Fly Press Story

[Gene Chapman]

Got the fly wheel on the press this week and working on tooling.

[Gene Chapman]

Bought a few dies at the SOFA conference and last weekend at the NWBA conference scored on a bunch of 1" shank punches. These punches can be ground to make various shaped decorative tooling.

[Gene Chapman]

Finished two tool holders this morning, one is left of center, just a 1" piece of mild steel welded to a 3/8" X 2 1/4" X 3" plate, (the plate distributes the load on the ram, it was recomended by Kayne & Son where the press was bought), a piece of 1 1/2" rod is welded on the bottom of the plate. Most of the tools were made for a 20 ton Harbor Freight press. With the tool holder all those tools can be used on the fly press. The pipe used for sockets is 1 1/2 inch schedual 80 steel.

The second tool holder, center right has a 1" rod that fits in the press. The holder has a 1" socket drilled in the bar. A few of the 1" shank punches are shown.

Haven't has this much fun in a long time

[McAhron]

I HAVE BEEN THINKING ALOT ABOUT GETTING A FLY PRESS.LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT THE BIG ONE.DID YOU HAPPEN TO LOOK AT THE SMALLEST ONE AND WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT.ANY INFORMATION YOU COULD GIVE WOULD HELP.IVE NEVER SEEN ONE IN PERSON

[Gene Chapman]

This tool is new too me, used one once about 10 years ago, it's a new learning experience. I want it to fit in my product line of small house iron and trinkets, low noise is the reason. Surbanban smithy.

I bought the big model, P6, but maybe the smaller ones would be fine, don't know yet.

It's quiet, lots of power in it's own way.

After maybe 1 hour playing with it, I don't think it's a knifemaking tool, the hammer, anvil and arm are perhaps best, just an early opinion.

[prizzim]

Gene, your tooling all appears to be geared for small-footprint stuff, like coin-size prints in metal. What's the largest area you can effectively squish?

[Raymond Richard]

Gene, I saw that you didn't think it would be good for forging knives but what about doing damascus with the proper dies?

[prizzim]

What I was thinking about, was squishing out smaller knife blanks - something like a cookie cutter, that would shorten the forging time necessary for smaller pieces. It would add consistancy and -profit- if you could get it to work. Raymond's idea of damascus squishing is good, too...

Now get to work and take some pictures!

[Gene Chapman]

The beast has to be anchored to the floor, it walks around from the momentum of the wheel when the dies bottom out. This morning going to rent a roto hammer drill or whatever it's called to drill 3/4" holes in the concrete slab for moly bolts (or whatever they are called).

In my previous life, before retirement, we used them to keep machine tools from walking around on concrete slabs.

Ron Reil has a fly press page with good info on it. The base I fabricated is based on his design.

Got a call from a NWBA member this morning wanting to know about fly presses. Word travels fast, I think I'll post some links, info, etc. on fly presses on my web pages for those interested.

I'm off to the rent it center, got about two grand in this project, why stop now.

Will let everyone know about this project as it progresses, too soon to pass judgement on it now.

[Raymond Richard]

Gene,

If you were closer to me I'd lone you my roto hammer and I've probably got the anchor bolts also. I'm going to check and see what Reil's fly press story is.

[Gene Chapman]

Thanks Ray, got the bolts in, now, cut, drill & weld pads to the frame.

Hi McAhron, I deceided to go with the P6 because the price wasn't that much more and was thinking bigger is better. That may not necessarly be true though. A friend has the P4 and likes it.

The P6 has a 140# flywheel and the smaller ones have a 88# wheel I think.

When I get the beast anchored will try it more and give a report on the forum.

[McAhron]

THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE GENE.UNFORTUNATELY I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA WHERE WE DONT SEE ALOT OF HAMMER-INS AND SUCH.WE HAVE THE CALIFORNIA BLACKSMITH ASSOCIATION WICH I WILL BE JOINING SOON.I KNOW OF SOME OTHER MAKERS IN MY AREA IM THINKING OF CONTACTING TO MAYBE START SMALL LOCAL HAMMERINS.IM PRETTY NEW .HAVE LOTS OF BOOK SMARTS AND IM REALY STARTING TO GET THE HANG OF SMITHING SO I PROBABLY WOULDNT ADD MUCH TO A HAMMER IN OTHER THAN HAVING FUN.LEARNING AND SINCERITY8o

[Gene Chapman]

Rented this hammer drill to drill 7/8" holes for the anchor bolts, a nice machine and fast.

[Gene Chapman]

1/2" X 2 1/4" X 3" mild steel pads have a 1" hole in them cut out with a holesaw, positioned over the hole, bolted down then welded to the press floor pads.

[Raymond Richard]

Gene, I think you did the smart thing going with the larger bolts. I had never given the enertia thing a thought till you brought it up. Now if it get me a fly press I'll have to put in a floor or a good size pad.

I bet I have a dozen worn out 7/8 roto hammer bits. I brought them home years ago to see how they'd work for knives but have never gotten around to trying them out.