[TheForge] Scrolls

[Ries Niemi]

> Mikey wrote-
>
> I have used RAM scroll benders, which are the only commercially made 
> units
> worth anything IMHO. Unfortunately, the inventor's patent ran out in 
> the
> sixties and imitators undercut his prices, so he retired. There is 
> still a
> comparable machine built today, but at a laughably high price and 
> built for
> column scrolls, which are out of date. Every other commercial scroll 
> bender,
> including today's German built offerings, makes me giggle.

I am curious about this- I have never used the RAM, but I have seen em, 
and always thought they were kinda mickey mouse looking- they have no 
speed control, no programability, are underweight and underpowered and 
rickety looking. Plus they suffer from the same narrow minded design 
approach of most commercial scroll benders, manual and powered- the 
idea that a scroll is made from very thin flat bar bent the easy way.

I wonder what it is about the German machines that makes you giggle?

I have a German base unit, and right now in Germany the little elves 
are building me a scroll attachment- I should have it in a month or so, 
and then I will put it thru a workout- first project for it is 600 
scrolls, 18" diameter, which is about 4 wraps, in 1/2" stainless round 
that has been previously forged.
Of course, we will hot forge and hand hammer all the ends first, then, 
using the power hammer, texture all the bar stock.

But my machine is 3 1/2hp  3phase, geared down to about 14 rpm- that is 
a lot more torque than the ram bender. It is programable for degree of 
rotation, in 1 degree increments, with multiple steps up to 24 or so- 
so its easy to program it to overbend, to accomadate springback, then 
unbend again for perfect sizing. The motor has an electric brake on it 
that stops it dead in less than 1 degree of rotation.
It is also usuable with a footpedal, for precise improvisational 
control.
The base unit weighs in at 1950lbs, plus another 100lbs or so for the 
scroll head. 40 or so scroll dies are available from the factory, plus 
blank base plates to make your own, or custom ones to order.
I have been using the base unit for twisting and roll bending for 
several years now, and it is built as well as any machine tool I have 
seen- its right up there with other great German tools, like Deckel 
milling machines or my Haberle cold saw.

As I said, I havent made scrolls on it yet, but I will be soon, making 
my own custom dies for a variety of materials- and from my experience 
with the rest of my machine, I am sure it will make me giggle, too, 
with glee at its incredible power and precision.
As for hand bending versus machine speeds- well, I have hand bent a lot 
of scrolls, hot and cold on the hossfeld, and there is NO question in 
my mind that this sucker will beat Frosty hands down on the first one, 
and by number 200 or so, while my 12 year old is still slapping in the 
48" long pieces of 1/2" round stainless, hitting the start switch, and 
pulling one out every minute or so, my guess is that Frosty will be 
over in the corner, nursing a sore arm and a frosty one himself.

Hand blacksmithing is great for one offs, but in production situations, 
great smiths use labor saving devices. Not to say that I am a great 
smith- I am just an artist who uses metal- but people like Samuel 
Yellin were always quick to pick up on power tools that did NOT 
compromise the quality of the work. And properly done, a scroll bender 
need not compromise the quality one bit.

Ries Niemi
Industrial Artist

http://www.RiesNiemi.com