Hi guys,

I've been watch for a screw press to pop up in Northern Ca for over a year. One is available and I'm looking for some advise. It is an American Can Company #3asp press and looks to be in good condition from the pictures. I spoke with the seller and it has a stop collar, a two start screw about 2 3/4" in diameter, about 7" of travel and 10" of daylight under the ram. He has a lift to put it on a trailer and estimates the weight at 1500-2000 pounds. He is asking $800.

I've been looking at one of the #3 presses from old world anvils so the price in in the ballpark but this is a much much bigger machine. At the moment I don't have a way to get it off of a trailer at home but I can solve that problem.

The seller compared it to a Hopkins #2 (rated for about 20 tons) and Google told me lots about that press and it sounds more than capable.

My questions :-) What do you think? Any personal experience with one? Is the price reasonable? Anything I should specifically ask or look at before handing over cash?I really don't the need the capability at the moment but I rarely buy small.

Thanks for any comments or suggestions!

Ward

press1.psd

press2.psd

One other question has occurred to me, what would I need as a base to set the press on? Short term I can put in my side yard on timber sleepers, long term a concrete pad would be ideal? Any suggestions there?

Thanks again...

Ward

It sounds like a press, like for pushing bearings and such?

I'd check the threads. Like Larry said-it may just be a pre-hydraulic bearing press. I have one.Bringing it to Western States to sell. Does some fun things,but IS NOT a fly press.

Thanks for the quick relies!

I saw a Hopkins #2 on Ron Reil's site at http://ronreil.abana.org/flypress.shtml and it sounds like he found it quite useful. I understand it would be a slower squish vs a hit but there is huge amount of inertia in a 150# wheel, right? I would expect it to be able to move metal easily. I could always ask the seller to rotate the wheel one turn and see how much the ram moved. In your opinion, what is a minimum usable pitch? My thoughts are to use it for some larger forging (think hammer heads and such and hopefully some pattern welding) and also open/closed dies (I want to try coining sometime). I have a CNC mill so I am keen to make some dies to try.

Ward

@Eric,

What do you expect to get for your press? Did you use yours for anything similar to my short list?

Thanks again,

Ward

I have a Hopkins #2 and while I love it; it is a slower cycle time machine than a flypress. When it squishes it squishes! Just used it to drive hand held hot cuts to cut out ornamental hinges this last weekend. I've also used it to slit 1" HC stock for making tool eyes---with a high alloy slitter I heat would do a nice job. We also struck coins with it.

For ornamental work where you are walking down a long piece bumping it every few inches it would be tedious!

Mine came on the factory stand and was very cheap so I was not out my tool fund on it. (my #2 was about US$100 FOB)

I would still get another with a 3+ lead if I could find it cheap...

Thanks Thomas,

Your description meshes pretty well with what I've gathered so far, basically a little faster than a hydraulic press. Punching tool eyes is on the list, nice to know it works well for that. I'd love a slightly smaller, faster screw but so far they are very hard to come by around here. Same with PH but that's another thread.

Ward

p.s. What a screaming deal! Lucky dog...

Well not so much a deal---the factory my research department was originally associated with was sold out of country and the screwpress in the tool room was one of the things auctioned off as not worth shipping. I consider it to be my going away gift as the layoffs finally got me as the company went from 135,000 employees world wide to under 35,000 employees.

I bought it with a $50 bid but with 15% buyers reaming and a rigging fee it came out to just under $100... Cost more to meove it when I found another job 1500 miles away!

I'm not in north ca but I'm not that far away. Sometime this month I expect to have a container full of fly presses from England land at my shop. Jake James is the fellow who made the deal, I just am the shop space for delivery and storage. I think he has around 10 machines ranging from small bench units to #8 floor model/2 person manual machines... If I remember right I should see them in a week or two...

@Thomas - life is a funny ride at best. I'm actually in a three day spot between gigs, just enough time to organize and execute a purchase and move if it makes sense. Been there for the layoff part of the equation too, way too many times. I worked a bunch of start-ups when I move to CA about 15 years ago. Lots of fun, stress, and not very many lasted more than about 18 months...

@Monster - can you shoot me a pm or e-mail with contact info for Jake James? If this press doesn't make the grade I'm still looking for one. I like the sound of a container full of them to pick from!

Ward

Jakes website is www.jakejames.ca and his email is simply Jake @ the same address

Ward: A picture of my screw press is on page three of this section. Just labeled "Screwpress". I don't think it would work for your heavy duty applications. It was basically a forerunner to our newer bearing presses.I'll have it at Western States and you're sure welcome to play with it.

@Monster - thanks, I sent Jake an e-mail.

@Eric - I've seen another press similar to yours, it looks to be a nice design. I'd agree it doesn't fit my wish list very well. I'm mostly ready to jump on the big press. If all else fails it will make an awesome piece of lawn art

Ward

Hi Guys. Update, I bought the press! For some reason I can't upload pictures to my gallery so here is a link to my webpage with the blog.

www.http://wardscorner.net/fly_press.htm There are also a couple of links on the home page for short videos of the press knocking out some studs from a wheel hub and turning a spray paint can into a hockey puck...

Ward