Princess auto hydraulic press

[JustaDB]

Originally I didn't like it loose either. But I got over that very quickly. I reasoned that it was better to have the frame joints flex than break. I have never needed it to be solid. Once the jack takes up the frame play, nothing moves.

The issue doesn't appear to be frame play at this point. The cylinder isn't mounted solid to the frame, it's suspended on the cradle (for want of a better word) by the retraction springs like most of the cheapies. It's the mostly lateral movement of the cradle as the slack is being taken up that often cocks things sideways at the crucial initial contact. Pressing things out isn't an issue. Pressing things in is where it gets frustrating.

I may look at a re-design of the cradle, maybe something w/ bearings. I thought about using an inverted, solid mount cylinder, but really like the convenience (and cost!) of my spare pneumatic over hydraulic one. That and, like you, I keep a couple different capacity cylinders handy, it's easy to change them out.

 

[Gearhead88]

My 20 ton Powerfist has been a capable press for the 20 + years I have owned it .

BUT

I'd like a 50 ton

 

[Susquatch]

My 20 ton Powerfist has been a capable press for the 20 + years I have owned it .

BUT

I'd like a 50 ton

Spoken like a true hobbiest!

 

[Susquatch]

The issue doesn't appear to be frame play at this point. The cylinder isn't mounted solid to the frame, it's suspended on the cradle (for want of a better word) by the retraction springs like most of the cheapies. It's the mostly lateral movement of the cradle as the slack is being taken up that often cocks things sideways at the crucial initial contact. Pressing things out isn't an issue. Pressing things in is where it gets frustrating.

When you say suspended, I assume you mean the base the jack sits on, not the jack itself. Those screw jacks don't like sitting sideways let alone upside down!

Mine is loose as a goose. But I've never had your problem. No idea why not. Once mine is done taking up the slack, it never moves. Perhaps something on yours is not square? Perhaps there is a U shaped piece of iron up my poop shoot?

 

[JustaDB]

Perhaps something on yours is not square? Perhaps there is a U shaped piece of iron up my poop shoot?

By the amount it moves when taking up the last bit of slack, I'd say there's a good chance of it not being square.

As to the latter, I can't confirm nor deny, but it's far better than cranio-rectal inversion, wouldn't you say?

 

[YYCHM]

The bottom of the PA bottle jack I got for my travel trailer isn't flat that's for sure

 

[Dabbler]

but it is loud, earplug loud

I'm really not a fan of the air-over-hydraulic noise either.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

At work we had pneumatic hydraulic power units. They were for the power rod cutters .They were foot pedal switched, abot 8"x6"x4" . While they were a lazy millwrights friend, they lacked the high pressure the rams on the puller often required. But when I had thought to build my press I would then have picked up one at PA. My port-a-power pump is in bad need of a rebuild, that's why I was allowed to pull it out of the scrap iron bin.

 

[StevSmar]

…I made a press with scrap from work…

That’s great! If I ever get a press I’ll probably have to make or modify one, so it can be put away when not in use and not take up any more space than necessary i.e. removable feet.

 

[JustaDB]

I'm really not a fan of the air-over-hydraulic noise either.

Years ago some of the old cabover Freightshakers that Canadian Freightways used for hiway tractors had pneumatic starters. Shoulda heard them when they fired up.

 

[trevj]

Years ago some of the old cabover Freightshakers that Canadian Freightways used for hiway tractors had pneumatic starters. Shoulda heard them when they fired up.

Aircraft fuel trucks, in the Can. Forces, used air starters too. One of the few noises that could be heard over a running jet.

Am really not that impressed by the use of air over hydraulics on the bigger presses. Have done some forging on an electric drive PA 50 ton unit, and it was really controllable, with the bonus of not needing to run a 7 1/2 or 10 HP compressor to boot!

 

[Susquatch]

Although I have a 20 ton air jack, I don't run air on my press hydraulics either. I'd rather go slow and easy.

The air is for lifting tractors off the ground.

 

[JustaDB]

Although I have a 20 ton air jack, I don't run air on my press hydraulics either. I'd rather go slow and easy.

The air is for lifting tractors off the ground.

I use the air to get it close. After that I go manual.

 

[phaxtris]

I use the air to get it close. After that I go manual.

This is what I do as well

If I ever come across an electric power pack for a good price I would convert it in a heart beat, but for now it works as is...maybe when I run out of other things to spend money on I will look for a cheap power pack

 

[historicalarms]

Our first hyd press here on the farm was a bottle jack under the bumper of a pick-up truck with a welded up contraption that held the cultivator wheel housing off the ground. We had a cultivator that the wheel bearings were severely under spec'd for what they were carrying so having this make-shift press available to us anywhere on the farm ( some of our land was 16 mi from the shop) was an expedient bonus.

 

[trevj]

This is what I do as well

If I ever come across an electric power pack for a good price I would convert it in a heart beat, but for now it works as is...maybe when I run out of other things to spend money on I will look for a cheap power pack

To be honest, when I started looking at the 50 ton presses, the sole purpose I had in mind, was forging. Thus, I was pretty disappointed to see them switch from an electric power pack (not real quiet either) to the air over Hydraulic system.

I have a pile of parts under the bench right now, for a hydraulic power pack using an 8HP Briggs motor, ostensibly to use with a three point hitch wood splitter that I got for a fair price. Have considered that with another set of extension hoses, the unit can sit outside the shop and run a press inside, without much issue.

 

[phaxtris]

I would think any of the presses as they come would be to slow for forging, don't you need a fair bit of speed for that kind of work? you would probably need to make your own high flow power pack anyways

 

[trevj]

I would think any of the presses as they come would be to slow for forging, don't you need a fair bit of speed for that kind of work? you would probably need to make your own high flow power pack anyways

With the electric power pack, they were pretty good!

It's not a high speed strike, like a power hammer, more of a controlled squish of the material. Control being the key. Movement ranges are small, and the further you squash things in a single pass, the more you distort the pattern you were trying to evolve.

Stuff "Forging with a hydraulic press" in to youtube, there are lots of videos there.

 

[phaxtris]

With the electric power pack, they were pretty good!

It's not a high speed strike, like a power hammer, more of a controlled squish of the material. Control being the key. Movement ranges are small, and the further you squash things in a single pass, the more you distort the pattern you were trying to evolve.

Stuff "Forging with a hydraulic press" in to youtube, there are lots of videos there.

Ahh the power pack presses I have used were pretty slow, or at least I thought so, I didn't think you needed power hammer speed, just more than the ones I've used, but obviously that must be enough

 

[trevj]

Ahh the power pack presses I have used were pretty slow, or at least I thought so, I didn't think you needed power hammer speed, just more than the ones I've used, but obviously that must be enough

Yeah. In general, you are dealing with a fairly large chunk of material, at welding heat. It cools slowly, when the mass is up there.

Speed isn't needed, near as much as control, and the basic electric power pack on the PA 50 ton press, was plenty fast enough.