Presses

I’ve started this thread to document the restoration of a small bench top fly press I recently acquired via the usual on-line auction site. The press was advertised as a “Barn find project” and “rusty and not moving” which turned out to be a fair and accurate description. I’ve wanted a small fly press for a while and always enjoy the challenge of bringing an old tool or machine back to life (to use, not for show) The final price at the end of the auction was GBP£24, about US$ 31. I guess I spent a similar amount on fuel to collect it and a 5 hour round trip in the car. (Broke the journey in the middle with a quick trip to Iron Dwarf’s forge to pick up some coke and a…

Hi Y'all What are your thoughts on running a forging press off of a tractor PTO (New Holland 8030)? Thanks in advance.

Everybody, I just had the good fortune to pick up a #2 Hopkins fly press. I need to make a top tool/die holder for it. I was thinking that having dies with a 1" shank makes the most sense. I'd rather make it once and be done, so in that spirit I'm trying to do some research before I start. I've found very little on the web. I have lathe, mill, and welder so I can pretty much make anything. If anyone out there has this press, I would greatly appreciate seeing a photo or sketch of what they did or have. Thanks everybody, joel-

Will this structure be stout enough for 24 ton forging press?

I can get 16 tons with a single 4" bore cylinder. What would the tonage be with 2 , 4" bore cylinders? Would I need to double my pump and motor?

Can anyone direct me to a " group" site?.. I am in the design phase of a DIY press, and looking for info from those who have done the same. I have James L. Batson's book on how to build a 24 ton press. I also have Randy McDaniel's book. Great info in both. I feel the more info I get the better !! Peppie

I've been looking all over for a diagram of how the screw and ram of a fly press are attached. In essence: how is the axial force of the screw delivered to the ram without rotating it? I've looked all over Google Patents, different vendor websites, etc. to get a good look at the ram-screw junction, but I don't see what's going on in there. I have a post drill and I assume that it's something like the junction for the downfeed screw. i.e. the screw has a turned down section with a shoulder that goes over a captive nut which allows the screw to push and pull on the spindle but also allows the rotation of the feed screw and the spindle to be independent. Does anyon…

G'day All, Am looking at a friction screw press that is a long way from it's place of creation. It's currently residing in the southern hemisphere and I have very little information about it's origins. I took a photograph of the name/maker's plate (forgot to get one of the actual machine, but it is the usual configuration) and can make out the general inforation; stroke, rpm, lots of kg's, date and power requirements... The makers symbol is, however, my slumbling point. It looks to contain C, S, L, A and G, but my favourite search engines fail to bring up anything obvious to my non-Deutsch speaking notice. It is not vital that I know the maker, it is a…

Hello OK I have a puzzlement.. I set up my press now that I am settled in down here in the Florida Jungle..got it plumbed back up.,.motor/pump mounted...frame up on the stand...solenoid secured and the tank filled with hydraulic fluid (I was using AFT before this...but I went to the gen-u-ine hydraulic fluid cause I flushed out the system..and it was a lot less $$ than the ATF) .. All is well and good.. I started the motor up and the pump started humming...but no movement on the cylinder..it should of come up...I hit the down pedal and that's when it got interesting... All sorts of sparks started coming off the pump..I shut everything down PDQ and now I am wo…

Hi Y'all! Today I met one of my neighbors (I've recently moved) whose a retired electrical engineer. He was showing me his home built hydraulic log splitter and the some of the parts he'd gotten from an old punch press, long story short, he still had the cylinder from the punch press and he implied I could use it for building my forging press if I wanted to! So my question is if its suitable or not? I only got the rod and bore diameter's, rod is possibly 2 stage/telescoping? Bore size: 22 cm/ 8.66 in. Rod size (smaller): 7 cm/ 2.75 in. I'm estimating the stroke is around 8 inches, maybe less. Thanks in advance!

I am looking at getting a wood splitter to use as a press. My question is they come in different sizes. What would be the lease amount at ton pressure in the wood splitter? I was looking at a 25 ton but seen some smaller ones I can afford a little easier at this time. Any help would be grateful and thanks for taking to time to read and apply back

I would like opinions for those who have used flypresses for general forging work what sizes they prefered and why. Are you all happy with your press? If not, what size would you prefer? Thanks Josh

I thought to share this info because it's way too good deal to miss. Content removed. WHY? FIRST sales go in tailgating section SECOND this is not yours so its advertising. THIRD meaning it does not belong anywhere here

I am in the planning phase for building my hydraulic powered forging press still. I have Jim Batson's book and I have looked at several builds posted here and elsewhere. I was talking with a friend recently and mentioned that I was planning this build and looking for a place to source some steel I beams sized per Mr Baston's recommendations, and what I see others using for their presses, found in my research. My friend asked me what size press I wanted to build. I told him 18 to 20 tons in an H frame configuration. He wondered why I wanted to use such chunky large I beams if that was all of the capacity I would be using. He walked me over to his Harbor Freight 20 ton…

Here's my forging press design I've been working and just wanted to know what you guys think of it. Should I maybe add something like Vesconite to the guides, at the moment it's just steel on steel? Ross.

The Anyang 50 ton forging press has caught my eye. It only comes with a 3 phase motor, and the US rep doesn’t think it will work with a vfd. My current press is 5hp 3 phase and functions just fine on a vfd as long as its sized to allow for momentary overload amperage (150% or in this case a 7.5hp vfd). It prevents the vfd from kicking out everytime the relief valve blows. For the 10hp Anyang I would utilize a 15 to 18hp vfd. Anyone ever run into situation where a proper vfd wouldnt work with a 3 phase motor?

Dear All, Can anyone help me with the precise weight info of the Norton 6DB flypress? Or tell me if it is the same modell you can find new under the name Norton 6A? (I've found the info of that: it's 355 kg.) Thank you very much! Bests: Gergely

Hi Y'all, My latest press design has the I beams connecting at a 45-degree angle, my question is if this is as structurally sound as say the beams connecting at 90-degrees? I've colored the I beams different colors for ease of viewing - refer to image below. Thanks in advance, Ross

I have seen casual glimpses of a 4 column forging press made by Matt Whitmuss. I have yet to see a video of it in action, or actual specs. Does anyone have first hand experience with this press or know of a video that available online other than the Rhino shop tour? Thanks much for any help here.

New to me as I only picked it up on Friday. John Heine model 86 A S, 915mm/3' throat, 250mm/10" stroke. The whole thing is nearly five and a half feet tall and a quick google seems to show it has a six ton rating. Now all I have to do is work out where to mount it up and make some tooling for it. Andrew

My old ladder dies made from pieces of 1/4” roundstock wasn’t up to snuff anymore so I decided to mill a set out. These two sections are offset by one rib and got welded onto die plates that fit my mill. I kick myself for not being up to snuff on G-code and cut these manually. Next plan is to cut some curved, angled, and S ladders.

I came across this somewhat unusual looking fly press for sale near me. Does anyone have any input on if it might be worth picking up? There doesn't seem to be a hole in the base to punch through other than the slotted plate in one of the pictures, there is no ram guide, no T-slots for tooling, and the ram/top die/tool holder part looks like it probably spins along with the screw. It looks like it would make a great can crusher, but I'm trying to figure out if it would be useful for anything else since it seems to lack features commonly found on English and Indian fly presses. Anybody have any info on these?

Hiya folks. I'm buying this old fly press and I'm curious about its origins. I googled around to my best capacity but was unable to find anything about the press or the manufacturer. The press is about 2 meters/6,5 feet high and weights around 350kg/770 pounds Any sort of info on it would be greatly appreciated, cheers.

so I have been doing some looking but I can't seem to find a power hammer that I could buy but with my price range I don't think I could even get a power hammer ever but I could get a press and I know I can forge weld on them for making Damascus and that is the main reason I wanted a power hammer but I don't know what is a good press like brand and price wise my price range is like 400-600 dollars and how many tons of force do I need for blacksmithing im a hobbyist.

Hi Y'all, Found this hydraulic press on "Gumtree" and I was curious if it could be used or adapted for forging? The description given by the seller: Good condition. Heavy duty. 300mm opening. Good value. Was going for 40000 then 30000 and now it's 20000, price in South African Rand. Thanks in advance.