- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 5,547
I had meant to do a WIP of my press build, but- I just kinda got caught up in welding this thing together and didn't really have the inclination to shoot it. My apologies.
I got a good chunk of 8" I-beam, already had the motor and cylinder. I designed the rest of it around these elements.
It's a low-boy style c-frame press. This allows me to use less steel for the frame, keep the height way down, makes it not so top heavy, and even limit the length and thus the cost of the hoses I'll need. The tradeoff is that I'll have to get used to lifting the billet handle as it comes up with the lower die. I hear it's not too hard.
The cylinder I got from Ray Rogers for $80. It has about a 16" throw, and is a 5" cylinder with a 1.75" rod. It's nice to have that long stroke, ultimately it should help me to do things like have the daylight to split a billet down for feather pattern. I'm even going to cut my firewood a bit shorter this year, and build a wedge die to split wood with!
Much of the parts were flame cut out of 1" plate, and wherever they are welded in a high stress area, they are fully beveled for full penetration multipass welds. I used 6011 hot for the root passes, and built up afterward with 7018. I used my 225 amp Craftsman AC stick welder for all of it.
Areas of concern right now are the overall strength of the frame- the I-beam is only 3/8" web. I priced full gusset plates to throw into the sides- for 3/8" plate total cost would be about $84, for 1/2" plate total cost will be about $110. I figure I'll fire it up and very closely observe the frame and cylinder mounts for movement, then throw the plate gussets into the I beam if necessary.
I'll cut some extra brace wedges out of 3/4" plate for the lower pin plate/cylinder mounts of they seem to pull out of shape or anything happens.
The motor is a 5hp Baldor TEFC. It's single phase, 1725 r.p.m., 230 volt. Runs great. Since most splitter pumps are rated for 3450 rpm motors, instead of using a 11/2 gpm 2 stage pump, I'll use a 16/4 pump. I believe this is what Don Hanson uses on his press, if it's good enough for him, it's more than great for me. The slower motor speed should cut down on noise and vibration as well.
I calc that with my 5" bore cylinder with a 1.75" rod, at 2500 p.s.i., the press will yield 49,087 lbs. push force, or nearly 25 tons.
Using the pump at half rated speed halves the GPM, so it'll be running at 8/2 GPM. This should yield a low-pressure extension speed of 1.6 inches per second, with a retraction speed of 1.8 IPS.
The die plates are 3/8" plate, 6x6" square. I meant to use 1/2" plate, drove 40 miles home before I realized the steel supply had cut them from 3/8" by mistake. Whatever, I figure it's heavy enough. With square plates I should be able to throw any die set in two different ways.
The welding on the frame is all done, including the die holders (except for the die locking mechanism.) Now I just have to obtain the hydraulic parts, and plumb it all up. I have a list made at SurplusCenter, about $350 and shipping, and I'm good to go. I'll post more when I add more to it. Thanks for looking.
I got a good chunk of 8" I-beam, already had the motor and cylinder. I designed the rest of it around these elements.
It's a low-boy style c-frame press. This allows me to use less steel for the frame, keep the height way down, makes it not so top heavy, and even limit the length and thus the cost of the hoses I'll need. The tradeoff is that I'll have to get used to lifting the billet handle as it comes up with the lower die. I hear it's not too hard.
The cylinder I got from Ray Rogers for $80. It has about a 16" throw, and is a 5" cylinder with a 1.75" rod. It's nice to have that long stroke, ultimately it should help me to do things like have the daylight to split a billet down for feather pattern. I'm even going to cut my firewood a bit shorter this year, and build a wedge die to split wood with!
Much of the parts were flame cut out of 1" plate, and wherever they are welded in a high stress area, they are fully beveled for full penetration multipass welds. I used 6011 hot for the root passes, and built up afterward with 7018. I used my 225 amp Craftsman AC stick welder for all of it.
Areas of concern right now are the overall strength of the frame- the I-beam is only 3/8" web. I priced full gusset plates to throw into the sides- for 3/8" plate total cost would be about $84, for 1/2" plate total cost will be about $110. I figure I'll fire it up and very closely observe the frame and cylinder mounts for movement, then throw the plate gussets into the I beam if necessary.
I'll cut some extra brace wedges out of 3/4" plate for the lower pin plate/cylinder mounts of they seem to pull out of shape or anything happens.
The motor is a 5hp Baldor TEFC. It's single phase, 1725 r.p.m., 230 volt. Runs great. Since most splitter pumps are rated for 3450 rpm motors, instead of using a 11/2 gpm 2 stage pump, I'll use a 16/4 pump. I believe this is what Don Hanson uses on his press, if it's good enough for him, it's more than great for me. The slower motor speed should cut down on noise and vibration as well.
I calc that with my 5" bore cylinder with a 1.75" rod, at 2500 p.s.i., the press will yield 49,087 lbs. push force, or nearly 25 tons.
Using the pump at half rated speed halves the GPM, so it'll be running at 8/2 GPM. This should yield a low-pressure extension speed of 1.6 inches per second, with a retraction speed of 1.8 IPS.
The die plates are 3/8" plate, 6x6" square. I meant to use 1/2" plate, drove 40 miles home before I realized the steel supply had cut them from 3/8" by mistake. Whatever, I figure it's heavy enough. With square plates I should be able to throw any die set in two different ways.
The welding on the frame is all done, including the die holders (except for the die locking mechanism.) Now I just have to obtain the hydraulic parts, and plumb it all up. I have a list made at SurplusCenter, about $350 and shipping, and I'm good to go. I'll post more when I add more to it. Thanks for looking.
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) You must have burned up some rod! Wow, that seems like a long stroke on that cylinder. Do I see feathers in your future (upright billets being pressed)?
