Ironworker anyone have a 65 or 90 ton Scotchman?

I would like to know the measurements of the top arm on a Scotchman ironworker either 50 ton or larger. I am thinking of building one, well maybe? Anyone else attempted a build?

I have a 35 ton and a 50 ton Scotchman. Bought (Stole) both used, one off of craigslist. The other from a referal. Paid $600. for the 35 and got paid $600. for taking the 50 !!! (bought 3 machines and sold other two)
By the time you did ALL the work trying to build one you would have quite a bit of money in it too. You would be better off watching ebay or C L. I think Scotchman sells used trade ins.
I can tell you they ARE worth every penny! If you have the work to support them. I use mine a few times a week but enjoy every time. I bought the 35 ton to resell and when it looked at me with those sad eyes I told it it could live here and I would look after it.

Timw said:

I can tell you they ARE worth every penny! If you have the work to support them. I use mine a few times a week but enjoy every time. I bought the 35 ton to resell and when it looked at me with those sad eyes I told it it could live here and I would look after it.

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Those little 35 ton units are sweet, I want one at my house. Price wize the scotchman is a good bang for the buck.

We looked at a gekka it was nice but has lots of moving parts.

I seen old buffalo 100 ton iron workers sell for $1,500, they will punch 1.065" in one inch plate no problem. all day long.

At work we paid $20,000 for a new Piranha P70 ton and wish we went bigger to a 120 ton, then you can shear 1.250" plate and punch holes in it with the bigger unit.

I did some jobs where it calculated at at $160+ an hour after the work was done and the parts were fine. How long does it take to drill 6,000 holes VS Punching? Its not even close.

every fab machine shop needs a good Iron worker, I dont care about brand it just needs to keep eating steel.

I have a Scotchman 40 ton turret press. The arm on it is pretty beefy and takes a hell of a beating when maxed out punching....not something to take lightly. I was going to build an ironworker also...glad I bit the bullet and bought one instead. No need reinventing the wheel I guess.
Pretty simple machines...but awesome money makers in a fab shop.
Russ

Considering what used ones go for, your time has to be worth zero for it to be worth building one.
I know lots of guys who got the older 30 ton Scotchmans, with the inside punch, for under two grand, lots of times under 1000.

And, as mentioned, big old mechanicals like Buffalos are dirt cheap.
Of course, they are huge and heavy- a 100 ton Buffalo weighs 10,000lbs or so, and is completely non-OSHA compliant as well- but they never die. Punches and tooling are still available.

I am a bit confused by "We looked at a gekka it was nice but has lots of moving parts".

I have a Geka, and it has TWO moving parts- the hydraulic ram moves in and out, and it pulls down the main pivot arm. Thats it. It is more complicated, and much better built, than a scotchman, but in terms of moving parts or stuff to break, its very tough and simple.
I love it, and wouldnt trade it for any other brand- the electric length stop, with built in accurate stainless steel rulers pays for itself every time I use it, and the punch gaging table is the best in the industry, bar none.
If you actually need the part cut to the right length, its pretty idiot proof- you just set it for 24", and it cuts at 24". No tape measure, sharpie, or brain required.
Same thing with the punching- no measuring, no center punching, much more accurate, and saves a ton of time too. You just set the stop for 1" in and 3" from the end, and thats where you get your hole.
In the time I have had it, the local steelyard has worn out two Scotchmans. The Geka hasnt even lost its new car smell, and I mostly run stainless on it.

I know there is no reason to reinvent the wheel that is why I want to "copy" a design that is allready proven. The Scotchmans look simple to build and I have about 90% of the steel to build one. Besides who doesn't have fun building stuff? As far as used machines go I do not want a mechanical ironworker, so of course that leaves hydraulic ironworkers. To get a used 70 or 75 ton hydraulic I think I am going to have to spend way over 5k plus travel time and expense because there is hardly anything found out here in the sticks.

From the little bit of info that I have so far the Scotchman 70 ton top arm looks to be about 10" tall by about 2.5" thick? Now because I have the surplus steel on hand I would over build the main arm from what Scotchmans is just because I can. Any body know of a build up thread on homemade ironworkers? If not maybe it's about time?