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Anyone familiar with Boice Crane Press Brakes?

johfoster

Cast Iron
Joined
Dec 15, 2016
I can not find any info out there about this brake. It was advertised as 35ton x 52.0" capacity. Up acting, and pneumatic. Just wanting to hear from anyone who has used one, or just any general info. I came up with nothing on google searches other than 2-3 old FS listings. Thanks.

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It certainly does look identical to one of the Pnueco brakes, but the nameplate says made in USA Boice Crane. Huh.

I never knew that they worked off of an air bag like that. Explains why the front of the base sticks out so far. I may convert it to hydraulic once in my possession, but will see how well it works first. No point in changing it up if it works well for me as is.
 
Nobody here has had one of these it seems like? Not the most reassuring feeling post purchase, but atleast it is a bunch of steel plate and a few slides easy enough to modify if it sucks.
 
Just out of curiosity, why would anyone want an up acting press rather than the conventional down acting ones? Doesn't seem like a workable design to me.
 
I have yet to use one, but know people who have up acting in their shops. I agree it seems backwards but everyone says you get used to it fairly quick. Advantages being it is possible to build a shorter overall machine. I have also heard the point brought up that it is safer since the material you are holding starts to move with the ram, so you can't get your fingers crushed off guard you know the second it is starting to close in.
 
It certainly does look identical to one of the Pnueco brakes, but the nameplate says made in USA Boice Crane. Huh.

I never knew that they worked off of an air bag like that. Explains why the front of the base sticks out so far. I may convert it to hydraulic once in my possession, but will see how well it works first. No point in changing it up if it works well for me as is.
I was a Machinist that worked for Boice Crane from 1982-1983. I built many of these Pressbrakes. They were originally Manufactured in Gothenburg, Nebraska and later they closed that plant and moved to Mexico. The Pneumatic design was the facilitate a fast cycle time. Strange as it may seem they did work well. I'm not sure I am much help as this looks newer than the ones I built. I do have a basic understanding of them and the concept. I knew the family that owned the company. Barry Bristol would be someone that knew this better than anyone else, but I don't know if he's alive. Maybe living in Chula Vista, CA. He would have been the original owners son and I imagine him to be in his late 60's now. Barry was the brain behind this. Hope this helps.
 








 
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