Picked up this C G Garrigus screw press for a decent price. Long drive but not too bad. The rough part was getting it into my small 10 x 12 shop which took a few hours. But I did not injure myself so I count that as a success. It is a 3 inch 2 lead 1.5" pitch screw. The wheel is about 40" and weighs 400 or so and the total weight of the press might be over 2000. It has a 1.5" die shank and I tried it out for the first time today with a fuller type die and flat bottom plate. I tried throwing the wheel and also pushing it(moving the die into the piece with pressure on the handle). In both cases it really moves the metal and th bonus is that you get a decent workout at the same time. I'll be playing with it more in the next few weeks and get some more tooling made.

These presses were generally used as tool room presses for testing dies and tooling being made for fly presses that were used for  production .   When I first discovered google books I was able to find an old Waterburry Ferrell catalogue which described its use.  

 

The 1 1/2 " pitch screw is considered less than ideal by some and undesireable by others however the old time tool makers found them useful.  Mine was probably manufactured in the 1920's - 30's.   Presses identical to mine were manufactured by Waterbury Farrell form the 1850's on .  Somebody must have considered them indispensable.  It is old technology replaced by hydraulic presses but I still like mine.

Look into getting some high alloy tooling made for it.  Even with a lowly screwpress rather than a fly press I've been able to slit and drift 1" high carbon steel sq stock in one heat using H13 or S7 tooling.

 

I know my 2 lead screw is not considered optimal for forging but for US$100 I was happy to bring it home anyway, (42" wheel on mine)

Looks like a great press. I have been considering somthing similar for my next big purchase. Could you please tell me why this type is not ideal fo forging? to many turns per inch? to much mass in the wheel requiring excessive effort?  or somehting else?

Forging presses are generally 3-5 lead screws making for much faster cycle times than a 2 lead press.

Looks like a great press. I have been considering somthing similar for my next big purchase. Could you please tell me why this type is not ideal fo forging? to many turns per inch? to much mass in the wheel requiring excessive effort?  or somehting else?

 

 

Although you can do what could be called forging with a fly press forging is not an ideal application for one.  They are better suited for die forming, slitting, punching, flattening, embossing, and other operations requiring a limited number of strokes for each operation.  If you want a to do forging go for a hydraulic press or a power hammer.

Nice press 78!

wow, that's a big one. i used a #6 at the campbell folk school and it was plenty big enough for anything i would ever do, but that one is way bigger than a #6. 

 

How did you find it?  i want one. 

I have a similar sized one, also a 2 lead screw.  I found mine by wandering into the factory behind our research building when they were having an Auction.  I decided I wanted to bid on things in the tool room section and went back front and told my boss I was taking the day off.  Funny nobody bidding on circuit pack building equipment bid on the screw press.  I was the only bid and got it for US$50 + 15% buyers reaming + $35 to have a rigger load it on my small pickup (reinforced the floor of it!)

 

I'd suggest talking with used machinery dealers as it's the sort of stuff they would get in a "whole lot of stuff" deal and then have stuck back in a corner of a warehouse for years.

I have been using the press and it is incredibly versatile and has the force I was looking for. I was very fortunate to have Brian Brazeal come out and train me for 3 days and we used it to make a hammer in a very short time. One heat for punching the eye and a few heats for the necking and cheeking. We took a 2-1/4" diameter 4140 2" long and squished it with the press and then used his hammer as a die to make the cupping tool. Before I bolted it to the slab I was throwing the wheel while Brian position the piece and the momentum of the wheel would rotate the whole press after it squished the piece. I am not sure how many tons it is capable of but it sure works well for me.

 

 

Good to hear of your progress. Success is rewarding on many levels.

Oh that's a beauty...

 

Best of luck with it..

You might think of adding a leather strap handle to it to keep you from messing up your shoulder with applying force with a raised arm