Affordable iron angle machine

[CFA Jay]

what is the best affordable iron angle machine? I am not looking to spend more than $300

 

 

[CFA Jay]

bump

[ZipinZ]

[size="3"]

Suggest you do some searches & research on this site as well Golfsmith, Golfworks and Mitchell, etc .... there's been lots of post on Club Bending Machines. Unfortunately, for < $300. you won't get a unit that will have the required tolerances, so consider monitoring E-Bay & Craig's list for used machines. What's also very important is a Loft & Lie Gauge that will give you repeatable measurements. The better or higher end bending machines have them integrated, however, the hobby versions normally don't. Something, you shouldn't overlook before you invest. [/size]



D.

[Swoosh-Thud]

Well it ain't that difficult. The higher dollar models have the guages and are designed to make the bending easier along whatever plane you are bending. The low $ ones just don't have a guide <- which makes life easier.

Now all you really need is a hobbyist, a protractor and a little common sense to use the hobbyist.

You bend in one plane (loft or lie) by canting the machine in the vice otherwise you'll bend both loft and lie at the same time ie you can't the machine so that when you bend (eg lie) you do so ensuring you're doing so along the other (loft) plane. It ain't rocket science.

The most difficult part is actually ensuring you measure precisely- those places sell a clamp in which you place your club to measure with the protractor.

So yes you can get away with a low budget set up. And it is really easy to do so.

[ronsc1985]

You can get by with the a real cheapo bending machine if :

a. You don't care how long it takes you to do the job and

b. You get a decent loft lie measuring gauge.

I bought a high class loft lie measuring gauge on Ebay for 150 bucks. This and a 89 dollar clamp and bending bar from Golfsmith and I could bend to my hearts content. The downside was since the bending clamp had no gauge of any kind it was time consuming, back and forth a time or two.

It is helpful to have a bending machine with gages attatched. It really doesn't matter much if they are accurate since in general all you are doing is changing some amount..They all do differential measurements decently i.e. if you want to bend 2 degrees and don't really care whether it is from 30 to 32 or 27 to 29.

The absolute angle can really only be done on a good gauge. Absolute measurements made on a bending machine can be off quite a bit if for no other reason then it is hard to get the sole perfectly aligned with a universal clamp. The good gauges don't have a sole clamp and are a lot easier to get a correct lie measurement which in turn affects the loft measurement.

What I tend to do is measure the actual loft and lie and then use the gauges on the bending machine to make the degree adjustments. This most always works out in one try.

[marrigo]

Keep an eye on ebay. Don't rush into a purchase. Watch and see how much different machines go for so you can tell when you see a good deal. That's what I did. Picked up a GS Ultimate machine with bar for about $300.

[02bluesuperroo]

I use this:

 

 

 

with this:

 

 

It does take additional time to keep switching back and forth but I got the bending machine used for $100 ($400 new) and the bevel box is like $30 and it works great.

[TKing]

do a Google search for "craigslist loft lie machine", and you will find stuff like this:
[url="http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/spo/2473233417.html"]http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/spo/2473233417.html[/url]

[Nessism]

[quote name='ronsc1985' timestamp='1310067168' post='3372522']
You can get by with the a real cheapo bending machine if :

a. You don't care how long it takes you to do the job and

b. You get a decent loft lie measuring gauge.


[/quote]


I made my own bending setup and measuring gauge. It is slow, but works fine. The measuring gauge was made out of a small plate of steel and hinge from a minivan sliding door.

[dlygrisse]

I bought a cheap hobbyist machine from Golfsmith years ago, it worked fine on forged clubs but I made the mistake of trying to bend a Ping with it and all of the fixtures basically broke or bent. It worked fine for just piddling around tweaking a few wedges or some forged irons, using a magnetic protractor will get you pretty close if you aren't in a big hurry or trying to do a large amount of work..

As far as the magnetic protractor, while it may not be perfectly precise I have had clubs bent on a Mitchell and the gauge wasn't calibrated right and they were off as well, so with a little trial and error you can get the club to where it works for you.....the beauty is that you can bend it, take it to the range if it;s not right take it back to your garage and tweak a little more till it's right.

[Nessism]

Since I just know you guys are dieing to see my homemade club building tools...

 

 

[ZipinZ]

[size="3"]Looks like a "Monster Garage" custom build ...... well done !
[/size]


D.

[the4hornes]

Great Job Nessism! I love seeing DIY tools. Thanks for the email - holein1lakewood9

Mark

[Jack aMMo]

Those tools are COOOOOLLLL!!!!

[Redpro]

[quote name='CFA Jay' timestamp='1309989001' post='3369852']
what is the best affordable iron angle machine? I am not looking to spend more than $300

Check eBay, there are mitchell lie loft bending machines popping up from time to time there...
[/quote]

[huskyhacker]

bending- a good vise and a 2lb rubber mallet will do all you need to do.

measuring- tiny level, and magnetic protractor, and its perfect every time.

i do clubs in my shop every day this way, and it works everytime. this includes putters.

[CFA Jay]

[quote name='huskyhacker' timestamp='1316529828' post='3577037']
bending- a good vise and a 2lb rubber mallet will do all you need to do.

measuring- tiny level, and magnetic protractor, and its perfect every time.

i do clubs in my shop every day this way, and it works everytime. this includes putters.
[/quote]


i would like to see pics of what you mean by that...will you post some?

[chefed]

[attachment=899949:lie and loft 008.jpg][attachment=899951:lie and loft 006.jpg] measuring lofts and lies on a budget, but it is so accurate and consistent

[tampay]

[quote name='chefed' timestamp='1320028502' post='3740515']
[attachment=899949:lie and loft 008.jpg][attachment=899951:lie and loft 006.jpg] measuring lofts and lies on a budget, but it is so accurate and consistent
[/quote]

Sweet. Might have to copy you if that's really consistent