Hydraulic Forge Press Project

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Oldsarge
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Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by Oldsarge »

Thought I'd stop by and share a project I'm working on.

I've been working on some Blacksmithing skills, and decided to add this to the lineup. 28 tons of squish power! I've been cutting a lot of thicker stock on this project, and the PM85 is handling 3/4" and 1" probably better in some cases than thinner stuff!

I always suspected I had questionable power at the leased space. Since setting up in the home garage space the PM85 has been very stable and cuts very well. After I finish this project in the next few weeks I'll be jumping back into the power hammer project... Lots of cutting on heavier plate on that project as well, I'll post pics if anybody is interested.

The last picture is for all you woodworkers out there. Scored this HEAVY tipping table that was part of the SystiMatic sawblade company. They are out of business now, but before they sold to a company in India they made high quality saw blades, and as a matter of fact started out as a maching tool company who used to buy saw blades from a 3rd party and one day realized they could make a better blade, so they did!

The table is 1.5" thick, 24" diameter blanshard ground & rotates. They would lay a blank on the table and braze the carbide tips on or do whatever repairs were needed before resharpening. I've had a few of their old blades over the years, and they were a quality blade before the quality went down & they eventually folded.


On to the pics!
Most of the heavy fabrication finished.
Most of the heavy fabrication finished.
Cutting 3/4" plate
Cutting 3/4" plate
Upper hydraulic cylinder mount cut from 1/2"
Upper hydraulic cylinder mount cut from 1/2"
Lower hammer head guides with UHMW inserts
Lower hammer head guides with UHMW inserts
SystiMatic sawblade tipping workstation. Page out of history!
SystiMatic sawblade tipping workstation. Page out of history!
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SeanP
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by SeanP »

Some nice cuts there oldsarge, that will be a handy press I bet, please would you give us a youtube demo once you get up & running, miss your videos!
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little blue choo
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by little blue choo »

Some of the smoothest looing cuts on 3/4 I've ever seen. Awesome looking press. Like Seanp said would love to see a video of it working. Keep up the good work.

Rick
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Nacs Fab
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by Nacs Fab »

Nice work Sarge. Glad to see you posting your projects here again! Wealth of Information!
Shop Droids Plasmabot 3.0 DIY 4x8 with water table
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Oldsarge
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by Oldsarge »

Thanks! It's been a lot of fun building this so far! I shot a progress video the other night if anybody wants to check it out:

https://youtu.be/sVo9ZWjhJBY

Hoping to cut the mounting plate for the motor/pump by the weekend, and then it's off to the hydraulic shop for hoses etc. Going to run an electrically actuated spool valve, haven't seen that done by anybody on a press build yet!

When it's finished and I take to squishing hot steel I'll post a video!

Oldsarge
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Capstone
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by Capstone »

Thanks Sarge for sharing the video. I've enjoyed all of your builds going back a few years now.
Phil
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SeanP
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by SeanP »

Thanks for that Mike, I see perfectly now how it works, great explanation! Looking good.
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sr guy
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by sr guy »

Good job on the build. Have you thought of turning that cylinder with the seal facing down so that you wont be getting crude or hot slag on you seal? Or is your base provide plenty of protection/coverage. You could do a leather boot around it.
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Oldsarge
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by Oldsarge »

Thanks, I did think about it but there's a lot of these presses in service with the cylinder set up like this with no problem... There are other features getting built in that are going to protect the ram as well. The bottom die plate has a 1.5" through hole drilled in it so that when I'm drifting or punching through a piece of work the drift or punch will fall into a "chute" and fall into a cooling tank... that chute will block some of the debris.... I'm also looking at old boot style shock covers or as you suggested a piece of leather or other type of wrap to cover the top of the cylinder.

I'm also thinking about a decorative plate that I'll mount in front of the cylinder assembly to protect against high pressure failure of hoses or "things" letting loose that aren't supposed to be letting loose!
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Craig
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Re: Hydraulic Forge Press Project

Post by Craig »

Great looking project, I wish I had one in my shop.
Craig Johnson
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