Home Made Pin Press-Saved $275

[fitzo]

Wait, Now let me get this straight, Somebody has a business where they make a $300 machine to do the work of a $10 hammer? Somehow paying $5 for a cup of coffee at starbucks seems rational all of a sudden.

A press squishes pins smooothly and evenly, so it doesn't have the "shock wave" of hammer strikes. This can have the benefit of reducing cracking in "fragile" materials like fossil ivory, stone, and mammoth tooth. It also removes the hazards of an errant hammer blow on a $150 pair of scales.

Personally, I think he just loves to use that Bridgeport and looks for projects.....

 

[JCaswell]

These pin presses are cool.

The one thing that worries me about the one in this thread is the threading on the posts that the lower plate has to slide against. It seems to me the threads will damage the inside of the holes in the bottom plate as it slides and restrains the plate's movement under while pressure. the threads will also wear, and I suspect contribute to premature sloppiness.

For such a nicely executed job, I think it would be worth it to use CR round stock and simple thread the ends so that the lower plate has a proper bearing surface to slide on

 

[Dan Gray]

OH my God! Here we go again.
I know if I dont bolt it to the bench it will float up when I use it, Its 8 tons pushing straight up, right Dan? See, I learned something from all the posts you made in my forging press thread

float you have heard of Newton's law right??
NOOOOOOOOOO
if it weighs say 40 pounds you'll just need to make sure your bench will hold up..40 pounds plus the pin
or put it on the ground on a 2x4 with blocks at each end

Sounds great but let me check with Dan before I do anything that complex. Last I heard there was "stress in them there rods"

Only if you use it...

I'll have to ask my Wife about that. She's been in charge of my nuts for the last 10 years.

I'm sure that's changed your pitch from time to time too

 

[adammichael]

These pin presses are cool.

The one thing that worries me about the one in this thread is the threading on the posts that the lower plate has to slide against. It seems to me the threads will damage the inside of the holes in the bottom plate as it slides and restrains the plate's movement under while pressure. the threads will also wear, and I suspect contribute to premature sloppiness.

For such a nicely executed job, I think it would be worth it to use CR round stock and simple thread the ends so that the lower plate has a proper bearing surface to slide on

I used what I had on hand at the time. It is bolted together so later when I get some 3/4" round stock and thread each end I can replace the rod.

I would think if this were used in a full time production envirorment that would be more of a concern but I dont know how many bolsters I would have to install before that becomes a problem with the threaded rod. Also the ram is made from 1 1/2" solid bar and once the anvils make contact there is only about 1/4" of movement (under presure) I think it should work fine for a long time.

 

[adammichael]

A press squishes pins smooothly and evenly, so it doesn't have the "shock wave" of hammer strikes. This can have the benefit of reducing cracking in "fragile" materials like fossil ivory, stone, and mammoth tooth. It also removes the hazards of an errant hammer blow on a $150 pair of scales.

Personally, I think he just loves to use that Bridgeport and looks for projects.....

Good point Michael but let me add this disclaimer. I would NOT peen the pins in ivory, tooth or stone.

All the handle scales on the knives I make are installed after I pin the bolster so I dont worry to much about hitting the scales. (maybe I am too thick headed to understand exactly what you mean )

What does happen occasionally is I will slip and hit the edge of the dovetailed bolster and bend it or slip off the other edge and hit the ricasso that I jest spent hours hand running to 2500 grit with the hammer (yes, I do put tape on it to protect it). Not a very easy fix for either problem. The knife I am currently making has a 1/2" wide bolster with Ivory on one side and the dovetaile on the other. It doesnt leave me alot of room for the hammer head when I am peening. Thats another reason I built the press

Controlled power is the way to go.

Yes, I do love making stuff on the bridgeport.

 

[adammichael]

C'mon guys, you're clearly missing the reason for building this. We all know we should NEVER use an existing general tool for a specialized job. You NEED a specialty tool. Otherwise, how could we justify buying more tools to the wife?

-d

That is the #1 rule of knifemaking!:thumbup:

 

[fitzo]

Good point Michael but let me add this disclaimer. I would NOT peen the pins in ivory, tooth or stone.

All the handle scales on the knives I make are installed after I pin the bolster so I dont worry to much about hitting the scales. (maybe I am too thick headed to understand exactly what you mean )

Well, there ya go, then. It's nothing you didn't understand. I was just plain wrong. The only ivory I've used was from hippo and uglypig (personal prohibition agaisnt using oliphaunt), and I've peened pins in those. Brass, and carefully. Sometimes they've only been domed over, and not swelled to fit a tapered hole. That's just old school, I guess. Better techniques have come along. Plus, there's this distaste for brass nowadays, so the harder pinning material is a lot tougher to work delicately.

I guess this means I shouldn't plan on using the forging press to set the pins in that blue mammoth you picked out for me, then?

 

[adammichael]

Well, there ya go, then. It's nothing you didn't understand. I was just plain wrong. The only ivory I've used was from hippo and uglypig (personal prohibition agaisnt using oliphaunt), and I've peened pins in those. Brass, and carefully. Sometimes they've only been domed over, and not swelled to fit a tapered hole. That's just old school, I guess. Better techniques have come along. Plus, there's this distaste for brass nowadays, so the harder pinning material is a lot tougher to work delicately.

I guess this means I shouldn't plan on using the forging press to set the pins in that blue mammoth you picked out for me, then?

Any excuss I can use to get you to come for a visit is fine with me! Come on over and we can make another one for you, I show you my forging press too!

 

[Paul Savage]

Looks just like what the doctor ordered. I've been using my 42 1/2 ton forgeing press to set my bolster pins because i've been to busy to build one of these babies. You think I don't cringe as I try to feather the controls of that bad boy. Oh, and No I havent snapped or shattered a pc. yet. But I know it's just a matter of time. Paul