Small, stripped down, friction press

[Andrew T]

Picked up this press today.
Looks like it was originally a small motorized friction press. Has leather band on flywheel and flats on casting for bolting arms.
It has a 2.75" diam. 3 lead screw and the arch frame is 6" square in cross section.

If I could figure out all the parts and linkages, it would be fun to set it up as a friction press again, but I may just use it manually. When I grab the wheel with both hands and spin it as hard as I can into some steel it absorbs all the force without a squeak, it's quite heavy. The flywheel seems a bit light to develop maximum force when used manually, I may add some weight.

The green press came with the deal, does it look like someone modified a book binding press?

[Dave Hammer]

That tool has serious potential.... I suggest searching for a picture of the original configuration. Then you can decide if you want to ressurect it to its original form.... If there is a manufacturers name plate, just google for "manufacturer press", asking for images.

[ThomasPowers]

Putting it back in driven condition would be quite a job---may even be cheaper to buy one with the drive still in place than trying to fab another. Keep your eyes open for a broken one you cough get the components off of cheap!

That green one looks a bit like a vulcanizing press and it would be good for book binding; but probably not so much for metalworking.

[Andrew T]

Thanks for the replies.

There is no tag or name cast into the frame that I can see, seems a bit odd. Looks like a different make than the photos I've seen of other friction presses. I've seen several Hopkins style presses with the larger flywheel and a 2 lead screw. This one seems quite unusual.

I agree, it would be big job to resurrect it as a powered press. For the meantime I will use it manually as a companion to my #6 Indian press.

Here's a photo of my "Charles Stecher Co" press, it seems identical to presses labeled "Hopkins".