"Shear" luck on Craigslist

Lil Foot

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Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
When it comes to Craigslist, I am always a day late or a dollar short, but I still look when I can.
I'm always looking to add to my shop, and was surprised a few months ago to find a 12" sheet metal shear listed.

I called on it, assuming it would be sold, vastly overpriced, on the other side of the world, or all of the above.
Imagine my shock when it was still available, (posted 45 min earlier) was 3 blocks from me, and the price was $250.
Jumped in Lil Foot and was there in less than 5 mins.

Imagine my further shock when I immediately recognized it. It was from the old Sperry machine shop where I did my apprenticeship and my 1st 10yrs of machining. It was even modified by me back in the old days.
Note the S.F.S. asset tag- (Sperry Flight Systems). (1st pic)
In the 2nd pic, you can see two 1/4-20 button head cap screws holding the side gauge. The third screw is a 3/8-16 allen head cap screw installed by me in about 1982-3. Someone had removed those three 1/4-20 screws and stripped the thread on the last one, so they attempted to Helicoil it, but broke the tap off in the hole. After drilling some side holes in a failed attempt to remove the broken tap, the butcher gave up, and his boss called on me to clean up the mess. (a common occurrence in those days)

I had to upsize it to 3/8-16 to clean up the hole, and when I get a chance, I will replace the cap screw with a button head again.

Anyway, the seller did not remember the name of the guy he got it from, (I probably knew him) and I bought it for $200. It is missing the back gauge, (common) and the hold down clamp, (even more common) and was dirty and had some cosmetic surface rust, but otherwise it's in excellent shape. It is a DiAcro-Houdaille #3, and weighs 168lbs.

After clean up, (rust removal, grease & dirt removal, replacing bolts, nuts washers, setscrews) I needed a stand with casters to put it on, so I went to work.

I bought some very heavy casters at an estate sale for $5, and a still boxed HF machine stand at another for $20.
I went to the recycled/repurposed stock stash and found a large round plate to cut up for the top plate, and another large piece to form the basis for the bottom plate. The bottom plate was actually made from (4) pieces. Machined some 12 degree blocks to bolt the legs to, and put it all together. Stand is VERY rigid, and rolls smooth & quiet, brakes work great also.

I'm pretty pleased.

IMG_0003 1.JPG IMG_0004 1.JPG IMG_0001.JPG IMG_0006.JPG IMG_0070.JPG IMG_0072.JPG IMG_0073.JPG IMG_0074.JPG IMG_0075.JPG
 
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Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Base plate:
IMG_0011.JPG IMG_0014.JPG IMG_0004.JPG IMG_0005.JPG
 
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Lil Foot

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
The finished product:
IMG_0001 1.JPG IMG_0005 1.JPG IMG_0006 1.JPG IMG_0007.JPG
 
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bird dogger

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Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
1,569
1,409
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North Dakota
That is NICE!! It's now returned to the rightful home/shop! Would love to have a shear like that. Congrats!
 
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Lil Foot

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
When I have the time, I will fabricate a "leavings" tray for the rear to catch cut off pieces.
Might even add a shelf down on the cross braces- can't have too much storage, especially in my shop.
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Just noticed that I neglected to post a pic of the 12 degree leg blocks. Oops.
IMG_0002.JPG
 
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Yooper

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3901 LA525
May 31, 2015
1,456
429
83
NE Wisconsin
Great score Bill! And what a great story to go along with it. Diacro makes some fine equipment. I have a tubing bender made by them. BTW, what is the capacity on it?
 
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Lil Foot

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Thanks guys!
Capacity is 16 ga mild steel, 10 ga aluminum.
In its old life, the majority of material it cut was .010 to .020 brass for pantograph engraved stencils for our paint shop.
Amazingly, all (8) cutting edges on the blades are perfect. Usually there are some nicks where some taterhaid has tried to cut piano wire or a bolt or something.
Except for the first 3 inches on the left, it will cleanly cut notebook paper. More than adequate for my uses, but I will shim the blades so that will be corrected when I get time.
The 24" DiAcro I rebuilt for my shop at work would cut rice paper cleanly it's full length.
 

bird dogger

Well-known member
Vendor Member

Equipment
Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
1,569
1,409
113
North Dakota
Thanks guys!
Capacity is 16 ga mild steel, 10 ga aluminum.
In its old life, the majority of material it cut was .010 to .020 brass for pantograph engraved stencils for our paint shop.
Amazingly, all (8) cutting edges on the blades are perfect. Usually there are some nicks where some taterhaid has tried to cut piano wire or a bolt or something.
Except for the first 3 inches on the left, it will cleanly cut notebook paper. More than adequate for my uses, but I will shim the blades so that will be corrected when I get time.
The 24" DiAcro I rebuilt for my shop at work would cut rice paper cleanly it's full length.
With all the nearby colleges in the area, cutting rice paper to some appropriate sizes could have that shear earning its keep in no time! :ROFLMAO:
 
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skeets

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Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Ya done good boy, Yes Sir ya done good (y)
 
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Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Found a toaster oven tray that would work for a "drops" tray and modified it to fit.
IMG_0002 1.JPG IMG_0001 2.JPG