When we applied for our little IT grant from Business Link we asked what other assistance was available around these here parts for the likes of us (considering you’re allowed £65,000 of grant money in any three year period).

The next thing you know, we’ve got £7,000 to get one of these little bad boys:

Rico Guillotine Shear

As it says on the Rico website:

RICO Shears are machines with vertical cut (The Blades Beam movement is done under bearings) allowing to change angle concerning plate thickness. This solution is the most efficacious to reduce the Plate Helix in services more exacting as it allows more durability with less maintenance, either in the Blades Beam either in the backgauge movement through ballscrews temperate and from high quality.

All I know is that the one John and Matt are buying will cut up to 8mm, has ball bearings to allow for ease of sheet movement and a fancy cnc thingy that lets you cut the exact size without relying on tapes and the rack of one’s eye (nobody’s getting any younger y’know).

It’ll make quite a change for somebody to do a spot of cutting without danger of hydraulic fluid ejaculating all over the shop floor.