New Forging presses

[boatbuilder]

No that the stabilizing vessel is complete it is time to start on a couple new forging presses. Like always "bigger" is better. Just got main frame pieces cut this morning.

[jim poling]

Jim after seeing the stabilizing vessel you built, I'm looking forward to seeing the press it should be a beast

Jim

[Dana Hackney]

Jim,

So, what's the tonage going to be for these bruisers?

BTW: that's definitely a substantial band saw

Like Jim, I can't wait to see the finished project.

Dana

[boatbuilder]

I haven't figured out the tonnage yet but will be around 80 tons I believe. yes that band saw makes things easier. I also purchased an iron worker and a 1/4" x 12' shear. Those things are such a time saver and can use up misc pieces of plate I have. I just finished shearing up some left over 1/4" checker plate for gussets in the wide flange. It took me about 15 minutes to find the plate and shear it and notch the corners. Before I had this equipment I would have had to call our steel supplier and have them shear me the pieces 7 7/8" x 3 3/8". I would then have to radius the corners so they fit inside the wide flange beam. This would have taken way longer and much more cost involved.

[Ed Caffrey]

Jim,

If you can do it, I would highly encourage you to install an adjustable bypass valve on it/them if you're gona go with that high of a tonnage. Then adjust the bypass so it only puts out 25-30 tons. Otherwise people will be wrecking steel left and right (I know a lot of other folks use your tools). Besides keeping you and others from wrecking steel, your press won't get busted when someone with lesser experience uses it, but you will still have the capability to "dial it up" when you need to.

I'm not faulting you for going with that much tonnage, but it's awfully hard for an experienced person to not go "too far" when pressing with that much tonnage, and pretty much impossible for someone who isn't seasoned in the use of a press.

Over the last couple of months my mind has been thinking about a new press....very similar in tonnage to what your building. However, I have very specific purposes in mind for it, where that much tonnage is necessary....namely for building large "loaves" of Mosaic Damascus, and for "large" "can" welding. (need lots of square inches of die space, so it will require more tonnage...which in reality will make it about the same as my current press) Maybe one of these days I'll actually get around to gathering what I need to make it a reality.

[cdent]

Boy, those fabricating options look the stuff dreams are made of. Are you going for the best tooling at a hammerin ever award. I think Ed's on to something with the dial down, so mere mortals can play too. You need to rig up a material handler that'll feed a monster billet through the forge and into the press.

Keep the pics coming if you can, Craig

[boatbuilder]

Yes I will be putting a control on it for safety. I reason I'm going this big is for exactly what Ed has said. Building large loafs and can welding.
Jim

[boatbuilder]

I took a few pics from what I got done this morning.
I tacked a few cross braces on it to keep it square while welding.

Jim

[Dana Hackney]

Hi Jim,

This looks like it's going to be a pretty compact unit - just perfect for my one-car garage .

Dana

[boatbuilder]

Couple more pics of today's progress. I got the man frame all welded out and tacked on a piece of 3/4" x 8" flat bar on the top and bottom of frame. I also tacked a piece of 1/2" x 6" flat bar on edge on the top for added strength and also gives me a lifting point.

I also showing a few pictures of some of the tools that make building this much easier.
65 ton iron worker
1/4" x 12' shear

Also a picture of a cnc plasma table that Dennis and I are putting together.

Jim

[Ed Caffrey]

Heck with the press! I got machine envy looking at the other pics! LOL!!

Gee Jim, your doing such a good job on the press frame, I think you should just put a second one together for that poor guy down in Montana!

[J. Doyle]

Originally Posted by Ed Caffrey

Gee Jim, your doing such a good job on the press frame, I think you should just put a second one together for that poor guy down in Montana!

Wow, thanks Ed! That was really nice of you to think of me in this situation. But you're right, I am poor and I could use a press.

Okay, I'm off to hide now.

[jim poling]

JIM! That thing is massive, can't wait to see how it comes out.

Jim

[Dana Hackney]

Dog gone it! I just drooled all over my keyboard

So, what kind of a footprint will this unit have?

Can't wait to see the finished product, Jim.

Are you planning on going into production ?

Dana

[boatbuilder]

Ed
I am building 2 presses at same time. I have all material cut for the 2nd one. Dennis is doing all the milling and programing for my cnc plasma table so I am going to build him a forging press in return. He is going to supply the cylinder. Al and I got parts to build 3 of these 8 1/2" cylinders. We have 1 built and still need to get the other 2 done yet. Al no longer manages the hydraulic shop or the machine shop so it is not quite as easy as it once was.
The footprint will be 28" wide X 60" tall X 8" deep.