I have been playing with my hydraulic press these last few days and trying to get some of the kinks worked out.. I can tell already Im going to have to build another one someday

Anyway today I worked on a lower table and wanted to see if I could punch a pretty big hole..

I had some 1 5/8 4140 bar so I made a 1 5/8 punch and then a separate drift.... Did a pretty fair job for a first go...

The bar is 1 3/4 thick and 2 1/2" wide.... With a slightly off center 1 5/8 hole





Anyway I was just wondering how big of hole you might have punched and in what kind of material? this machine is a 40 ton and I think I might get a 2" hole through 2" bar but it would take some work....

How are you holding and indexing your punch?
More pictures if you please B)

I have posted some more stuff over on the NWBA site... ;)

How's this? 2-1/2 X 3 inch oval through 2-3/4" 4140!



The whole story. Upsetting and Punching Shackles

Sorry Larry, I couldn't resist! Looking good! You're having way too much fun!

Impresive stuff boys, my old ironworker is limited to punching a 40mm hole in 16mm plate cold obviously! a "genius" that once worked for me once tried to punch a 25mm hole through 25mm 3cr12 plate, fortunately no one was hurt when the punch shattered, it has always been a fun toy though!
Ian

I have posted some more stuff over on the NWBA site...

There is no reason not to post the complete package of your material on IForgeIron, space and bandwidth are not a problem, we have plenty of both.

There is the teaser issue, just enough information to get you interested then redirecting traffic to another URL.. This makes any information you post of little value to the viewer, as they can not read the information from beginning to end, they can only read a small part of the information they need. With the discussion scattered across the internet, If one of the other URL's has a problem, goes off line, etc, the whole discussion and information it contains is lost

Monstermetal's link was to another site. While looking for his post I ran into the following message. After that I COULD NOT even read Grants post

NWBA site says
It appears that you've exceeded the maximum number of posts you can view, but wait, there's a simple solution sign up for a free account.

Any reference to that site seems to be redirecting traffic for their membership drive.

Sorry Glenn... There has been an ongoing thread on Hydraulic punching on our NWBA forum with information from people other than me... I just really didnt have any interest in retyping a bunch of stuff that has already been covered.. and the question posted here is not related to the topic on the other site....

This link

There is no reason not to post the complete package of your material on IForgeIron, space and bandwidth are not a problem, we have plenty of both.

There is the teaser issue, just enough information to get you interested then redirecting traffic to another URL.. This makes any information you post of little value to the viewer, as they can not read the information from beginning to end, they can only read a small part of the information they need. With the discussion scattered across the internet, If one of the other URL's has a problem, goes off line, etc, the whole discussion and information it contains is lost

Monstermetal's link was to another site. While looking for his post I ran into the following message. After that I COULD NOT even read Grants post



Any reference to that site seems to be redirecting traffic for their membership drive.

I agree with Glenn. I had to google NWBA but didn't have any trouble navigating (I assume I was looking at the right thread). However, even a hyperlink would have been helpful. Many folks wouldn't bother if a link isn't available. BTW, neat operation. I wish I you were my neighbor!! :D

I wish I had been able to take some pictures during the Mare Island Naval Shipyard family days I attended with my Dad. They were forging some large rings on the big steam hammers. The slug needed a starter hole , so they put a plug that was around 6"-8" in diameter,and 4" thick on top of the red hot blank. The operator would tap it once to set it, then drive it flush with one hit. When they were pounding hard like that you could feel the floor shaking.

A few years later I was attending the auctions as they were selling off the entire shipyard. Don't know where those big hammers ended up, or if they went for scrap. Some items like the big Betts were hard to sell. The Betts was a vertical boring mill with a 26' diameter table, and had a max 30' swing. I saw it running on the family day, as they were stretching some older subs at the time. It was also used in a Will Smith movie where a woman was tied to the table. I guess it was the modern version of the railroad tracks.

I agree with Glenn. I had to google NWBA but didn't have any trouble navigating (I assume I was looking at the right thread). However, even a hyperlink would have been helpful. Many folks wouldn't bother if a link isn't available. BTW, neat operation. I wish I you were my neighbor!!

The link was removed. That's Glenns call. I'd just as soon we share back and forth. He has his rules, we have ours. I like to think of it as one community, heck I probably still post over here more.

The link was removed. That's Glenns call.

As I said earlier, I went to the site and, as a guest, was told "It appears that you've exceeded the maximum number of posts you can view'. The link from IForgeIron was removed as there is no way, as a guest, to view information on that site. Removing the link from the IFI post saves the IFI viewers the trouble of hot linking into a situation where they are cut off from viewing the information they have been referred to that site to obtain. IForgeIron is all about information, and we direct people to other sites for information, but you must be able to get to the information, not be stopped at the door.

Grant, I would like to work with the NWBA and share information. Contact me so we can work out the details.

Don't know why you couldn't see the referenced material. You should be able to see a number of pageviews before seeing that message. I certainly want people to see links they go to. I'll PM you.

Don't know why you couldn't see the referenced material. You should be able to see a number of pageviews before seeing that message. I certainly want people to see links they go to. I'll PM you.

I've removed all viewing restrictions except for some "member only" areas.

I punched and then drifted this hole out to 1 3/4" through 2 1/2" square that was flattened out to 1 1/2" thick, when I still was only using my 100lb hammer It took several heats though, I am guessing your hole was one heat though Larry.
Since then I have punched a couple of 1 1/2 holes using a knock through type punch through 1". Having the extra power to do that in one heat is sure nice.

I'll PM you.

Grant, check your PM for contact info

here's a honets nest.... I hope you can all work it out so the flow of information continues for those of us who want to know :)

here's a honets nest.... I hope you can all work it out so the flow of information continues for those of us who want to know

Not even close. Glenn and I have always gotten along. We'll work through any miscommunications just fine.

here's a honets nest.... I hope you can all work it out so the flow of information continues for those of us who want to know

You are just watching us as we work out a signaling system. Grant has always been easy to work with.

Phew :D

For those of us that like to see large metal take a beating, the first section has one heck of a large punch!

For those of us that like to see large metal take a beating, the first section has one heck of a large punch!

Isnt it cool how when the punch gets to the bottom, the job lifts it's self up off the bottom die.
Thats when you know that you only have a wafer thin slug to punch out when you turn the job over. Our starting punch that we use under our press is 90mm dia so I suppose that is what size hole we punch. Can go larger, just would need to make a larger starter punch>

Phil

Isnt it cool how when the punch gets to the bottom, the job lifts it's self up off the bottom die.
Thats when you know that you only have a wafer thin slug to punch out when you turn the job over. Our starting punch that we use under our press is 90mm dia so I suppose that is what size hole we punch. Can go larger, just would need to make a larger starter punch>

Phil

hmmm me thinks u need to come watch me some more the other day jay and i punched a 120 hole straight off only cause that was the smalest punch i could find while he stared at me like a dead fish. hmm you will have to get a pic of the pics of the rings sitting on the saw at the moment and take progress pics i am lookin for the pics you have been takeing latley but i think it is just sooo u can look at my prowess because i cant find any around this website

hmmm me thinks u need to come watch me some more the other day jay and i punched a 120 hole straight off only cause that was the smalest punch i could find while he stared at me like a dead fish. hmm you will have to get a pic of the pics of the rings sitting on the saw at the moment and take progress pics i am lookin for the pics you have been takeing latley but i think it is just sooo u can look at my prowess because i cant find any around this website

See what happens when the youngens get loose and learn how to use the inters nets.

Today I tried the punching technique with the seperate punch "pill" under the powerhammer. I was working on anchors, and needed to punch the top hole for the shackle, I went for 5/8". I cut a 1 1/4" long piece of 5/8" round 4150, beveled one end slightly. Located it on the hot steel, then drove it through with under the hammer. I'll never hand punch a hole again. The punch was not deformed, it didn't even get hot enough to run the oxidation colors!!! One heat, not even, 1/2 a heat and it was punched and done! incredible, a very cool technique, I cannot wait to try it on my friend's 4B next March :D

Today I tried the punching technique with the seperate punch "pill" under the powerhammer. I was working on anchors, and needed to punch the top hole for the shackle, I went for 5/8". I cut a 1 1/4" long piece of 5/8" round 4150, beveled one end slightly. Located it on the hot steel, then drove it through with under the hammer. I'll never hand punch a hole again. The punch was not deformed, it didn't even get hot enough to run the oxidation colors!!! One heat, not even, 1/2 a heat and it was punched and done! incredible, a very cool technique, I cannot wait to try it on my friend's 4B next March

Pics man!