Expect the Unexpected
Van Mark has been building premium metal bending brakes for
60 years, and over that time we have grown exponentially within the roofing,
siding, window, and metal roofing industries. This is no surprise, since this
is where we came from. However, over the years we have found dozens of other
industries that can benefit from what our tools can do.
There is a need for precision bent metal and aluminum in
dozens of markets for hundreds of purposes. Hobby and artistic metalwork are
popular situations that our tools are well suited for, particularly our shorter
length brakes. (2’ and 4’ models) We also have quite a few customers in the
sign making and creative lighting markets, with solar installations and some
limited HVAC use also gaining popularity. We have also found that our tools can
be very effective for Wildlife Exclusion Experts to keep unwanted critters out
of our living spaces.
But the unexpected application of our tools that we wanted
to share today is the use of Van Mark brakes in the industrial and commercial
insulation industry. One of our customers, Rand Services in Romulus Michigan specializes
in commercial and industrial insulation projects, primarily for power stations,
warehouses, factories and the like. Their services include many different types
of insulation installation such as jacketing outside air handlers, sealing and
insulating supply lines, as well as personal protection installations where
extreme temperatures need to be isolated from human contact. By using a
combination of rigid insulation panels and other proprietary techniques along
with custom bent metalwork, they can effectively reduce temperatures by 5-10
degrees in many cases. This can translate into huge energy savings when used in
a large-scale climate control system for a factory or similar type of building.
The team at Rand started with brakes from a manufacturer
other than Van Mark and weren’t overly impressed by what they ended up with.
Citing issues with portability and inconsistent performance, they opted to
switch their crews over to Van Mark brakes. Since their project requirements
vary so much from one job to the next, they chose to go with our Industrial
MetalMaster 20EZ. (IM1065) This model excels on heavy gauge materials, while
also being fully capable of the finesse required for lighter gauge work, all
without needing to adjust the brake at all. This is thanks to Van Mark’s unique
cam locking system that adjusts to the material as you lock the brake
eliminating any chance that the material isn’t well captured in the brake when
it comes time to bend. And speaking of thicker materials, the team at Rand
really appreciates the IM1065’s footbed platform that allows the operator to act
as their own counterweight, which is a must when bending materials such as 24-gauge
steel.
The versatility of the Van Mark cam-lock design along with
the durability and simplicity that we have engineered into our brakes has
allowed us to serve a wide variety of users that aren’t our core market. This
goes to show that the tool is really just an extension of the operator, and if
you have a need for custom metalwork, you should consider a Van Mark brake that
won’t limit your creativity.
