Presses

Hello ya'll I've not posted much here, lurking more than anything and reading. I found these calculators that are handy for hydraulic press building; This one is good for determining tons from a cylinder. https://www.baumhydraulics.com/images/calculators/cyl_calc.htm This one is good for speed of travel depending on ram size and GPM. The GPM used should be the low pressure GPM of the pump i.e. 13/4 gpm pump is usually 13 gpm at <600 or so PSI. Once the pressure goes about 600 or so the low speed of 4 gpm kicks in. https://www.baumhydraulics.com/images/calculators/cyl_speed.htm This one is good for calculation of electric motor hp - this shou…

Just sharing how I handled this task. Nothing earth shattering, but a way to slide 800 lbs if you're by yourself with minimal equipment. Press was acquired over the summer from Terry Estes. Got it into the shop with a small skidsteer but couldn't keep it around to pick it up again when it was time to bolt it down. Table is 400 pounds and press is about the same. No clearance to use the masonry drill with table in place, and wasn't time enough to make a template before it get set down. Finalized position, marked holes, levered press onto 3/4" rebar pins, push, drill, push back, set anchors and bolt down. The video briefly shows the process . Time to sq…

Hey all, Can you guys suggest some sources where a person might scrounge parts for a DIY forge press? Specifically at the moment I am looking for a large bore (6" or more I think) hydraulic cylinder. Though if the cylinder is rated for it I do have 2500 max PSI electric pump unit, which might allow me to get away with a smaller cylinder.

Hi, I am interested in purchasing a log splitter to convert to a press. What are some things i should look for. From what I have heard I need at least a 20 ton splitter that can flip vertically. What stroke speed do I need? Are they better for Damascus and drawing out than a power hammer? How about a pedal? Possible convertibility to electric? I don't have a power hammer but I have used a 25 and 50 lb little giant before. Not the biggest fan to be truthful. I find them unwieldy and extremely violent. I believe this is because of my lack of skill and knowledge. I am NOT knocking power hammers by any means, I am just explaining my reasoning for wanting a press. Are presses …

I have a laycock 1551 press I am missing the pump and the gauge I'm in the process of restoring it does anyone scrap these or keep spare parts or even one with a bad frame I would like to keep it original and not add parts that don't suit .

Hi all, I have just picked up a Selectron Fly Press, model248. Does anyone know much about this company and the tonnage of this particular model. I paid $15 bucks for it so pretty pleased with it. Just got to buy/make some tooling for it. Thanks

BLACKSMITH focused please. I don’t make knives. The largest average part made would be hammer heads (use five pounds as a norm). I’m at the point of building the anvils in my press build. I need to determine the best ‘between the dies’ opening. Any idea what the average/best distance between the dies would be for a blacksmith forge press, cylinder at rest (retracted)? 10 to 11 inches (CoalIron/PiehTools) is what I found researching, but I’ve seen several in photos and videos that appeared to be inches less. Also, I can’t find the definitions of throat and daylight. I would have thought they were the same thing (distance between the anvil faces????). But I s…

Here’s a couple of pictures from out trip up to silver dollar city in Branson Mo this summer, there’s this giant fly press being used as decoration out there, actually there’s blacksmithing tools and machines used as decoration throughout the whole park! this thing caught my eye, not sure how much it weighs and the pictures don’t do it justice, the ball weights were around the size of standard soccer balls or basket balls maybe, I wasn’t able to get a whole bunch of pictures around the park cause I was chasing Max and riding rides, I missed the blacksmiths shop this go around but here’s a quick picture of the Knife smiths shop there too

Image of press attached. The carriage and top base both have an overall depth of 8". I intend on using 6"x6"x 1/2" base plates for all the various dies I intend on making. The idea was to have a U shaped rail to slide the plates into the center that fits snuggly... but im trying to figure out an optimal way to then lock the die in place so there is minimal movement when they are in use and are consistently aligned properly. Perhaps im overthinking it but would appreciate any suggestions for good solutions for what I hope is the last hang up before this can be finished and ready for us. - Also any suggestions for whether I should make the plates load in from the fron…

I'm in the process of building of a press so thought I'd start a thread to document it in case it can help others. I also have some questions to ask and sure I'll have more along the way. It's going to based off of James Baston Jr's angle iron press but I'm going to have the ram on top. I did purchase his book. It will be on a stand so I'm able to unbolt it and move it a little easier since we plan on moving in a few years. Plus, I didn't want to have to purchase a second stick of angle. I'm using 4x6x¾ angle and 12x1.25" flat bar sandwiched in between. A local machine shop went out of business and is selling off steel for $.70 a pound so that's what got me starting the p…

I've read that the reservoir should be mounted above the level of the hydraulic pump in order to get the gravity assist and keep fluid flowing downstream constantly. Is there any height difference I should be targeting or is it sufficient for them to be only 1-2" higher?

So Im a little new to small scale hydraulics like presses and such. I have been working on heavy machinery for my whole life but thats a whole other ball game. Im looking to get 12 tons on 120v. According to the online calculators I have been using, a 10.6 gpm 2 stage pump that puts out 3000 psi in high pressure paired with a 3.5” bore cylinder rated for 3000 psi should get me 4.2”/second in low pressure and hit just over 12 ton in high pressure... does this sound right? Now, the pump I am looking at calls for 5hp. Does this mean 5hp from a gas engine? In which case a 3hp electric should do no?? Please let me know if any of this is even close!! Thanks!

Hello!! i am having a problem with my hydraulic press. After normal, periodic use, I blew out a filter and thought the filter must just be defective. But now the new filter is deforming, and I don’t know what the problem is. I made a YouTube video explaining my system, and the problem more in detail. Any advice anyone could give me would be amazing. Thanks for your help. -joshua

Help building forge press i’m trying to start building a forge press I have access to a hydraulic set up minus a ram I’ll attach pictures of the motor pump and the whole unit below my question is is this set up adequate for a forge press and if so what size cylinder would I be able to run or am I better off to just start from scratch? The hydraulic set up is off of a trash compactor

Hi all, I recently (last week) had my Anyang press 25T arrive. I do quite a bit of blacksmithing. I make all my own tools but mostly focus on knife making these days. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on tooling for the press. Are there any examples online of Anyang press dies. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks

Hi Everyone. I've just picked this up, A denbigh No. 4 (4" throat, 7.5" daylight, 44mm screw). It's in lovely condition (I have the handle & weight too). Metals and fuel may be expensive in the UK, but flypresses are cheap and plentiful This was a snip at £100. My question is about tooling. It won't be hitting anything too large, I rarely work on stock much bigger than an inch square, and will be mainly used for flatting, fullering and a bit of punching. Also a little drawing out on small damascus billets. I'm going to make a pair of flat dies, and wondered what may be the best size to make them; I'm guessing anything more than 1.5x2.5" m…

What kind of table or stand do y'all use for a fly press? Ideally I want something i can move when i need to. I have a small shop and I'm trying to use the space efficiently

Fortunately, it should last longer than me. Found locally, traded some ammo for it. I just have to fabricate a stabilizer bar, attach my air powered jack, and I’m more or less good to go!

Hello my name is James Douglas - I traveled from South Carolina to out an old Gosiger press, needed work but I hauled it back from Zion, Illinois to give it a try. I located it into an old 1925 Western Union Telegraph Office with hopes to get it working and do some simple striking of coins with dies I created over the past 20 years - maybe sell a little coffee - and encourage others to embrace old world arts as an Atelier. All was going well - got it in safely began clean up some repairs, *Then this tough break. Any suggestions ? Repair of would I have better luck finding a replacement part ? media below in hopes of better explaining the saga.. Thanks

Clark had one of these at Quadstate last month and I liked the form factor. Lot of power for such a small footprint. Anyone have any comments on his presses and products in general. Very little presence out there in the internet of things.

Hi everybody, I hope you can help me with this question. I have already made some stainless damascus on my little 20 ton hydraulic press (33mm/s ramspeed), I succeeded but I had to make the stainless so hot that I got too much grain growth so this is not the way to go. At normal colder temperatures (1100 degrees Celsius max) the press won´t forge the steel. Years ago I bought his 150kg Beche LV4 powerhammer. I never installed it because I was in a rented building. I am 100% sure this hammer is strong enough to forge the stainless, you can see Devin Thomas using the exact same hammer. Recently I bought a new workshop so I might install it, but I am not 100% perce…

At one time a little over a year ago I was all ready to buy a new fly press. I couldn't find one locally and when I called one of the importers he said he wanted to wait and see what the economy did before ordering any more. It got me thinking about trying a build, but although I have a lathe that might be capable, my skills are not up to cutting multiple thread screws. I also kind of question the design. I've never used one, but I've heard of bumped noggins from the handle or counterweight. Also, the force you are putting in is horizontal while the force delivered is vertical. Not the most efficient, but then again, I don't know. Maybe its easier to develop a horizo…

Good morning all, I would like to build a Forge press, through the iForge Iron forum I learned about James' book, which I purchased and have been going through. On my second pass through the book I realized there are two different forge press designs. One appears to be a smaller 20 ton H frame press with tye cylinder ram mounted at bottom with an upward traveling piston. The second design with mechanical drawings at back of book are of a 24 ton presss that appears to be something other than an H frame design. It looks more like a single pedestal in which the ram and anvil block mount and slide on the face of the Large H beam flange. This appears to create a pr…

Just thought I'd show y'all a look at an attachment I made for my standard press so I could use it for some forging. It's a fairly small press and just a single-acting cylinder with spring return, so no punching holes, but after trying it out last night it seems to work pretty good for smooshing hot steel. It uses 1/4" thick 4" x 4" die base plates so is fairly easy to make dies for it. There are a couple L-shaped fence stops (see the video) on the front to help guide positioning material on the dies, but they are easily removable too for yer regular by-eye smooshing. It took a day to make the device and a couple hours the next day to make a couple die sets for …

Hi All, Just looking for a bit of advice. I picked up the below fly press last year and it is in great condition. the previous owner apparently bought it new and used it in his jewelry shop until he retired several years ago (hence the rust form it being stored semi-outside at his house). It is a John Heine Model 86A Series 2 (6 tons). There were only 2 issues, 1 being that it looks like someone squashed something with the ram poorly threaded in (see photo of how I collected it above). I have since carefully cleaned up these bottom 2-3 threads and now it screws right in like it should. The second is that it does not have the ball weight and they appear ne…