parameters of the workflow are also set, after which direct cutting or engraving is performed.

Conclusion

Finding a truly high-quality and reliable laser machine on the market is not easy. The segment is represented mainly by Chinese manufacturers, a considerable part of which assembles equipment in artisanal conditions. And this is not to mention the rather average quality of the components themselves. But there are also conscientious companies in whose families you can find quite a worthy laser woodcutting machine for any need. Such models, in particular, are produced by Wattsan micro, KAMACH and RABBIT. Another thing is that the cost of this product is high. Even small in size and modest in power devices cost at least 100 thousand rubles.

To get beautiful decorative grille on a window, or for a fence or a balcony balustrade, equipment is needed for cold artistic bending of metal. Let's see what these devices are.

1 Why do you need to bend rolled metal, and how best to do it?

For the manufacture of canopy brackets over windows and doors, as well as for hanging wall lamps and video surveillance cameras, figured elements from steel strips, as well as from bars or reinforcement, are often used. Such parts can be ordered at a forge or at an enterprise where machines for bending rolled products are installed. Or, as an option, you can make a mechanical tool for making metal ornamental elements with your own hands.

It is also important to know the principle of operation of automatic devices that can be purchased to set up the mass production of curly parts.

The variety of artistic elements is small, but each option requires a separate operation. There are such form factors as a strip or bar with a spiral bend, a bar with torsion around a longitudinal axis, an element with a bend along a certain radius (up to the ring) or a wave, as well as at an angle. Also, to give structures volume, bending along a large radius is often used. There are very few universal light class devices with low and medium productivity, more often there are models that combine a complex for 2-3 types of bending.

2 Automatic machines for decorative bending

Equipment for obtaining decorative forms from steel strip, rod or reinforcement (as well as from pipes) is mechanical, based on the operation of the flywheel, electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic. First we will have a machine for the simplest operation - metal rolling. Yes, it is on this technology that the method of obtaining a small radius bend is based, that is, 3 rollers are used for the arc. However, the domestic machine "D 2 S" is multifunctional, that is, you can install the nozzle with your own hands for winding the "snail".

This equipment is considered quite simple, since it does not need to be included in the production line. As a nozzle, instead of a leading, horizontally oriented shaft, a special template is used, which is inserted into the chuck on the spindle. The workpiece is inserted into the clamp, after which the machine rotates the shaft to the required angle, which is set by simple programming on the remote control. The maximum diameter of the product cannot exceed 20 millimeters.

To obtain multi-turn snails, several turns of the spindle can be made with a phased replacement of nozzles, or using a prefabricated sectional template. It seems that the machine for cold artistic bending of metal "Decor 1" also works, which has a horizontal working surface with vertical spindles located on it. Rolls can be inserted into the lead chuck different diameter or special "snail" patterns. The equipment is equipped with a CNC control panel. Both devices start automatically and manually. The next machine can be called their budget option.

The apparatus for cold forging "Azhur 1M" is designed to start and stop the spindle with your own hands. With a power of 3 kW and having a small size (less than a meter on either side and 1.2 meters in height), this unit can be installed even in a home workshop. Productivity - from 400 parts such as "foot", "snail" and "volute", "basket" and "torsion" on supplementary modules.

Foreign samples of such equipment are also produced. In particular, UNV3 is designed for curling workpieces into "coils" and "volutes", as well as for longitudinal twisting of a square bar. The production of a "basket" is also provided. However, it requires the work of an exclusively trained operator, because, otherwise, you will have to use the manual start of the machine, because of which most of the functions of expensive equipment will not be used..

The same can be said about the less versatile version of the V2-16 with a power of 1.5 kW, which performs only the operations of curling the "torsion", making "baskets" and producing "snails". Both units in the presence of a digital control panel operate from a foot start. It should be taken into account that, regardless of the type of machine used, the material must have the proper degree of toughness and ductility. Therefore, high-carbon steels with significant elasticity are not suitable for this purpose.

3 Manual production of decorative metal elements

In addition to automatic units, today a large number of mechanical tools are produced for curly deformation of metal strips and bars with reinforcement. Almost any device of this kind is based on the rotation or turning of the gate, as well as on the lever-chain transmission. Moreover, it is possible to use both separate mechanical devices and a complex of several nodes connected on one frame, the difference between them will be only in cost, while the performance is absolutely the same.

Let's take a look at each tool for the manufacture of one or another decorative metal element in turn. The simplest solution is to rotate the gate manually, that is, without the use of various gears that facilitate muscle effort. As a rule, here it is possible to simplify the task only due to the maximum possible length of the lever arm. For example, an elementary device: a stand on which a stop for the workpiece is rigidly fixed, and at some distance from it - a rotating shaft around which a bar, pipe or strip of metal will be bent.

Under the working surface, a freely moving lever is attached to the shaft axis, having an additional vertical axis on the shoulder, brought out above the stand through an arcuate slot. A second shaft is put on the axis, which will roll the workpiece to the first one. Such a tool makes it possible to easily make a "volute" with your own hands. To spin the "torsion" on a long massive base, 2 beds are installed, rigidly fixed at the end, and movable at the middle. A shaft is passed through the fixed frame, on which the collar is installed and there is a plate with clamps facing along the base to its opposite end. The freely moving console has an eyelet with bolt clamps, where the workpiece is rigidly fixed.

The second end of the rod with a square section is clamped in the die. Further rotation of the gate is attached right amount turns of a part curled along the longitudinal axis. The same tool allows you to make a basket of several rods with your own hands. Here is another tool for mechanical artistic bending of metal. In the center of the working surface of the device there is an axis on which a prefabricated template for the snail is put on. The nozzle sections have beveled ends for a strong joint, as well as convenient fasteners with small holes for finger connection. When the arcuate parts of the template are closed into position, a smooth, smoothly curving helical design is obtained.

In the center, above the clamping groove for the workpiece, there is a collar boss into which the lever handles are screwed. With a slight indent from the nozzle put on the axis, there is a long wide slot oriented from the center. In it, a shaft moves on a spring, which is needed to stop the workpiece against the template when the gate rotates. And finally, the last tool that can be purchased for manual. It is called very similar to the operation that it performs, namely, the gnutik. It consists of three square profiles, located close to each other, the two outermost of which are rigidly fixed to the workbench or frame.

The central one moves longitudinally between the extreme ones by turning the lever (rack and pinion). The driven shafts of the rolling mill are installed on the fixed bases, and the driving shaft with a gate is installed on the central one. Opposite it, closer to the frame, there is a place for a replaceable wedge with a given angle for the corner bending of the strips with an emphasis on the shafts. To obtain an arc, the workpiece is placed between the driven and driving shafts, by turning the lever it bends to the desired radius, then the handle rotates to impart the desired bend to the entire workpiece.

4 How to independently make a device for bending bars and profiles?

The described equipment is easy to do on your own, but it is much more efficient to work with an electromechanical machine. Therefore, in addition to the gate, the aforementioned tool can be equipped with a chain drive to the axis of the drive spindle from an electric motor.

However, the most effective solution will be with a chuck from lathe, in the headstock of which you can fix a workpiece of any shape. For this purpose, you can use a stable workbench, fixing on it, if necessary, a movable console with an eye for torsion of the "torsion bar" or an emphasis for winding a spiral snail onto a nozzle fixed in the cartridge.

To make rings with your own hands, the previously mentioned console with an eyelet, which is located exactly in the center of the cartridge, can be moved a certain distance. Then clamp the shaft of the desired diameter with the stocks (for convenience, there may be thinner protrusions for the eyelet and clamp on its ends). Also, a loop or other hook for the workpiece is installed on the shaft, which then, after turning on the electric motor and the start of spindle rotation, begins to twist around the template with a spring. It is also advisable to make an emphasis for the bar on the side of the shaft axis with your own hands. After removal, the workpiece remains cut lengthwise to obtain rings according to the number of turns.

You can make machines for cold forging from improvised materials.

Since universal fixtures from manufacturers are quite expensive, a self-made cold forging machine will be an excellent solution for people involved in the manufacture of forged products.

Today metal constructions with a unique design and bold architectural forms are used to equip houses in cottage settlements.

Figuratively curved forged elements of gates, fences and wickets bring an unusual image into landscape design estates.

On the proposed photos you can see what an unusual artistic look the metal structures create.

What parts can be made on a cold forging machine

Cold forging, unlike hot technology, is simple and safe. This process does not require the use of hot metal and the exact observance of the operating temperature.

You can make a do-it-yourself cold forging machine specifically for the manufacture of a certain type of part.

Also, a home-made machine will allow you to solve a wide variety of tasks, so it will be simply universal.

Via homemade machine it will be possible to achieve the ideal geometry of metal elements for an individual design idea and make original details with a pattern yourself.

In the process of cold decorative forging, as a rule, soft metal is used - it can be nickel and magnesium alloys, steel, copper or brass.

Otherwise, the range of products produced on the machine will be limited only by the imagination and the ability of the master.

Optionally, you can make openwork elements for stairs, gates and fences with your own hands.

The use of decorative details will allow you to decorate fireplaces and barbecues, beautifully decorate the outer walls of the house and the gazebo, make original tripods for flowers, as in the photo.

Types of equipment for cold forging

Existing types of machine tools can be operated with the participation of an electric motor or manual power.

The first version of the device makes it possible to perform work faster than manual ones, but at the same time it requires certain skills from the master.

Forging machines for forging are divided into types:

snail - a machine with separate removable parts or a solid cast - it is used when making spiral-shaped separate parts;
universal fixture - used for cutting, riveting and giving volume to the product;
bending - with its help you can make arc bending of metal or bending parts at a certain angle;
device for forming rings;
twister - allows you to bend the product along the axis;
press - for the formation of a matrix print on the product;
wave - to obtain wave-like elements from metal rods.

Manufacturing of the machine "Snail"

Using the list of tools and metal parts below, you can assemble a one-piece snail machine.

For work you will need:

metal rods;
sheets and strips of steel;
profile steel pipe;
welding, pliers, grinder.

Drawings and step by step diagram, as well as watching a thematic video, will allow you to get a high-quality device with the necessary parameters:

Using a sheet of paper, draw on it the image of a spiral with three turns. Next, check the dimensions so that as a result a reinforced rod with a diameter of 10 mm fits into the thread;
Using a grinder, cut out two plates from a steel sheet. The first should have parameters 100x100 mm, the second - 130x130 mm;
Take a 3 cm rod and three steel strips. The edges of the cuts of all used parts must be cleaned with emery to get rid of burrs;
Using pliers, bend the steel strips according to the template, as a result you will have three spiral parts with different lengths;
With the help of welding, all elements of the machine are welded according to the scheme, welding work is recommended to be carried out with high quality, since the life of the tool will depend on them;
The steel pipe is welded last from the bottom in the center of the machine.

As a result of the work carried out, equipment for cold forging of metal should be obtained, as in the photo.

If during the design of any interior elements with cutting profile pipes no one experiences difficulties, then if necessary, bend them, on the contrary, everything becomes more complicated.

Special bending machines for pipes, which can be done in advance with your own hands, will allow you to carry out such work qualitatively and quickly.

Drawings for the manufacture of this type of equipment can be used differently, depending on what materials will be used in the work.

Assemble the machine production type for cold forging of metal, as in the photo, at first glance it is difficult.

But if the master, working with metal, has already managed to gain experience, nothing is impossible for him. The main thing is to choose a solid stable foundation for the future design.

For example, it can be a massive metal table made on the basis of pipes or a profile.

Since the bending of the metal will occur due to the shafts present in the structure, it is necessary to select three such elements.

Each of them is a metal cylinder with thick walls and an axis of rotation. Two cylinders are fixed slightly above the table, and the third, the central one, is placed above them.

The distance between the two extreme cylinders determines at what angle the pipe will be bent.

In order to be able to change the position of the cylinders if necessary, it is necessary to make additions to the design drawings in the form of stoppers and rollers that will make this part adjustable.

After the cylinders are fixed, it is necessary to organize a rotation transmission system for them.

For this purpose, they use a chain mechanism from an old car, which can be found on the spare parts market.

It is better if the mechanism is equipped with gears, if not, then they will have to be purchased separately.

Gears are mounted on two extreme cylinders and a tensioner placed below the shafts in the center. Then one of the extreme cylinders is equipped with a handle in order to create a rotating force.

The machine for cold forging of metal products is ready. The following video will help to supplement the above material with details.

How to make a torsion machine

A machine for cold forging of torsion-type products is used to twist metal spirals in the form of a snake.

It is difficult to work with such a device manually, therefore, most often, drawings with electrical options machine tools.

In order to properly assemble the torsion bar, we suggest watching the video and reading the guide below.

Tools and materials for machine assembly:

steel sheet;
I-beam;
vice and fasteners;
gearbox, electric motor, chain;
Bulgarian;
welding.

Sequence diagram:

An I-beam will serve as the basis, to one side of which it is necessary to weld a steel sheet;
Then a vice is attached to the steel, welded and fixed with bolts and nuts;
So that under tension metal product did not jump out of the machine, plates are attached to the vice from below and from above;
The other side of the I-beam is equipped with rollers, on which, subsequently, the platform is mounted;
Other vices with movable main elements are attached to the surface of the resulting structure. In this case, both structures located along the edges of the I-beam should be located on the same level;
Further, the structure is equipped with a steel handle made of a rod; due to its rotation, the product will bend;
Using bolts, connect the reduction gear and the motor. The wheel rim is equipped with a chain;
The structure is covered with a steel casing.

As a result of the actions taken, a machine with two blocks is obtained - a movable and a fixed one.

Looking at fences, gates and wickets, as in the picture, at houses that are clearly not of an elite class, a person who has some idea of the equipment of the forge and the nature of work there may think: where do they get so much money from? A more knowledgeable blacksmith will not have such a question: these beauties, as well as the metal decor of furniture, light garden buildings, swings, benches, etc., are created by cold forging.

Cold art forging prices are affordable because production costs and initial equipment costs are low, and labor productivity is not bad for artisanal conditions. Therefore, an individual blacksmith specializing in artistic cold forging can count on a fairly quick start and good profitability. Perhaps one of the owners of the samples in Fig. made your own: cold forging with your own hands is doable in a garage or barn without experience, and forged parts for small pieces of furniture, balusters, barbecues and all sorts of other metal utensils (see, for example, the figure on the right) can even be done at home conditions.

The basis of the "cold forge" is a cold forging machine. For a complete production cycle that can satisfy any conceivable fantasies of yours or the customer, 5-7 types of machines will be required, 3-5 main ones of which can be made by hand. However, in the beginning, before spending money on a machine or materials for it, it is highly desirable to master the beginnings of blacksmithing. Therefore, further we will also consider some methods for manufacturing artistic forging parts without a machine tool and equipment for them, which can be quickly made from improvised materials.

Stamping, forging and bending

So what is cold forging? It differs from stamping in that the metal under the influence of the working body almost does not flow or flows weakly. Take a look at a beer can or, say, an aluminum or tin kettle. They are extruded with one blow of the punch of the punch press; kettle etc. . products complex shape- composite sliding punch. It is impossible to obtain the working force necessary to create such a high pressure at home, except for one case, see below.

Cold forging differs from hot forging, of course, in that the workpiece is not preheated. Actually cold forging, which is forging, is the riveting (hardening) of a part with a long series of regular blows of a certain force. In this case, the structure of the metal changes significantly: the hardness of the surface layer increases, and the core provides overall toughness and fracture strength. Handicraftsmen - toolmakers and gunsmiths - literally hunt for buffers and wheel tires of railway cars, pieces of rails.

Riveting of steel is carried out with a mechanical hammer. You can make it yourself, and even easier than some types of cold art forging machines. But this publication is devoted specifically to the latter subject, and cold artistic forging is essentially bending (bending) of metal: its structure in detail does not undergo significant changes, and a change in the physical and mechanical properties of the metal for the quality of the final product is not significant. Therefore, we will leave cold forging, which is forging, until a suitable occasion, and let's deal with forging, which is bending. For brevity, let's just call it artistic forging, and where it is necessary to mention hot forging, it will be specifically mentioned there.

Machine tools and equipment for cold forging

The main equipment for do-it-yourself artistic forging is several types of hand-operated machines and fixtures. The electric drive is used infrequently, because. the resulting increase in productivity is not always equal to the complexity of manufacturing and the cost of electricity. However, we will still remember about the electric drive for home forging machines while we deal with the “handbrakes”. Almost all elements of the products in Fig. at the beginning can be done on the following types of machines:

Twisters (twisters), pos. one in fig. - form flat spirals and other curls with a narrow core (core).
torsion machines, pos. 2- allow you to get a helical twist of a bar and elements from volumetric spirals, the so-called. filaments: baskets, lanterns, bulbs.
Inertial stamping machines, pos. 3- on them, the ends of the rods are splashed into shaped tips (pos. 1 in the figure below), decorative clamps are stamped to connect the details of the pattern (pos. 2 in the same figure), a small wave and relief are squeezed out on long details.

Bending machines are push, broaching and combined, pos. 4. The former allow you to receive only waves and zigzags; broaching - rings, curls and spirals with wide cores, and the latter all these types of products.

Note: in the technical literature, especially in English, all machines that form parts by torsion or winding are often called twisters. Initially, a twister is a machine for winding springs. But in relation to artistic forging, it would be more correct to consider winding machines as twisters, and twisting machines as torsion ones.

What are gnats?

In technical vernacular, bending machines are called benders. However, in amateur and private metalworking, the name "gnutik" has established itself behind a desktop device for obtaining waves and zigzags, see fig. on right. By changing the roller or wedge in the bend, it is possible to vary the step and height of the wave or the angle of the zigzag within certain limits.

A bend for rods / pipes up to 12-16 mm is relatively inexpensive, but it is difficult to make it yourself at home: you need precise processing of special steels. Try using an ordinary electric drill with an ordinary drill for metal to drill an ordinary open-end wrench. And in the gyne, the workloads are much higher than on its sponges. Therefore, it is better to buy a bender, in addition to forging on the farm, it will be useful for the manufacture of elements of welded metal structures, as a pipe bender for small thick-walled strong pipes, and in other cases.

Twisters

From time immemorial, blacksmiths have twisted curls cold according to a mandrel template with a horn lever grip, pos. 1 in fig. This method is unproductive and not for the squishy, but it allows you to quickly and easily make a variety of bending mandrels from an ordinary steel strip: the end (thrust) horn of the lever does not allow the template to move under the pressure of the workpiece. It is advisable to make the middle (bypass) horn sliding with fixation: the work will go slower, but, especially in inexperienced hands, more accurately.

Another simple device for manual shaped bending is a strong board with support pins - spacers, pos. 2; ordinary M8-M24 bolts are suitable as them. Depending on how friendly you are with a home simulator, you can work with a strip of up to 4-6 mm. They bend the strip by eye, the work goes slowly, but you can draw patterns up to Ilya Muromets on a horse in full armor or Buddha in a lotus flower. The last, perhaps, and completely self made: people who have fully mastered hatha and raja yoga are able to twist steel fittings into a pattern with their hands.

snails

The twister machine - a snail is most popular among those involved in artistic forging: its capabilities, in comparison with the simplicity of design, availability for do-it-yourself manufacturing and ease of use, are amazing. Actually, the snail machine is a slightly mechanized and improved bending arm, but such a “little” made it possible for beginners to work on it. Snail machines are divided, in turn, into machines with a gate and a rotary share and lever machines with a fixed template and a bypass roller.

Snail with a plowshare

The device of a bending snail with a plowshare is shown in the diagram below; the technology of working with such a machine is also described there.

The advantages of this type of twister bending machine are as follows:

It is possible to work on a snail with a rotary share and a gate in an unequipped room: the vertical component of the workload is negligible, and its horizontal components are partially transferred to the support.
Due to the previous point, the supporting structure can be quite simple and light, welded from ordinary steel profiles.
We can carry out the working process alone: turning the gate with one hand, with the other we press the bar or strip to the plowshare-template. As it bends, its links will fall into place on their own.
In a cold way, on a snail with a rotary share, you can twist spirals up to 5 turns.

Drawings of a snail machine for artistic forging with a specification of parts are given in fig. We will talk about the dimensions of the links (segments) of the folding share further, but for now, pay attention to the steel grades: there are heavy loads on the share. If you make it from ordinary structural steel, the template will lead to the middle of the gate or section of the fence.

Note: more detailed drawings of a snail machine of a similar design with a description and detailing, see the link: //dwg.ucoz.net/publ/osnastka/instrument_dlja_kholodnoj_kovki/5. In the same place you will find drawings of a homemade bender and devices for bending rings.

The material for the folding swivel share, as well as the complexity of its manufacture, are not the only weak points of the snail machine with a collar. An even more serious problem is the articulation of the share links (shown by red arrows in the figure on the right). The joints of the share segments must:

It is difficult to fulfill all these conditions together and in a well-established and equipped industrial production, therefore, the resources of folding templates for cold forging are generally much less than their material by itself would allow. Poor use of material properties is a serious disadvantage. Moreover, for the same reasons, another weakness snail machine with a collar - eccentric clamping of the part. Therefore, home-made snail machines for artistic forging, made according to a lever scheme, work more successfully for beginner homemade blacksmiths.

Snail with lever

The lever snail for cold forging is designed similarly to everything known. A home-made lever-type snail machine with a fixed template is significantly inferior in performance to a snail with a collar. The work load in it is more fully transferred to the base, therefore, a strong frame made of special steel or a thick plate of ordinary steel, securely fixed to the supporting surface, is required. As a result, an open-air workshop or production area is required. Work on the lever snail is moving slowly: turning the lever until it is jammed, you need to move the pressure roller. It is possible to curl on a lever snail up to 3-4 turns. However, the advantages of a lever snail for home craftsmen are significant, especially when working for yourself:

All parts, except for the pressure roller, can be made of ordinary steel.
It is possible to use a standard roller bearing as a pressure roller.
The use of the material properties of the parts is almost complete: the template and the bed made of ordinary steel can withstand more than 1000 work cycles.
You can bend both according to the template (pos. 1 in the figure below), and along the spacers, pos. 2 there.

In addition, the lever snail machine allows you to use a technological technique that is considered the prerogative of industrial twister machines: the template is shifted to the side, and a spacer is placed in the center, pos. 3 in fig. Thus, a small reverse bend is obtained in the core of the curl. The detail looks spectacular and, when working for sale, the product is valued more.

The lever snail has another rather fat little plus: on such a machine, you can bend flat curls with a small core from a strip laid flat. A snail with a collar and a swivel share here completely fails: the workpiece will go in a vertical wave. Wide curls and flat strip rings can be bent on a broaching machine with grooved rolls, see fig. on right. But the broach speed, so that the workpiece does not lead, this requires a significant one, so that a narrow core of the curl will not work.

On a lever snail machine, this problem is solved by installing a pressure roller as high as the thickness of the strip and with a flange (rim), like a railway wheel, only wider. Bending with this method takes a lot of time: the lever must be applied a little bit, otherwise the inner edge of the workpiece will wrinkle; from this rebord does not save. But it is impossible to get a curl from a flat strip with a narrow core in a handicraft production in another way.

In general, at the start of blacksmithing and art activities or making a forged fence, gate, gate, bench, swing, gazebo, etc., arranging a garden for yourself, it is still better to use a lever snail machine for cold forging. Moreover, it can be made from improvised materials without accurate and detailed drawings, see for example. next video.

Video: do-it-yourself artistic forging machine is simple

How to build a curl?

There are enough sketches of curls for artistic forging on the Internet, but when trying to adjust their sizes to those required for oneself, it often turns out that the product loses spectacularly due to a seemingly insignificant violation of proportions. Therefore, it is also desirable to be able to build forging patterns of curls, which obviously have aesthetic merit.

Patterns for cold forging of artistic curls - volutes - are built on the basis of mathematical spirals. The logarithmic spiral is most commonly used; it is one of the widespread natural forms, expressing the fundamental laws of nature. The logarithmic spiral is found in the shell of a mollusk, and in our hearing aid, and in the form of a treble clef in musical notation; in the fretboard of the violin itself, too.

The principle of constructing a logarithmic spiral by points is that when the radius forming it rotates, starting from a certain initial R0, by a fixed angle φ, its length is multiplied by the spiral divergence index p. For volutes p, as a rule, they take no more than 1.2, because the logarithmic spiral diverges (unwinds) very quickly; on pos. In fig. for example, a logarithmic spiral with p = 1.25 is shown. To make it easier to build a spiral point by point with sufficient accuracy for blacksmithing, take φ = 45 degrees.

In the case when a denser arithmetic spiral is required, when the radius forming it is rotated by the same 45 degrees, 1/8 of the spiral pitch S is added to the previous radius, pos. B. In both cases, R0 is taken equal to or greater than the diameter d of a workpiece of uniform cross section, pos A. If the initial end of the workpiece is pointed, R0 may be less than d, up to the ductility limit of the metal.

It remains to decide how to lay a visually harmonious spiral with a given opening size a. To solve this problem analytically, i.e. using formulas with any predetermined accuracy, one will have to solve equations of cubic and higher degrees. Computer programs for the numerical technical calculation of volutes are not found on the Internet, so we will use an approximate method that allows us to get by with one worker and, possibly, one verification graphical construction. It is based on the assumption that for small p the sums R2+R6 and R4+R8 do not differ much. step by step algorithm building a volute for a forging template, it follows from this:

based on the available material, we determine R0;
we take the number of turns of the volute w according to the principle: as God puts on the soul of the left hind paw of his beloved cat;
using the data of the table in Fig., we calculate the diameter of the volute b such that it is slightly less than the width of the opening under it a, see pos. G;
we calculate the working initial radius R according to the formula in pos. G;
we build a volute profile on a scale by points;
if necessary, we fine-tune R according to the same formula and build the profile of the working template finally.

Note: if you will calculate intermediate values from the table, do not forget - you need to take them in geometric proportion!

torsion bars

It is possible to twist rods for artistic forging with a screw without a machine at all, see fig. on right. To prevent the workpiece from bending at the root (clamped in a vice) end, a wooden block or something like it with a V-shaped cutout at the top must be substituted under the end of the guide tube farthest from them; it is better to grab the pipe to this support with a clamp, and fix the stand on the workbench. The pipe should be shorter than the workpiece and inside about 1.5 times wider than its largest diameter, because. the workpiece, when twisted, is pulled together and distributed in breadth.

Torsion machine for cold forging allows you to increase productivity and improve the quality of the parts obtained. The working force in it is transferred to the support to a large extent, so the frame is needed strong, in the form of a spinal frame from an I-beam from 100 mm or a pair of welded channels of the same size; the pipe will visibly deform. On the supporting surface, the frame must be securely fixed with the help of paws welded to its ends from the same profile, pos. 1 in fig.

The workpiece - a square bar - is held by mandrels-chucks with sockets also of a square section; they are visible there in pos. 1. Because the bar is shortened in length during twisting, the cartridges in the spindle and tailstock must be securely fixed with screw clamps. For the same reason, the tailstock is sliding. To make it possible to twist individual sections of the workpiece, a sliding stop with an insert with a square hole is also used.

If you only need to make a fence for yourself or something less, you can quickly build a torsion bar machine from scrap and improvised materials, pos. 2. In principle, filaments can also be obtained on both machines by inserting a bundle of 4 bars half the size into cartridges. But do not think that you can make a good flashlight or basket just by pushing the tailstock with a lever. It will turn out something like the one on the sidebar in pos. 1 and 2. Blacksmiths call such incidents a well-known word, but not used in literary speech. When twisting the filament in a simple torsion machine, the branches of the filament must be spread out in breadth with a hand tool, which is difficult and does not provide the proper quality of work.

Beautiful filaments (pos. 3) are twisted on torsion machines with a fixed tailstock and screw feed of the spindle, pos. 4. Now let's go back to fig. with types of machines at the beginning, to pos. 2 on it. See the thing with the green exclamation mark? This is a replacement spindle. There are 2 of them in the set: a smooth one for spiral twisting along the long axis of the workpiece and a screw one for twisting filaments. In this design, the bed is welded from a pair of channels with a longitudinal gap, and a shoe with a threaded hole for a locking screw is welded to the tailstock. A shoe is needed with a sole from 100x100, because. fixation of the tailstock in the filament mode is frictional and only partly jammed: the locking screw gives only the initial clamping force.

About the torsion bar electric drive

Working on a torsion bar machine with a manual spindle drive is tiring. But the main thing is the stable quality of products such as in pos. 3 fig. with torsion bars, it is even more difficult to achieve. The reason is that it is difficult to create a uniform torque in a circle with your hands, like with any other lever drive. Therefore, a torsion cold forging machine is just the case when the use of an electric drive is justified no matter what. The best way from improvised materials - the axle shaft of the drive axle of a rear-wheel drive vehicle with a gear pair from the differential from the same place, see fig. on right; don't forget the protective cover! Motor - 1.5-3 kW and no more than 900 rpm. Other design options are also possible, see e.g. video clip:

Video: homemade electric cold forging machine

Spiral like a spiral

In some cases, ordinary straight straight ascending spirals are used as an element of artistic forging. It is absolutely unrealistic to make a spring twister machine for this on your own. But remember: there is no need to spring the spirals in the forged pattern and it can be wound from ordinary ductile steel using a simple fixture(see figure on the right). The step (ascent) of the spiral is determined by the horn of the gate (filled in red); bending the horn up and down, you can get thinner and thicker spirals. A square bar is taken on a workpiece or a round one, it doesn't matter. You can also twist spirals from a bar twisted on a torsion bar.

Wave and zigzag

Now we have in turn a tool and equipment for wave and zigzag bending of long workpieces. The bending machine and the pull-and-press bending machine mentioned at the beginning are not reproducible with their own hands. In addition, the first allows you to adjust the pitch and profile within relatively small limits, and the second is expensive. However, a universal wave bending machine can still be made with your own hands on the model of what is on the left in Fig. Only rollers will have to be ordered, they must be made of chromium-nickel or tool steel; the rest is from a simple structural one, a sheet (strip) of 8 mm is needed for the brackets and the arc. Limiters are installed in the arc to accurately maintain the wave profile, but the workloads are transferred to it to a large extent; in fact, the arc provides transverse rigidity of the structure.

It is possible to bend only smooth, but very diverse, waves by adding a gate for waves to the snail machine with a rotary plowshare, on the right in Fig. The handles are used the same, because. they are screwed into threaded sockets on the head of the gate. It is desirable to make the root (central) roller separate and fasten it to the frame with sunken bolts. In this case, by placing rollers of different diameters, it is possible to form waves of a variable and asymmetric profile. And if the bypass roller is made adjustable (for which a number of holes are checked in its carrier), then the wave step can also be changed within a fairly wide range.

About connecting elements and painting

Forged parts need to be assembled into a single composition. The simplest way- welding and subsequent smoothing of the seams with a grinder with a cleaning wheel: it is thicker than a cutting wheel (6.5 mm) and withstands bending forces. But connections with shaped clamps look much more impressive, they are stamped from a strip of 1.5 mm on an inertial stamp; it can also be hot forged quickly and without experience, see below. The clamp blank is made in the form of a U-shaped bracket on a mandrel in the size of the parts to be joined and its wings are bent from the rear in place with a large metalwork hammer or a 1.5-2 kg sledgehammer in a cold way. paint ready product, as a rule, blacksmith's enamels or acrylic paints for metal. Enamels with a blacksmith's patina pigment are more expensive, but better: dried, they are of a noble color, somewhat antique, do not peel off, do not fade, wear and heat resistant

How to get around the stone

Those. a stumbling block in all of the above: shaped tips of rods; without them, a fence is not a fence, a gate is not a gate, and a gate is not a gate. The inertial stamping press (pos. 3 in the figure with machine types) is expensive, but effective. It works on the principle of a flywheel: first, smoothly rotating the rocker (bar with weights), the screw head is pulled back until it stops. Then a replaceable stamp is inserted into the socket, a blank is placed. Then the rocker arm is quickly spun in the opposite direction (this is a traumatic moment!) And it is left to rotate freely - the working stroke has begun. At the end of it, the striker hits the die shank very hard; due to the inertia of the loads, a force sufficient for stamping is developed.

Loads, especially impact ones, in an inertial stamping machine are large, fall on small areas, and the accuracy of manufacturing its parts needs to be high, so it’s better not to try to do it on your own. It is possible to make a manual rolling mill on your own, see fig. on the right, but only partially: special steel rolls, shafts and bearing bushings will have to be ordered, and gears will have to be bought or looked for second-hand. On such a mill, you can only get goose foot and leaf (spear) tips, and it will be immediately obvious from their necks that this is machine work.

Meanwhile, the same, and some others, rod tips can be hot forged without being an experienced blacksmith. A good, clearly handmade tip-sheet is forged simply with a sledgehammer and a hammer, and a forging stamp (stamp) for the paws is made from an unusable file in which grooves are selected by a grinder. Do you need a forge for this? For occasional small work, it is not at all necessary; the main thing is to heat the metal. A propane burner is not suitable, the heating must be uniform on all sides and without overburning. So, we come to the conclusion that cold and hot forging do not exclude each other: in order to obtain high-quality products with the help of simple cold forging machines or even improvised means, it does not even hurt, in addition to them, a small forge from improvised materials.

Plywood is one of optimal material decor. In addition to its operational qualities, it is easy to process. However, mechanical curly cutting does not always give the desired result. Therefore, plywood laser cutting machines have been developed. This is innovative technology, allowing you to make complex three-dimensional drawings and patterns.

Plywood laser cutting technology

Point thermal effect on the decorative natural material partially destroys it. This is due to the formation of plasma, similar to arc welding. However, the plywood does not melt, but burns out.

The main component of the machine is a laser machine. It forms a concentrated radiation that affects the material. CO2 lasers are used for this. Semiconductor models do not have sufficient power and can only be used for artistic burning.

The procedure for performing figured laser cutting of plywood.

Creating a drawing. Depending on the capabilities of the equipment, this can be done electronically or independently apply a pattern to the surface.
Choice of cutting mode. The determining parameter is the laser power. It depends on the thickness and structure of the plywood. If the degree of heating is exceeded, the width of the cut will increase.
Drawing formation. Its speed is affected by the power of the laser. The higher it is, the faster the process runs. However, this increases the area of darkening at the edges.

This is a general description of the technology and is subject to change depending on the parameters and functionality of the equipment. The average power of the laser machine is about 20 watts. It directly depends on the thickness of the plywood and the complexity of the pattern.

For work, it is best to use automated CNC processing centers for wood. This will increase accuracy and improve performance.

Features of cutting plywood with a laser

The main disadvantage of this type of equipment is its high cost. A number of advantages that are impossible for mechanical processing make wood laser centers very popular. They are used to complete production, are used to perform a small amount of work at home.

The defining advantage of laser cutting is the thin seam on the wood. It may be slightly larger than the beam diameter. Thus, maximum detail and exact correspondence of the result to the original layout is achieved.

This technology has the following features:

a slight darkening is formed in the area affected by the beam. This is unavoidable but can be corrected by painting or varnishing;
cutting requires no mechanical force. The process does not cause surface deformation, which is typical for classical ways processing;
The quality of work is affected by the composition of the wood. It is not recommended to use sheets made of softwood. They contain a large amount of resins, which, when evaporated, affect the appearance.

For large volumes of production, it is necessary to provide a system for extracting fumes. This is done using local ventilation. The absence of chips significantly softens the requirements for working conditions when curly cutting plywood laser cutting machine.

The surface of the processed material is preliminarily cleaned of dust and dirt. The presence of varnish, paint or similar decorative and protective compositions is not allowed.

List of cutting equipment

To complete a professional production line, it is recommended to purchase specialized equipment. But in addition to the laser installation, other components must be present in it.

To ensure maximum automation of work, the laser head must move freely along the length and width wooden surface. To do this, install a special carriage that moves along the guides.

In addition, the following components are required for normal operation:

block electronic control. He controls the operation of the laser, gives commands to move it relative to the sheet;
exhaust system for combustion products. Despite their small amount, without forced ventilation, the concentration of harmful substances will quickly increase;
interface for entering information - drawing, machine operating modes, etc.

To perform a small amount of work, it will not be advisable to purchase expensive equipment. The best option is to use the services of specialized manufacturing companies. In this case, you only need to draw up the drawing correctly and select the material on which it will be applied.

In the video you can see an example of the operation of a machine for forming a pattern on the surface of a plywood sheet:

Overview of finished machine models

If you want to purchase a laser cutting machine for plywood, then pay attention to their difference in power:

desktop. Designed for work at home or a small workshop with small workpieces. Power up to 80 W, price from 50,000 rubles;
professional. It is used in small business in the production of designer jewelry, engraving, cutting materials to size. Power up to 195 W, price from 150,000 rubles;
industrial. Used on high power production lines and bandwidth with increased requirements for quality and accuracy of work. Power from 3000 W, price from 450,000 rubles.

Consider machines from different price categories.