Category: Tool Review
I am a demanding user who values quality items that are backed with good customer service.
I make my own tools so I have a
different perspective than the average consumer. Designs are called out for what they
are whether good, bad, or indifferent. Trademarks and copyrights are the intellectual property of
their respective owners and used herein for reference, educational, and informational purposes.
From PEPE Tools comes the Superior Ring Bending Tool model 301.00A.
PEPE stands for Precision Engineered Professional Equipment.
Their tools generally work well but
not so "superior" for this one.
And maybe not for professional use, either. Or precision. It is engineered
equipment, however.
The first thing I noticed was
the sub-par finish work. All of the dies had sharp, unfinished
edges, pits, and gouges. The overall slop was
excessive. The cam interface and the piece that held the
slotted forming die were machined crooked.
I called the company and the CSR sent me a call tag.
He would personally cherry-pick the replacement
which turned out to be minimally better but
was definitely not "inspected."
The delrin inserts had perfectly machined surfaces, I'll give
them credit. Unfortunately, most had a thinner profile than their equivalent metal brethren.
Some pieces were too thin to work with the smaller dies. Maybe it's not designed that way,
if so a tremendous oversight.
After bending approximately 15 rings, I needed pliers to remove the handle.
It is way too spindly considering it would have cost virtually
nothing to improve this area.
The cam mechanism is mediocre because it uses an unwise friction interface.
Ball bearings or bushings would have worked better. This is
a huge area of concern if the handle doesn't break first.
It qualifies as a prototype in this aspect!
The base has a decent appearance and finish. However, it's not precise.
The slop actually distorts many rings because the dies
cant and tilt. I asked the company about this and they said
it had to be that way. See the
update
to show that wasn't true.
They tout it as a way to make spoon or utensil rings.
Unfortunately, the die inserts are only tall enough to accommodate the handles, and only if
the handles are not too wide or long. The bowl or tine section cannot be
easily bent using this machine.
Larger inserts would have been pennies more.
These are the modifications thus far. Anyone serious enough to buy
a production machine like this shouldn't have to make these adjustments:
- Add shims to metal die inserts
- File the edges of every metal die and insert
- Use pliers to remove the handle
- I finally machined 15 tight-fitting stainless steel inserts myself
And here's what I can't fix:
- Delrin inserts are too thin and sloppy (metal ones are, too)
- Handle is weak
- Cam mechanism is poorly designed
- Finish work in general
It does an almost-satisfactory job of pre-forming rings though
they will require old-school touches.
Clearly the company has the means to make this much better.
FINAL RATINGS (0=low/bad/none to 10=high/good/a lot, YES/NO, N/A, or text; hover over topic for specific information)
Final thoughts: Somewhat disappointing. The hype exceeded the performance. What I'm learning
about this company's tools is that as long as there are no moving parts, they usually work fine.
This is definitely not a professional-caliber machine.
No way, no sir, no how. It is hobbyist level at best.
For me, it walks a fine line between the toolbox and scrap pile.
Let me clarify: With all the modifications it has
become marginally usable.
Update: The supposed nickel-plated posts rusted fast!
Stainless steel posts, for a few dollars more, would have solved that problem.
Therefore, I made a taller stainless steel set from 10mm to 24mm in 1mm increments (see
last picture). They are much tighter fitting.
Posted by M: December 17, 2019
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