Ross Moffett

Hi Frosty,

Is this what you were suggesting?

I'm not sure if a wider channel iron would be better, giving me more room to work?

Ross.

Frosty.skp

 

Ross. The ram plate and guides are probably the trickiest part of something like this. Your latest drawing is a lot more rigid than the ones before but it's getting so just welding it up will rack it as the welds cool.

Were I doing this I'd use two lengths of channel iron, say(C 8 x 18.75) 8" x 18.75 lb./foot. Space them so the guides weld directly to the ends. The channels are oriented web to web,not touching but flanges out. This will give it the most resistance to twisting in there is uneven resistance. Say you're using kiss blocks and one gets knocked off the anvil plate so the ram is stopped off center. Yes?

The ram pins in a sleeve that is a spacer between the channels about 1/3 of the way down from the top. The gap between the webs shouldn't be much wider than the end coupler of the ram, a couple washers gap, you want a LITTLE room to flex but not enough to let the pin bend or shear. THAT dimension dictates the spacing between the webs of the channels, I'd box it to there was an 8" deep box channel with nearly 1/2" thick webs and four 2.5" flanges. Stitch weld a piece of 1/2" strap stock to the web between and flush with the flanges. This is an incredibly strong and rigid structure with far less chance of racking as the welds pull, cooling.

Build your guides so they span between the press frame in a single piece, say 1/2" x  8" strap stock welded between the ends of the boxed channel. You can bolt the guide together at this point, the girder that spans the guides isn't going to flex so the guides are only going to guide it, NOT try and hold it. Does that make sense?

A version of this arrangement will be stronger, more rigid, lighter and more soundly engineered.

And no, I don't have the dimensions and weights of steel in my head, well if I do I can't find them. So I looked here for the details, this is a terrific  reference site when you're building. I have my old engineer's steel book up stairs somewhere but I was sitting at my comp. The link is to THE page I referenced to write this but that's not all they have for you. http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-standard-steel-channels-d_1321.html

Frosty The Lucky.

Hi Frosty.

Thanks for the advice, do you have by any chance an example?

I've understood most of what you are saying but an example would help, am I just being thickheaded?

Ross.

Don't know if this will help but here's my logo, maybe it'll help you decide on something.

I modified a Celtic knot so there is an "M" in it but besides that its pretty simple, Keep it simple.

Cheers Ross.

 

Thats getting more like it , I think I would plate the two guide bars in completely to stiffen it as much as possible. Ps my drawings usually look like they have been done by a monkey with a burnt stick Cheers Beaver

 

Hi Beaver,

Is this better?

I still may add more reinforcement when I'm building it!

Ross.

press.skp

 

I wish i had your skill on the computor cad program .

Thanks, it just takes time to get used to it.

Ross.

 

Ross - I believe that will serve you well.

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for your help and advice.

Ross.

 

I like it Ross i've lookin at alot of designs this looks like it should work good i'll be changin the gussets and the base of the ram were you mount the dies.I will put a larger base on so theres more weld goin on the base and gusset's. Other than that i don't see anything to difficult.

Hi,

Thanks for the advice.

Here's the updated design.

press.skp

 

Add some gusset plates where red is in pic to help support the press head, so your weakest point is the diameter of the hydraulic ram rod.

Hi Jeremy,

Like this?

Thanks for the advice.

Ross.

 

Thks Ross its goin to be a little while yet i got to put an extension on my shop its 24x24 but its full so i need to build a 16x 20 lean to off it for cold storage for some toys.The wife wants the house renovated so im busy but like i said i have a 20 ton system in the house but untill i can move some stuff theres no were to put it once its built.Is there a materials list to go with these plans and when i start building i'll post some pics of the welding and fabbing.

Hi Bubba,

Sadly this design isn't accurate because I'm on holiday at the moment and I don't know exactly what the sizes of the metal pieces I'll be using.

I will be making a new design once I'm back home, which will be accurate, though it may differ slightly from this present design.

I'll upload the new design once I've made it, preferably with a material list.

This present design was just to get some idea's of rough sizes and so on.

Ross.

 

please post pics instead of software link

 

Here you go.

Sorry for not uploading pics sooner.

The link is a 3d design, you can only use it if you have sketchup though.

Ross.

 

I like this design i think i'll use it when i build mine i have all the parts i just got to get the steel also i 'll be putting casters on it for mobility hope you don't mind me usin the design.

Please post pics or give us updates on how it's going!

Ross.

HI,

I'm Interested what press dies people are using, what variations they've come up with and what dies you like best.

Here's some dies I've designed, please feel free to criticize.

Ross.

Awesome, I can't wait to start on my forging press!

Regards.

 

Triple the length of the vertical guides for the ram assembly, to keep the ram/ die assembly from tipping side to side during a press.

Here's the updated design.

Regards.

press.skp

 

Triple the length of the vertical guides for the ram assembly, to keep the ram/ die assembly from tipping side to side during a press.

Ok will do.

regards.

 

I like this design i think i'll use it when i build mine i have all the parts i just got to get the steel also i 'll be putting casters on it for mobility hope you don't mind me usin the design.

No problem, feel free.

I'll be redesigning it to fit the steel I can find laying around back home.

Regards,

Ross.

 

Ross, I don't have SketchUp, so I can't read the file. Can you repost that as an image file?

Hi Sorry JHCC,

Here's some images, they don't have lots of measurements though but as I said its a rough design. 

Regards

Update:

I've made a rough design (very rough, just for getting idea's) here it is.

note: measurements are just rough calculations of what metal sizes I'll be using.

Please let me know what what you think I should change/adjust.

Feel free to use and modify it however you want.

Regards.

press.skp

I'll be mainly using the press for Damascus billets for knife making (like 80% of the time).

I've got a bit of experience making machinery but not lots. 

I'm not a brilliant welder, but I'd get someone else to do the welding, whose good at it (or do lots of practice before hand).

I've done some research but I haven't found any place that's explained everything in detail, i'll do some more digging.

I'll go by this rule when making the press, if you thinks it's strong enough then make it three times stronger.

Ross.

Hi,

Firstly, yes I do want to build a forging press.

No, I don't know anything about hydraulics, BUT I'm very keen to learn.

Could someone please explain to me in plain English the what, where and how's about forging presses.

Also could someone give me an idea of what I must look for and where I can find it in south Africa.

Please note ,its very difficult to get books about making forging presses and the likes in south Africa.

Regards Ross.

I think I'll just stack up Some billets of: bandsaw (nickel) and bandsaw (carbon), 5160 and bandsaw (nickel), file and bandsaw (nickel), file and 5160, mild and 5160, circular saw and bandsaw (N), circular saw and 5160, circular saw and mild steel.

Regards.

10 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

Sort of depends on what you are going to do with the damascus.  Pure nickel and low carbon wrought iron makes a beautiful combination that will NOT harden but you don't need it to harden for ornamental work.  Now if you will be making blades....I like using hardenable pallet strapping and nickel containing band saw blades.

Well I just want to get better at forge welding for now and not worry too much about HT and proper edge holding capability, in other words I just want to end up with some damascus that looks good and could maybe make a "show" knife.

Regards.

Hi.

What Damascus combinations do you guys suggest? Remember I'm in South Africa so no lovely 10** steels for me.

I've got a plentiful supply of 5160 and bohler uddeholm bandsaws (nickel bandsaws and carbon).

i'm going to have access to some mechanical power hammers in a few weeks so I I want to start getting some billets of Damascus ready for then, please leave your suggestions and opinions.

Regards.

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm considering getting the silhouette cameo, here's a video of a guy using one for metal etching.

Hi,

Has anyone used a vinyl cutter for logo etching?

I'm considering getting one and I just wanted to know what your guy's opinions are.

Regards.

Got a 16 layer billet ready for forge welding,  I'll post some pics later of the progress.

Regards.

12 hours ago, Kozzy said:

Mohrbach makes a lot of thermoforming presses---for things like shoe soles.  There is a youtube video of at least one style and you can take a look to see if it matches.  IIRC, they also make pad printing presses (for putting logos on items) and similar "production" presses.  

There was one offered locally for dirt cheap pricing and I was pondering whether there was enough structure and pressure to be useful for forging but I never got that far..."snoozed and loozed".

I'm thinking the same thing, wondering if a can convert it or use it for forging.

This one is also dirt cheap (3000 Rand about 231 dollars) if it works it might be worth it if I can convert it or not.

I only managed to find a video showing a Mohrbach typ41 press, it was doing shoe sole forming.

Maybe I'll get it, you never know it might come in handy some day.

Regards,

Ross.