[TheForge] 15Ton Press

Tue Jan 8 22:20:37 2002

Hi Chuck,
Thanks.  Really simple and functional.  Makes it look easy.  I appreciate 
your sharing it.
Ed

At 05:54 PM 1/7/02 -0700, you wrote:
>Thanks for the pictures, Chuck.
>
>Steve
>
>Chuck Robinson wrote:
>
> > Hey Ed, Ralph, Steve,
> > I'll send separately, pics of my original 35 T press and one I helped Ben
> > Ferguson build.
> > The press design has gone thru a long and almost continual evolution. I
> > first discussed my design concept with Jim Batson while he was writing his
> > hydraulics primer. He incorporated some of my concepts into an H frame 
> press
> > that he built and sold to" Uncle AL the Knifemakers Pal". Uncle Al modified
> > the design some, and produced a unit, that I think he still sells.
> > I saw a version of this unit at a BBS conference about 6 years ago and
> > incorporated some of Uncle AL's improvements in my later designs. One 
> of the
> > best is the use of the rail 2" square stock to also make the slide bearing
> > surfaces.
> >  Ralph if you are worried about the lateral force resulting from upsetting
> > metal stock, you can make the guides 20" long and weld guide bars 
> across the
> > front and back bottom faces of the guides. Just make sure that you wrap the
> > slide with some shim stock before welding the guides in position. This will
> > give you enough clearance to minimize rail friction. I used machined bronze
> > bearings for my first press, that used 2" round stock, but I found that it
> > was overkill.
> > Ed, my design called for using 2 hydraulic cylinders, the main reason 
> being,
> > to leave the area below the bottom die open so that I could drive drifts
> > completely thru the handle holes in the blade forging hammers I make. I
> > didn't make this version yet because I wasn't certain about balancing the
> > cylinder force, and the rail throat has to be about 20" to provide enough
> > working clearance between cylinders.
> > Another idea that Len Landrum had was to make the unit using 3" or 4" heavy
> > wall square tubing. It promises to be an inexpensive way to increase 
> the die
> > base support and also lighten the weight of the total package.
> > Since you are aware of  the pros and cons of the VFD motor option I think
> > you should try it. I'm hoping that we all can learn something about VFD
> > motors thru your experience. None of us have all the answers.
> > Chuck
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Ed Fasula <[email protected]>
> > To: <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 6:39 AM
> > Subject: Re: [TheForge] 15Ton Press
> >
> > >
> > > >Echoing Chuck with added emphasis, doubling the speed on the pump (to
> > 3600rpm)
> > > >will *dramatically* increase the noise. I find it hard to believe that
> > the
> > > >pumps
> > > >last very long with the noise level I had on mine at 3600 rpm.
> > >
> > > It depends on how long is long.  My neighbor has a wood splitter that has
> > > an ailing pump, on the other hand others I know lend their splitter 
> out to
> > > all their friend and they last for years.  Most gas motors turn at 3600 I
> > > understand.  I don't know what other reasonable options I have for
> > > splitting wood - maybe run it off the tractor's system.  But that 
> damn old
> > > Farmall M is a project onto itself and it guzzles gas like sailor drinks
> > > fine ale on shore leave.
> > >
> > > >Your comment about Northern's expertise on their own equipment sounds
> > > >familiar. My
> > > >valve bypasses came set for about 1200 psi (I figured out later). They
> > > >swore up
> > > >and down on the phone that they were set for a lot higher, and that my
> > > >setup must
> > > >have a problem. I checked a bunch of stuff before raising the pressure.
> > > >Bad enough
> > > >that they don't have a clue, worse that they act like they do!
> > >
> > > Yah, I don't give Northern "technical" support much weight anymore.  When
> > I
> > > was putting up a shed I had to get the roof penetration in before I 
> got my
> > > double barrel stove from Northern in the mail.  I called up to find out
> > > what diameter stove pipe to use.  8" the guy said.  I made sure, "that's
> > > not the OD of the insulated pipe is it, 8" is pretty uncommon."  No,
> > > standard 8" stove pipe.  He was SURE.  Well, insulated pipe and the
> > > hardware is quite a bit more for 8" versus the 6" that the stove
> > *actually*
> > > takes, as I was so happy to see when I got the stove in the mail 
> after the
> > > roof was done.  Don't expect much, you won't be disappointed.
> > >
> > > Ed
> > >
> > >
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