Julius Blum (Ram) Electric Scroll Bender

[Chris P]

I recently purchased a used Julius Blum (Ram) Electric Scroll Bender, but haven't been able to find a copy of the instruction manual. I did contact the Julius Blum ornamental iron company, but I was told they haven't sold that machine in 40-years, and they don't have any instruction manuals. This is a pretty unique machine, and it's not intuitively obvious how to make adjustments and run the thing. Does anyone out there have one of these machines, and a copy of the instruction (users) manual? I sure could use some help. I can try and post some photos if that would help anyone. Thanks.

[digr]

I couldn't find anything Here are some pics

[Matt Shade]

Judging by the pics Digr posted I think it probably works a lot like the one in this video, although this guy built his own:
https://youtu.be/EAx6K_V1zGI

[arizonian]

I gave mine away 3 years ago so it's been awhile. I didn't use it much in the 10-15 yrs before that. 20 years ago was a different story.

You only use one stop on the lower wheels, and I believe there are three wheels. When the table turns one complete revolution, you raise the platter to continue to make a larger scroll. When the stop is hit by the arm, it disengages and rotation stops. Always hold tension on the feed roller (that arm on a tee that slides toward you) by pushing away from you. The scroll should move the feed roller to you as the scroll gets bigger.

Do yourself a favor. Get about 3-5 lengths of flatbar (1/8 x 1/2), cut into 5' sections, and start increasing the rotations by changing the stop position 3-5 holes at a time. Keep track as you progress. Mark them and hang on a wall where you can pull them down and come up with your own design.

Scrolls eat up a lot of material. Make all your lengths exactly the same, that way you can subtract the straight mat'l and know how many inches it takes to make that scroll. The matl width and thickness doesn't change the length, so make your patterns as cheap as you can.

After you make your first set for a customer job, you need to "tune" each scroll. Choose one as the master, tune the rest to that shape.

Good luck.

[arizonian]

Originally Posted by Matt Shade

Judging by the pics Digr posted I think it probably works a lot like the one in this video, although this guy built his own:
https://youtu.be/EAx6K_V1zGI

Looks like his big scroll may be from a larger Julius Blum bender. Not sure about the little scroll.

Unless you are working thick material, the JB bender will bend the scroll cold.

[Chris P]

Thanks to everyone for their posts.

Bill,
I really appreciate your first hand knowledge and guidance for this machine. I'm new to shopfloortalk, and was amazed to receive such a quick and helpful response.

Chris
In the mile high city of Denver Colorado