toolish Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Was looking to make my own hydraulic press. Been looking around and found a few different designs. Been keeping an eye out for what is available. Have locate what I think is a 10 ton hydraulic hand pump ram, which is used to bend damaged car bodies back out and that type of thing. The ram is about 2 foot long. My intention was to use this ram, build a solid frame around it with some thick H beam and make some interchangeable dies for it. Was going to keep it hand operated for a while, then if happy with it, look at driving the hand pump with a motor and flywheel which I would look at making foot pedal operated. Just wondering if there was anything obviously wrong with this concept or any where you guys think i may go wrong with this ram/ pump setup pictured. I was going to use it to help make pattern welded things, smaller hammer and tools, generally will only be used for light work in the garage. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry W. Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Speed of operation will be an issue using a hand pump. I have one that I was told is 40 tons and I wish it had more umph. One of the members of our group converted a 20 ton gasoline powered log splitter and he uses it to make damascus. In the demonstrations that he has done for us, it has performed very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolish Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 yeah i was originally looking at doing a powered hydraulic pump. However nothing at the right price has come up at this stage. The hand pumped one comes in around 50 bucks, so the price is right. Little bit worried that I may need 20 ton and the speed of operation. Was hoping motorising the hand pump operation with a fly wheel contraption would help the speed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Menard Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 This is a small press I put together. It is not my own design. A very clever blade smith in Vermont made one and demonstrated it's effectiveness at a New England Blacksmiths Meet. I liked it so much I made one for myself. The frame is 2" square tubing with a 1/4" wall thickness. I added gussets at stress points. I am not sure it needed that but I had the welder and there I was..... It is powered by a 20 ton air over hyd. jack from harbor freight. It is a little slow but once you get the technique down it works surprisingly well. The first photo shows the build phase and the second shows it complete on a fabbed stand with casters. I will likely build a larger one in the future but for now the little one is working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Don't overlook a power steering pump connected to an electric motor. Do your math!! Hydraulics is all a function of math. DON'T CUT A CORNER ON HOSES!!!! Your life is not worth the cut corner. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 DON'T CUT A CORNER ON HOSES!!!! !? Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Get the book by James Batson, " Build Your Own Hydraulic Forging Press". Sold through Knifemakers Guild and Blue Moon Press. Has designs and charts to do it right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolish Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Thanks for the input guys, I like the look of that 20 ton one, I am a little worried about the 10 ton being too weak. Been a bit slow on this build, had other knives and projects going. Still collecting bits, To avoid any hose and pump issues I was going to keep the current set up and just try and power the hand pump by a motor. Got an old dryer that I think may do the trick. It's a long work in progress still hunting down parts for a good price ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 "...a good price..." someone once said that it takes money to blacksmith.... :) I built a press following Batson's book (mentioned above). It came out to about 20 ton and all new parts cost me about $1200 USD, I built the framework from stuff on hand. I thought it had plenty of power and speed was good to make hammers, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolish Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Bit rich for my blood at this stage lol I have the ability to scrounge materials and parts for a very good price. If your not in a rush and keep your ear to the ground you can usually come up with some good stuff. Well good enough for the home use for me anyways. Obviously not the same level that you would want if you were in business doing this type of thing. Half the fun for me is the building, scrounging and reuse of items to make sharp and pointy things lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Toolish , I did a convo on my hyd wood splitter to forging press & it turned out better then I expected . Had splitter sitting around doing nothing after we went frpm wood heating to ducted heating & then 1 day " light " came on why not use it as a press . I also " enjoy " making something outta " scrap " after being told it " cant be done " . 1/2 the fun of it is finding the stuff you need to build whatever . Dale Russell ( aka ) Moderator86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolish Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 how many ton splitter was it? bit worried about it being under powered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Toolish , it's Clarke 20 ton logbuster ( father inlaw told me it was a 50 ton but I've since checked the spec's on it ) Forged ( & welded ) 50 mm forklift lift chain " easy " Squashes 25 mm square like butter Get's about 1 " push " every 2 seconds if you don't let the ram back too far ( spring return when you release the handle ) If I can figure out how to post pictures/ links with this new windows 8 I will , but if you search forums you should find some threads on it ( few vids on youtube on convos of splitters to forging presses as well ) Dale Russell Moderator86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolish Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yeah thanks mate, I was only planning on using it for smaller work at this time anyways so the 10 ton should be ok. Just obtained a motor from a broken dryer so I almost have my parts list checked off now lol Its going to be a long project. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Yeah thanks mate, I was only planning on using it for smaller work at this time anyways so the 10 ton should be ok. Just obtained a motor from a broken dryer so I almost have my parts list checked off now lol Its going to be a long project. Thanks for the input. Don't waste your time trying to motorize a hand pump. Yes, you can make it work, but it will still be too slow. The displacement just isn't there. A hand porta power pump trades speed for power, I.E. it pushes a tiny volume of oil at very high pressure using all the energy of your hand stroke (minus friction). A forging press must hit hard and fast. You can trade some of the force for speed by using a smaller diameter piston if you only plan to weld small bits. There are many sources of scrap yard hydraulic pumps, from the afore mentioned power steering pumps, fork lifts, (even electric pallet jacks), dump truck P.T.O pumps, etc. It is important that you match motor horse power with pump gallonage (volume) and pressure rather closely. The best is if you contact the manufacturer for speck, then come back here for engineering help (motor HP requirements, pulley ratios, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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