Charlotte Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I've seen an number of Air over hydralic jacks around. Has anyone experimented with adapting one for forging? The reason I ask is that it seems like it might be intermediate between regular hydralic and and hand press like the excellent mini press described here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Hush, hush, sweet......... Depends on what you want to use the press for. The air/hydraulic save a lot of hand pumping, but are way too slow for forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mayo Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Actualy they work good for making damascus here is a link to one. BobMy Mini Hydraulic Press - Bladesmith's Forum Board Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 (edited) Good? Well, sorta O.K. But maybe that's "good". Follow the link from here then to his website and watch the video. Useful, but not any better than a hand hammer IMHO. Good chance for you to judge for yourself, Charlotte! Edited June 28, 2009 by nakedanvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 I'm with Grant on this one. Looks like it works OK, but for general smithing you'd be better off spending the time that it took to make the press learning to hammer hard by hand. Might be worth it for specifically making pattern welded billets as that requires a very tight set of procedures that is well suited to press work. As with all most all blacksmithing processes, using a press, power hammer, rolling mill, striker and anvil, etc., is only the end game of a long string of operations informed by the knowledge of the smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 I'm just looking for a better way around what I know that I'm going to have to do. Once I finish my treadle hammer, then I'll need to address my need for selective stock reduction. I have one of the little all in one electric log splitters. I bought it with the intention of converting it to a forging press. When I got a look the drawing I realized that I would have to trash the tank and the piston because of the design. Then I'll have to get some iso tapping done on the pump and rewire the on off switch and motor. (safety interlock) prevents operating with one hand free. All this is not a big deal but will still not produce a heavy duty press. Every way I turn I'm looking at serious money. It gets into the area that makes a fly press look better every day. Since I'm retired and not in my "old neighbor hood" I don't have quite the same resources for scrounging I did ten years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 All that being said, now I'm starting to think it could still be a useful machine to have, given that it could be built for +/- $100.00. There are operations that this could be used for, like punching and drifting, butchering, side-setting, necking to name few. All the one-shot jobs. I'm gonna think on this one and see what I can come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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