I beam mini press

[TJ Smith]

Another version of the 20 ton bottle jack press.
Decided to try an I beam version as i have worked on some full size heavy duty press made with huge I beams.
I used a 6 inch I beam for the upright and 4 inch channel for the base. 2 piese of 4 inch channel are not strong enough and have some flex in them when under load. The beam seems to hold.
The wood being crushed is 2x2 by 3 inch long pine.
I have changed the upper bolts to 1/2 inch grade 8 and reinforced the base.
The design requires the upper anvil to be movable on the beam for other uses.
Your thoughts would welcome
Take Care
TJ

[j.w.s.]

Looking good. I'd like to have something like this in my shop, however I've been thinking of foot controlled hydraulics instead of manual pneumatic. I guess it's a speed thing. I really like the low footprint profile, looks like it could be easily mounted on a pedestal stand and moved out of the way when not needed, or bolted to a work bench. You'll have to let us know how this holds up after a few good runs. Nice build.

[Glenn]

If you look at many of the presses out there in use, you will find a H style pattern for a reason. There are 2 (two) uprights, each upright carrying only half the load and sharing the tremendous forces exerted by the hydraulic jack. IF something were to break, at least one side of the press would still be connected (for a moment anyway).

Just because you use a 20 ton jack does not mean you have a 20 ton press. If you see ANY deflection in any of the components of the press - STOP. It means you have over stressed the design.

One final thought concerning presses. Choose the tool that is appropriate for the job. You can lift a 2000 pound car with a car jack. I am still trying to think of an object in the smithy (other than the whole smithy itself) that weighs 20 tons. Do the math, that is 20 cars stacked one on top of another. You do not have to use all 20 tons to operate the press but you do need to design the press to take all 20 tons of pressure, plus more as a safety factor. How much safety factor? That is what engineers get paid to calculate. Please remember that engineers work with the minimums, so you may want to add to the number they provide. The handle on that jack is only 2 feet long, which means YOU are 2 feet away from any failure that may occur. That failure may be structural, mechanical such as a seal rupturing, or a hydraulic hose rupturing and spraying a pinpoint jet of fluid that can cut like a scalpel. After all it is your safety we are talking about.

[bonehead11]

If you look at many of the presses out there in use, you will find a H style pattern for a reason. There are 2 (two) uprights, each upright carrying only half the load and sharing the tremendous forces exerted by the hydraulic jack. IF something were to break, at least one side of the press would still be connected (for a moment anyway).

Just because you use a 20 ton jack does not mean you have a 20 ton press. If you see ANY deflection in any of the components of the press - STOP. It means you have over stressed the design.

One final thought concerning presses. Choose the tool that is appropriate for the job. You can lift a 2000 pound car with a car jack. I am still trying to think of an object in the smithy (other than the whole smithy itself) that weighs 20 tons. Do the math, that is 20 cars stacked one on top of another. You do not have to use all 20 tons to operate the press but you do need to design the press to take all 20 tons of pressure, plus more as a safety factor. How much safety factor? That is what engineers get paid to calculate. Please remember that engineers work with the minimums, so you may want to add to the number they provide. The handle on that jack is only 2 feet long, which means YOU are 2 feet away from any failure that may occur. That failure may be structural, mechanical such as a seal rupturing, or a hydraulic hose rupturing and spraying a pinpoint jet of fluid that can cut like a scalpel. After all it is your safety we are talking about.

I think glenn is right, all your pressure is held by those 4 upper bolts, I have looked at a lot of presses and they all use 2 uprights with the upper cross beam phisically locked within the upright bodies (no bolts} or heavy pins, you might replace that jack with a smaller one and build a better frame if you need 20 tons.

[bonehead11]

I am still thinking about your design, I once had a bearing siezed on an axle and it took over 20 tons of pressure to free it, on a 30 ton press the whole machine flexed, your machine would have shattered and you'd be dead.
I have seen a small bench top ress at harbor freight, I think it is only 6 tons and it has at least 2 uprights.
Don't take it personally , just don't get killed.

[bonehead11]

I remember now it was a kingpin stuck in a ford I beam suspension, I couldn't hammer it out so I had to remove the I beam and take it to the press, it sounded like a cannon when it busted loose.

[Dodge]

While I agree, H-presses are the strongest, there are many commercially made C-presses on the market and they have there place (Arbor presses come to mind). This is the type and brand we used where I used to work A-series, arbor and c-clamp presses | Enerpac I also contend, if you make your own press, and you think you need 1/2" bolts, use 5/8" or 3/4" If you think grade 5 is enough, use grade 8 or above. If you think 1/2' plate is heavy enough, double it...My point is, over build to the nth degree!! Then test remotely if possible. Stand to the side or if you can, in the nieghbor's garage!!