Another Pullmax beading tool

[Doug98105]

This is a resurrection of an old thread from 2005, the pictures in that thread were lost so I'm rewriting it and adding the pictures again.

Here's the beading tool I built for my P3 Pullmax. This tooling forms the bead upside down from the usual method.

First pic is 1/2" beads done on light gage galvanized steel. No distortion or warping to speak of.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=2172

Next pic is 1/2" bead done on small piece of 18 gage steel. There's slight distortion in this piece, but I think most of it was in the piece before the beading was done. Before beading this scrap was sheared using the P-max shearing tools that tend to distort small pieces like this.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=2173

Here's the tooling. A new lower collet nut was machined to support a stationary work support table. The upper tool has a urethane hold down to clamp the material as the bead is formed, this helps to eliminate distortion of the work and makes beads that are mostly stretching instead of pulling material in from adjacent to the bead. The lower tool isn't shown in this picture, it feeds up through the assembly and is adjusted in the normal way with the lower screw adjuster.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=2174


This is a bead done in fairly heavy brass, 075" thick (??, I can't remember exactly). No distortion.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=3&pictureid=2176


Doug

[Hotrod1932]

Doug can you explain more about how that works? I most certainly don't have a big pullmax machine but I have a really neat small reciprocating machine and wonder what I would need for an upper and lower to do something like that.

[Rick Mullin]

Hi Doug

Thanks for posting the info. I have a few questions.

My Pullmax has a .100 and .040 stroke. Does the urethane extend past the die by at least the length of the stroke so it is in constant contact imposing pressure on the panel? If so, how much does it need to extend past the die? What durometer is the urethane? Do you lubricate the panel to keep the urethane from grabbing? How is the upper post assembly made? Is it a universal style with the die as a separate piece from the post?
I really like the set up. Is there a different base design to accommodate a three dimensional panel?

Thanks for sharing.
Rick