[TheForge] Hydraulic Forging Press

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

To All.
I built a "Baston-type" 24T press two summers ago.  I bought the plan from 
ABANA and was well pleased with the detail.  However.....
1.  Where on God's green earth do you find a 5HP, 220 V, 3450 RPM motor that 
turns in the right direction?  I bought the recommended pump and the only 
above mentioned motor (on the planet) turned the wrong way.  Believe me I 
looked.  I had a guy offer to rewire the 5HP for just about what I paid for 
it.  I dropped down to a 3HP.  For what I do it has worked out but I have no 
room for expansion.
2.  MEASURE TWICE, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING, MEASURE TWICE MORE, then 
order, cut, drill, weld or whatever.  The things you learn about fabrication 
and yourself when you have to make up for brain farts.
3.  Either build it exactly where you will use it, or put wheels on it.  I 
have found that 700+ pounds, 8 ft tall and a little top heavy does not slide 
well.
4.  Dealing with your local steel supplier can be difficult when your order 
adds up to 700#'s and it has four or five different shapes and sizes.
5.  A mag base drill is well worth the rental fee.  Pick it up Thursday night 
or Friday morning and you may only have to pay for one day's rental.  You 
will go through two sets of drill bits so plan ahead.  We have a super-duper 
drill sharpener at work and it is magical.
6.  Somewhere along the line you need access to a milling machine to bore the 
holes for the cylinder pins and to do a little finished machining.
7.  I thought that an "H" frame would be better from a flexural aspect but 
load for load it was cheaper to build the "C" and not worry about the flex.
8.  Lucky for me I bolted the major pieces together where I could.  After it 
is all together you need to plan on taking it all apart at least once.  I 
did.
9.  In 2001 it cost about $2500 for materials and supplies, all new.

Plan ahead, be patient, have fun.

Hochewa


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