[TheForge] Cute little ironworker

[Ries Niemi]

For some reason, the southern Minnesota area is a convergence zone for 
clusters of machine manufacturing. This area was the focus of the whole 
Little Giant/ Murray/Moloch/Murco power hammer dynasty, where multiple 
companies made similar machines. The same thing happened in the 
ironworker industry. Probably started originally by Edwards Manuf. in 
Albert Lea Mn. who made hand operated shears and punches as long ago as 
the 1800's.
Anyway, this ironworker is a very early variant on the 
Scotchman/Dvorak/Uni-Hydro family. They are all simple, sturdy 
machines, with a minimum of hard to manufacture parts- they are mostly 
torch cut parts welded or bolted together.
My guess is this one is actually an early Uni-Hydro. Not a lot of 
power, and it has that funky internal throat punch station like all 
early scotchmans. That means you can punch a hole in a piece of 3" flat 
bar, but not on the edge of a 24" circle.
If it goes for anywhere near the current low bid range, its a deal, as 
little 35 ton scotchmans of similar vintage often go for 2 grand to 
2500.
And punches are available from cleveland punch and die to fit this 
machine- figure under 20 bucks per set for high quality brand new ones.

Personally, if I was looking for a small ironworker, I would keep my 
eyes open for a Mubea BF 35- a really well built german machine that 
often turns up for around 2500$.

ries