My press is still to arrive - but I've been looking at what accessories to get.
Certainly drivers of various sorts are on top of the list, but there are some wildly varying prices for what looks like the same thing. One wonders about what differences there are ... if any. I am curious, however, at the use of aluminium in some sets I've looked at...
Is there a rationale for this - or is it cheaping out?
More generally - what materials are better and are they job dependent?
My advice on tooling is to get what you need at the time.
Of course, when you buy something like socket wrenches, it is much cheaper to buy a whole set. Are you going to be replacing bearings every day for profit? In that case, a set of collars is probably warranted. In my case, I use my press for a lot stuff besides bearings. In the US, most domestic electric motors will be 1/2" or 5/8" shaft. One doesn't need a whole set for that. I make what I need or improvise. Deep sockets for wrenches work well. Attached is a picture of my press. Most of the tooling I use is located on top. I have had the press for about 18 years. Before that, I had a DIY version without a pressure gauge and remote hydraulic. I find both enhancements worthwhile.
As for a sheet metal brake, I suspect a finger brake aka box and pan type would be more useful than one more limited to single or opposing bends rather than boxes. I also use my press as a press brake. It is much easier to get nice radiuses for metals like 2024-T3. I was able to pick up some used dies for $0.10/# (1980's) at an industrial junk yard, but for occasional use, mild steel will also work.
One thing to consider is a decent shear. A stomp shear is far easier to get nice cuts with then a hand shear.
Actually waiting on one of these little 5+ Vice Brakes to arrive. No reason one wouldn't work on a press either.
eBay auction: #184497419637 or hook a couple together with the Welder @Brumby also NEEDS
The lips on the sides of those dies provide alignment in a vise. Such fixed jaws are not on a typical press. The ram of my DIY press was heavy wall square tubing. The upper die had a corresponding square rod welded to it. A thumb screw in the ram held the top die in position. In practice, I would lower the ram to get the female die positioned. Clamp that. Then raise the ram and start bending metal.
Like most hydraulic shop presses, the Dake ram is round and solid, but it has male threads on the end. I welded a piece of heavy wall square tube to a matching nut to allow me to still use my press dies. Not quite as convenient as the DIY press, but rather than move the latter from Minnesota, I gave it to a friend in 2007.
You are incorrigible.
Mmm Opens a thread asking for input - thinks the OP doth protest to much
I was asking about driving accessories .... you introduced metal bending and picked up on my previous expressed interest in welding. I'm surprised you haven't chimed in on the lathe front.
Yet.
Hi Brumby,
About the boxes you showed. I have experience with both of them. The box with the black discs I bought myself. Mine are made from a strong type of steel, certainly not aluminium (maybe if offered on aliexpress, that seller is wrong about it). The discs are very useful for pressing bearings and bushings. The disc diameters are in 1mm increments. You might also find another box with even larger diameters if that is what you need.
And I think you would need that second box also because sometimes a piece of shaft is sticking out as you have figured also. That second box is bought by my DIY car repair shop and people use that all the time. Those cups are of a very solid steel too and can take the force for pressing wheel bearings.
I believe all is coming from the same chinese/taiwanese factory. But you never know and you don't want aluminium discs for pressing bearings.
And I'm pretty sure my post is more useful than where beanflying is talking about.
Other than a Lathe would make sense then DIY you own I shall refrain ..... For now
The usual rule of presses seems to be the tooling of all sorts expands over time to overflow the space available. The last time I used a press on a regular basis we had mainly steel bits as you don't want flex and twist if possible but there is plenty of times Aluminium even if just a thin spacer on top of the steel makes sense to avoid marking up what you are pressing. So start with Steel and get some 2 or 3mm to make protective shims if needed.
And I'm pretty sure my post is more useful than where beanflying is talking about.
I have prior form as the enabler of @Brumby so dont take it to seriously
That ram has no easy way to attach something to it that stays aligned. I think a threaded or square ram has definite advantages. When pressing, you don't want anything wobbly, or it might "squirt" out under pressure. Pictured below is the ram on my current press. Any variation on that theme should work.
I might just start with using sockets as they have a range of sizes - then step up when the need arises.
I have prior form as the enabler of @Brumby so dont take it to seriously
Quite so.
Bean has been a long standing enabler - and we tend to take the mickey out of each other....
So... I wonder what else can I blame him for .....
I might just start with using sockets as they have a range of sizes - then step up when the need arises.
In the other thread you mentioned you might want to use it for bushings in engine mounts of your wife's car. Maybe you can have a more careful look into that car and measure some diameters before you buy some tooling. Or even buy some raw steel pieces to make something custom.
You know, sometimes I do visit my local salvage yard just to put my digital caliper on some parts of an identical car to determine if I have the right stuff to complete a repair. It sucks pretty hard to have a car in pieces and then to realize you don't have the right tools to complete it properly. And in your case your wife is complaining about it.
Bean has a long standing enabler - and we tend to take the mickey out of each other....
Alright, fine.
Make the press dies yourself on the lathe.
I regularly work on my car in a DIY garage. They have a huge box of ad-hoc press dies, and if you don't find one that fits, make it and add it to the selection.
Make the press dies yourself on the lathe.
I don't have a lathe... **
Yet.
I regularly work on my car in a DIY garage. They have a huge box of ad-hoc press dies, and if you don't find one that fits, make it and add it to the selection.
That was the plan.
** (Well, actually I do - but it's a woodworking lathe. It's still in it's box a year later - but it was the last one and they wanted to clear it out, so I got it for a price I just couldn't pass up.)
Quite so.
Bean has been a long standing enabler - and we tend to take the mickey out of each other....
So... I wonder what else can I blame him for .....
I will get myself off the hook for suggesting the vice types at least
Back side of the casting isn't flat so without a fair bit of rework or a custom mount (a welder made one maybe
) not usable on a press.
I already have a couple of ideas for that. A metal lathe and a welder would feature in the solutions, though. Even at the cheap end, there's about $3k on top of what I already have.
Why do you keep putting ideas into my head?
Oh... I received a call today to come pick up my press. It is now in my garage, awaiting assembly.
I already have a couple of ideas for that. A metal lathe and a welder would feature in the solutions, though. Even at the cheap end, there's about $3k on top of what I already have.
Why do you keep putting ideas into my head?
Sorry to others but RAMBLE below
A Lathe at this stage is one thing I will be paying someone else to do my jobs on. Any of the toy ones in steel just aren't going to get it done and as most of what I would want to do will be in Stainless even more so. Finding room for a 4-800kg lump at 2m long just isn't going to happen in my current location and circumstances. While I admire what Quinn gets out of her little one
https://www.youtube.com/c/Blondihacks most of my stuff would be larger and heavier.
Cost is another thing and you would really need to stack on 50-100% for tooling and extras. I can buy a lot of time instead and use the space for other things.
The Welder and metalwork fixture table/workbench is all on wheels and manageable but likewise given my 'normal' spend it would be a long payback. Regardless of welder I needed a metalwork table anyway. As I have a base to make for my big Router and when I massage the room the bigger Laser (was going with timber base but now not) build it made sense to do it now as the fabrication bill for both would add up to a good chunk of the outlay.
My aspirations in metal are rather modest. I've seen a few machines under $1500 that seem reasonable and I can visit a B&M store to see two of those for real ... and ask questions.
Not going to jump wildly into this. Payback period is not a consideration, just an investment into useful gadgets at a price I can write off without too much pain.
I still have my larger format laser project in mind, but that's not high on the list just yet. I'm keen to see how yours pans out, as I am looking at something extremely similar.
To protect the bed....press blocks.
You ideally want multipurpose ones like these:
https://cjautosheywood.co.uk/product/press-blocks-ws11-for-hydraulic-press/They come in a few different styles some which fit the bed exactly so the upstand portion fits neatly between the bed rails.
The ones I've used on previous employers 60t press were of 2" steel and no way you ever wanted to drop on on your foot.
Hi there,
Regarding the black discs set shown in Brumby's 2nd post. As they go in 1mm increments from 18mm to 65mm, they are also very valuable to clamp pieces together concentrically. Like shown here. I'm making an car exhaust flange set.
Now lets drill that one hole.
Regards, Zeyneb
Stated as aluminium
Stated as carbon steel.
