Scott A. Roush Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) So here it is... Modified from Batson's plans and made from square tube with 1/2" walls. The die block just runs up and down the tube. And it glides beautifully thankfully as that was a concern of mine. And a minimal footprint. The tube is welded onto a 2" thick piece of steel and is also the bottom die anvil. I was initially concerned about the fact that there is nothing but weld holding the tube to the plate... but my welder and every other local welder have all agreed that as long as the surfaces were prepped and beveled that there is nothing that could break that weld. I was going to have a rectangular hole plasma cut for it to sit into, but I would've lost a couple of inches and I was assured that just welding to the top would be fine. It has 5 hp, 3450 motor, 11 GPM pump, 3000 PSI, 5" Bore 8" stroke cylinder, 12 gallon tank <table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iP1mUmPwnoOzAQsdrAolH_bGxMnYF67o8avfDLEx6kc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_A2vKWdsyG_0/TdWDBVLB13I/AAAAAAAAABE/RNoBY5OiGrU/s800/IMG_0893.jpg" height="800" width="600" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104029790409052618562/Knives?authkey=Gv1sRgCLeBzrigobGe9QE&feat=embedwebsite">Knives</a></td></tr></table> Edited May 19, 2011 by Scott A. Roush http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) hmmm... why didn't that work. First time using Picassa.... (nevermind.. got it) Edited May 19, 2011 by Scott A. Roush http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Furrer Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Check for defection under load and see if there are any points to strengthen. Work as close to the column as possible to keep the lever arm to a minimum. Ric Richard Furrer Door County Forgeworks Sturgeon Bay, WI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 Am I detecting concern there Ric.. or is that just basic advice? The picture makes it seem like there is less weld than there really is but with the edge bevels and deep bite of the welder, it is quite hefty. And it is even heftier at the front and back. Nevertheless... It is still a concern for me I guess.... http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Stumbo Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) Yeah, with a T joint, beveled edges and a welder with good penetration (assuming a good welder is running the machine), it should be near impossible to break (my welding teacher once showed me a T joint he did that he tried to break, the metal actually broke right before the weld). What was it welded with? Mig or stick? (or maybe tig? I like tig the most). Edited May 20, 2011 by Stephen Stumbo Eagleeyeforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenon Rain. Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 looks like stick, people don't usually tig structural.. cool design any specs? motor/pump and what not? I've gotta re do mine at some point here soon.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Stumbo Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Yeah, I figured it wasn't tig, but it is the funnest and finest welding method (imo). Eagleeyeforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Sexstone Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Scott, I agree with Ric watch how much it deflects... you will be surprised at the power of hydrualics the power is both you friend and over time becomes your enemy... eventually there will probably be some stress cracks that show up.. (I would guess on that sharp corner of the ram for one). Keep you eye on it.. It shouldn't explode on you but more than likely will be a tear that rips in slow motion...but if you are watching you should be able to catch it and repair it way before it falls apart on you.. A C type frame is subject to this problem . It is also more versitile in how you feed the work to it ... and what kind of work you can use it for... Congrats!!!! I only saw on pic on your picassa page? Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 Thanks folks.... Stephen.. It was a gigantic 240V MIG. He let me use it a bit.. unbelievable how nice it was to use. Kenon.. The specs are there in my first post.. but it's 24.5 ton, 3000 psi 8" stroke, 5" bore, 11 gpm, 5HP, 3450 RPM Thank you Dick... I will definitely be keeping an eye out. Yeah.. I just set that account up yesterday..... just doing a test drive to see if I prefer it over Photobucket. http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Stumbo Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Thanks folks.... Stephen.. It was a gigantic 240V MIG. He let me use it a bit.. unbelievable how nice it was to use. Oooh, I like the big ole migs. Last semester was mig for me, the shop had several 240v machines, my dad still doesn't understand why I laugh everytime I use his cheap little mig (I still can't convince him that using some shielding gas would help his welds alot). Eagleeyeforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen bush Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 It looks cool and compact ...... although I must admit when I saw it my first thought was deflection , you will certainly see if it is deflecting under load as your billets will show a marked curve and you will probably be able to see it if you look at the movement of the uprite tube when using the press. having the tooling nearer the post would help . have fun with it and play safe. all the best Owen forging soul in to steel owenbush.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 Thanks Owen... I'm gonna be pressing some 1 1/2 inch wrought rod today. That should load it. My plan is to have somebody watch and see if any deflection is noticeable. At this point I really don't see any reason why I would be working it away from the column.. but who knows. A question... when pressing something like that high diameter rod... Is it better practice to flatten to a point and then switch to drawing dies to flatten further? I was playing with that rod this morning and noticed that it pressed quite easily until about 1/2" and then I really needed to give it on the press. I don't have my drawing dies made yet.. but I'm assuming that is the best way to go.... http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean McGrath Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I held AWS certifications in MIG, Stick, and TIG for 11 years before I retired. The main causes of failure with any of them are undercut, and lack of penetration. As long as he had plenty of heat to go along with his beveling, the steel itself should tear apart before the welds break. I would look closely for any sign of undercut though, especially on the side of the tube that the ram is mounted on. Undercut is a stress-riser, just like sharp corners and unradiused edges. I also agree that if it does fail, you will see it coming. Hydraulics may be strong, but the incompressible nature of fluids will keep it from suddenly "springing" apart explosively. My main concern as it stands now, would be the exposed hydraulic lines. One accidental bump with a piece of yellow-hot steel could do a lot of damage fast, then the next time you step on the pedal you could find yourself faced with hot hydraulic fluid spraying everywhere, or worse, cutting into you. I would suggest sliding pieces of flexible conduit over the top of them. Either the metallic kind, or the non-metallic kind would give you an extra layer of cheap protection. To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect. -Lao Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 Thank you Sean... Good to know. Yep... planning on some protection for the lines. http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Sexstone Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 Scott, I don't bother to squeeze a rod bar flat before drawing it out... but at some point you will want to square up the rounded edges if you are making up material to stack.. other wise you can just continue to forge to the shape you are going for.. The bar will get much longer than wider as you draw it out with drawing dies.... just like normal forging...the only time you need to flatten before you draw in out is if it is not wide enough to begin with ( just as you would with normal forging) Make yourself some mechanical stops of different heights ( thickness) to use to control the thickness of the piece you are squeezing... using one or a combination of them will make it much easier to keep the thickness consistent..I have a few that are .025" ( some steel strapping) that I can add to others to get what I want... I have used as little a just two of the .025" stacked in order to get a thin piece... you can have some good control using stops . The press will take a inch bite if you want it too... when you are forging damascus the pattern will distort quite a bit if you take a bit bite... that doesn't matter if you are doing random damascus but if you are trying to control you pattern I find 1'8" inch bites to be best for what I do... and make yourself some V dies for squaring up billets and to weld mossaic cans.... Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 Thank you Richard... I'm having a hard time picturing V-dies for squaring billets... I understand for a can... Do you have a pic? I think I recall folks mentioning these in another thread.. will look into it... http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Okay.. So I have deflection in the top half of the column. About where the valve is. I'm considering welding a 'gusset' from the top of the press down to the table??? Good idea? http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen bush Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 do you need to have the space to the left of your dies (in your picture) free ? if not then a tie bar (inch and a half round for example ) going from base to an extension of your top bracket would defiantly help .But this in principle turns your press into a H press. this would be your most certain solution Moving your tooling rite up next to the post will help as its quite a lever at the moment. a big gusset on the opposite side to the ram would help but unless its fully welded it wont really stop all that much flex and unless you run a flat on the other side of it it will just flex in compression (in principle turning the whole thing into an I beam with box section as one flat ot the I ). these presses are normally mounted on really deep I beams . I would guess that the press is also flexing on the bottom plate which is not really that thick a small deflection here would show as a big movement of the top of the upright column. forging soul in to steel owenbush.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Thank you Owen... You and Ric think alike. He suggested the same thing with respect to the tie rods. That is now my plan.. I have plenty of space to either side for that. The picture doesnt show the dies in place but my working area for tooling is directly under the ram arm. Due to the width of the cylinder I can't really get any closer to the column. Other than this issue, the thing runs fast and smooth. Just welded up my best laminated billet ever... http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen bush Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 you will get it sorted I am sure. I have found my press much more useful than I imagined and have it running along side my hammer for most stuff I do . all the best Owen forging soul in to steel owenbush.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Sexstone Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Scott, Congrats!!! where's the pic of the billet? Welding in a press is kind of anti climatic isn't it? No flying sparks , no noise ( well, not hammer noise)... After my first weld I thought .. "Really? no that couldn't be welded I'll do it once more just to make sure"... were you able to track down the treads with dies in them ? Oh and I agree with Ric and Owen solution too... Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott A. Roush Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 The billet somehow became a knife. Yesterday was the first time I was able to prepare the materials, which included working down 3/4" wrought round bar into 1/4" plate, stack the billet, forge weld it, shape it, and grind it and heat treat in one day. As well as fit the guard and get handle material ready. And make a laminated kiridashi. Big Rock Forge just became more productive. http://www.bigrockforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerrell Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Can you take a couple pics of how the sliding are is attached to the square tube? I'm trying to put together one myself. thanks g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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