Forming component leads en masse - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 07:13:43 pm
content: This is too expensive:http://uk.farnell.com/cliff-electronic-components/pm1/machine-component-pre-forming/dp/147835This is too slow:http://uk.farnell.com/duratool/tp-8/component-pre-forming-tool-tp8/dp/2022738Is there anything in between?

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 07:21:19 pm
content: One of these?

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 07:25:39 pm
content: Seems like that would be a worse option than the handheld one above... Slower and more awkward.I'm really after something semi automatic that you can feed strips of components into like the expensive thing, but for a better price.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 07:46:47 pm
content: I use one of those suggested by Jon Chandler. About 5$ including shipping from US to me.You can find pre-forming machines like the one in the first picture on eBay from time to time, usually for around 150-300$.Hakko used to sell some lead forming pliers with all kinds of shapes.. can't find a trace of them on the Hakko website nowadays. They have some machines now but they're probably more expensive than the ones on Farnell.Tequipment still has the manual pliers listed here:http://www.tequipment.net/soldering-equipment/lead-forming-equipment/#/soldering-equipment/lead-forming-equipment/?perpage=144There is another company, Piergiacomi, that makes all kind of pliers (scroll down to "special" section) :http://www.piergiacomi.com/piergiacomi/en/products/hand-tools.html?ja_color=defaultI was interested a few months ago and wanted to buy a few of them for hobby use basically, but went through their distributors list in Europe and honestly, couldn't find ONE store to stock them (not to mention the list was outdated, some distributors went bankrupt, one moved to selling paper products instead of tools and so on)I gave up, with each day that passes it gets easier to move on to surface mount components.

author: Rick60
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2014, 08:03:40 pm
content: How about this one from Rapid online ?Component Pre-Forming Tool TP9Order Code:86-42321+ £50.95 £61.14

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2014, 02:05:51 am
content: Found a couple of units on eBay (location is China) similar to the first model you linked, but at a lot less money (both ~160GBP + 60GBP shipping).F TypeU TypeNot sure if they're any good, but perhaps worth investigating, as the known brands aren't cheap. BTW, here's the link forOLAMEF(last product might look familiar).Hope this helps.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2014, 02:51:36 am
content: I have one of the axial benders shown at the top of the first post. Works really well and paid for itself very quickly. Bending and trimming 1000 resistors takes about a minute.I also have one of the hand units too. Handy for doing a few units of an odd spacing and I don't want to change the settings on the crank unit.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2014, 03:25:43 am
content: Some time ago I made one out of plywood. Just cut 2 pieces on a CNC mill and taped to a quick-grip F-flamp. Worked like a charm

author: Christopher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 07:17:39 pm
content: How about a U shaped aluminium channel..?