What are the Basic Machines Every HVAC Duct Shop Must Have?
Since Rectangular Duct fabrication revolves around the Longitudinal and Transverse profiles, the “must have” machines are mostly ones that fall into one of those two categories, so here we go...
#1. Pittsburgh Machine: This machine roll forms the female pocket seam, and since Pittsburgh is the universally accepted lock in commercial HVAC ductwork, every shop has a standard Model 24 or 20 ga Pittsburgh Machine. The Pittsburgh lock consists of the Female and Male Pitts that, when seated and hammered over into a lock, enable the 4 sides to become one assembled section or fitting. On straight duct, there are usually 2 Pittsburgh seams to lock; on fittings, there are usually 4 seams to lock. An option to Pittsburgh for Low-Pressure Duct is Rectangular "Snaplock." This is fabricated with a Buttonlock machine, a roll former that runs Female Snaplock on one side and Male Snaplock on the other.
#2. Manual Cleat Bender: "Turning" the drive is something you'll hear every shop doing, sometimes all day, every day because S and Drive duct is the most common Transverse Joint in commercial duct.
#3. Manual Cheek Bender: This machine bends an inward-turning 1/4" tall 90-degree flange to serve as the Male Pittsburgh on square elbows and fittings.
Blog: What is the difference between a Cheekbender and a Cleatbender?
#4. Manual Edger: Lockformer's Easy Edger is to Radius Elbows what the Cheekbender is to Square Elbows. It forms a 7/32" Right Angle Flange on a curve, which serves as the male Pittsburgh flange for the two cheeks of a Radius Elbow or Fitting.
#5. 3 ft 22 ga Manual Roller: After running the female Pitts on each heel and throat of a soon-to-be radius elbow, the next step is forming it into a Radius on a Roller like this, then adding the two sides (cheeks).
#6. 52" Stomp Shear: Every shop has to cut galvanized sheets, and this is more efficient than a Hand Shear.
And finally, because you are always bending duct...
#7. Bench mount 4 ft x 22 gauge Box and Pan Brake:
#8. Floor mount 10 ft 16 ga Hand Brake:
Note: we didn't include the Plasma Table system in this list. While we regard it as an essential machine in most any Duct shop, some shops with skilled layout men have managed without one.