08-25-2013, 08:21 PM
Well... today I finished... sort of... a job I started with my late father 9 years ago.
In his words it was the last press he would ever need, the one that would "see him out" I suppose it has, and it is all mine now, I can't imagine ever needing another one for my personal use, so it'll see me out too.
For the interim I have fitted a relatively small bottle jack, when I get around to it I'll fit the "Big" ram.
Photo time,
At this point most of you will be saying "what's so special about this press" Well,,, that little weeny bottle jack is actually a 20 ton air powered one, and that blue lump hanging off of the left hand side is a counterweight for the "Beam" or "Table" It was the only thing I had in the shop that was heavy enough in one piece, It was a Ford 351 CI Cleveland engine block that had been left to "season" for a little too long in a damp place, the bores were too badly rusted to use so I use it as a mock-up or used to, now I use it as a counterweight.
See 20 tons, and it's quite big when you need to lift it in to place but looks very small when it is in place, it has a 1 5/8" piston which is tiny compared to the 6" piston in the big ram which the press was designed for, with the big ram I should have 125 tons on tap, this was designed to be the last press we will ever need and I've never needed more than 125tons.
My favorite piece, the Hot water tap/faucet handle used as a cylinder return valve handle, there's a story to that piece, Dad always used a chromed tap handle as a cylinder return valve on his porta powers, jacks and presses, so it had to be, he used to say the "H" stood for Hydraulic.
As far as dimensions go the press will take 3 feet and clearance between the posts and the beam is made from two 1" x 8" x 44" high alloy steel plates as is the top frame, designed to take every bit of force that the six inch ram can deliver.
So like I said today I finished something, the first "Joint project" finished since Dad passed.
Best Regards
Rick
In his words it was the last press he would ever need, the one that would "see him out" I suppose it has, and it is all mine now, I can't imagine ever needing another one for my personal use, so it'll see me out too.
For the interim I have fitted a relatively small bottle jack, when I get around to it I'll fit the "Big" ram.
Photo time,
At this point most of you will be saying "what's so special about this press" Well,,, that little weeny bottle jack is actually a 20 ton air powered one, and that blue lump hanging off of the left hand side is a counterweight for the "Beam" or "Table" It was the only thing I had in the shop that was heavy enough in one piece, It was a Ford 351 CI Cleveland engine block that had been left to "season" for a little too long in a damp place, the bores were too badly rusted to use so I use it as a mock-up or used to, now I use it as a counterweight.
See 20 tons, and it's quite big when you need to lift it in to place but looks very small when it is in place, it has a 1 5/8" piston which is tiny compared to the 6" piston in the big ram which the press was designed for, with the big ram I should have 125 tons on tap, this was designed to be the last press we will ever need and I've never needed more than 125tons.
My favorite piece, the Hot water tap/faucet handle used as a cylinder return valve handle, there's a story to that piece, Dad always used a chromed tap handle as a cylinder return valve on his porta powers, jacks and presses, so it had to be, he used to say the "H" stood for Hydraulic.
As far as dimensions go the press will take 3 feet and clearance between the posts and the beam is made from two 1" x 8" x 44" high alloy steel plates as is the top frame, designed to take every bit of force that the six inch ram can deliver.
So like I said today I finished something, the first "Joint project" finished since Dad passed.
Best Regards
Rick
Whatever it is, do it today, Tomorrow may not be an option and regret outlasts fatigue.