How Long Do Hydraulic Lines Last? ... 😅

Yea, I agree that view it really looks flat on top, and the radius on the corner doesn't really show up much. I pulled the above image off the same page as your image, but a different view.

You're right, they will draw just fine, and work just fine I'm sure. I forgot to comment on the craftsmanship - they really look good. You do nice work.

As you are I'm looking forward to delivery of the 5" cylinder and see how it does. You'll have right at 30 ton with a 3,000 psi. I'll bet 2500 psi for 25 ton would be plenty and not strain anything.
 
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Your cylinder should be showing "Out for Delivery" now - We're all looking forward to getting that installed.

In post #92 the quick change die holder shows up - I like it. Looks really good. I can see the clip on back side that keeps die from sliding back. How do you plan to prevent die from sliding out front? That happened to me as I was sliding billet during pressing. I wish my press was wider so I could use combo dies like you have. Combo dies would be really nice since after one pass on drawing dies, next pass needs to to be on flattening dies. OR - that's how I think it would work. This is all still new to me and most of what I "think" I know is from reading and watching videos.

All this learning new stuff helps keep an old brain active - and LOTS more fun than crossword puzzles :)
 
Ken H> said:
Your cylinder should be showing "Out for Delivery" now - We're all looking forward to getting that installed.

In post #92 the quick change die holder shows up - I like it. Looks really good. I can see the clip on back side that keeps die from sliding back. How do you plan to prevent die from sliding out front? That happened to me as I was sliding billet during pressing. I wish my press was wider so I could use combo dies like you have. Combo dies would be really nice since after one pass on drawing dies, next pass needs to to be on flattening dies. OR - that's how I think it would work. This is all still new to me and most of what I "think" I know is from reading and watching videos.

All this learning new stuff helps keep an old brain active - and LOTS more fun than crossword puzzles :)
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Yes sir, it should be showing up today!

I think I’m going to try it out without a stop in the front. The dies fit in there very snug… however, I’ve thought about drilling and tapping a 1/4’’-20 hole on the front center of both die holders. Then using a tab with an offset hole and a 1/4-20 bolt. So that I can rotate it up to hold the die and rotate it down to release.

I haven’t seen a “front die stop” design that I really like yet…
 
About the best looking die holder I saw a photo of to hold bottom die in was a drop in type. The space was tall enough the die would slide in, then drop down 1/8" or so which would prevent the die from sliding out. To remove the die was lifted up a tad to slide out over the small ledge. Not sure I explained that well enough.

Your idea of the tab to rotate up and tighten 1/4-20 bolt should work just fine - that's like the die holder in your post #90?
 
Ken H> said:
About the best looking die holder I saw a photo of to hold bottom die in was a drop in type. The space was tall enough the die would slide in, then drop down 1/8" or so which would prevent the die from sliding out. To remove the die was lifted up a tad to slide out over the small ledge. Not sure I explained that well enough.
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I see, I’m not sure that one would work with my design. There isn’t enough space for me to clear a 1/8’’ ledge.

Ken H> said:
Your idea of the tab to rotate up and tighten 1/4-20 bolt should work just fine - that's like the die holder in your post #90?
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Yes sir, exactly like that one.
 
J. Keeton said:
I'll give mine a go... Worse case is I take them to the slack belt and knock the corners off.
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I'd just go ahead and do it, if I were you. From a blacksmithing perspective, any corners forged in during general forging is a cold shut waiting to happen. It takes almost no time to forge a radiused corner into a sharp one with the appropriate top tool, but impossible to forge out a cold shut once it's started.
 
J. Keeton said:
I think I’m going to try it out without a stop in the front
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I'll also add that you might want to go ahead and make the stop. I didn't on my squaring dies (ran out of 1/4" square stock) and after using it twice, am adding that on. It's not an issue when feeding the stock into the press as you are working, but if you are pulling it towards you (like when drawing out a billet), at some point you will no doubt not clear the bottom die and start to drag it out of the holder, forcing you to stop what you are doing and push it back in. Not a huge deal, but easily avoidable.

Here's a picture of what I did. Notice that the tab holding it down is only on the back of the plate and it's not a tight fit, because we only need gravity to hold it down.

20201018_163421.jpg
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With the way you did yours, I'd say something like I have on the top die would be easy. (Imagine this is upside down)
20201018_163441.jpg
 
weo said:
I'll also add that you might want to go ahead and make the stop. I didn't on my squaring dies (ran out of 1/4" square stock) and after using it twice, am adding that on. It's not an issue when feeding the stock into the press as you are working, but if you are pulling it towards you (like when drawing out a billet), at some point you will no doubt not clear the bottom die and start to drag it out of the holder, forcing you to stop what you are doing and push it back in. Not a huge deal, but easily avoidable.

Here's a picture of what I did. Notice that the tab holding it down is only on the back of the plate and it's not a tight fit, because we only need gravity to hold it down.

View attachment 1621185
View attachment 1621189
With the way you did yours, I'd say something like I have on the top die would be easy. (Imagine this is upside down)
View attachment 1621203
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Thanks for the suggestions and pictures!
 
BillyO, looking at that bottom holder, since it's just a "drop in" fit, would welding a tab to the front to keep die from sliding forward work? To remove die just lift up on front of die and slide out? You top holder is similar to what I have, except I had a pin on both sides.

This thread is a good thread, even if it has moved from the original question of "how long do hydraulic lines last".
 
What do yall think about using something like these spring latches?
 

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You're talking about to hold dies in? I don't know, but I suspect they're going to get so hot the springs won't all all that long. It's amazing how hot those dies get in forging. After just a few minutes of forging they will sizzle water. It would be good for some real experts other than BillyO to chime in on this thread. I do hope they're watching enough to correct any totally wrong statements I make. BillyO has MUCH more experience than I have with a forging press.
 
Ken H> said:
You're talking about to hold dies in? I don't know, but I suspect they're going to get so hot the springs won't all all that long. It's amazing how hot those dies get in forging. After just a few minutes of forging they will sizzle water. It would be good for some real experts other than BillyO to chime in on this thread. I do hope they're watching enough to correct any totally wrong statements I make. BillyO has MUCH more experience than I have with a forging press.
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I'm talking about putting those spring latches in the same spot you'd put the tab we spoke about in post #90. Pointing up. So you'd depress the spring, slide in your die, then let go... and the bar would extend upward under spring force to capture the die
 
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J. Keeton said:
I'm talking about putting those spring latches . . . depress the spring, slide in your die, then let go... and the bar would extend upward under spring force to capture the die
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That would work, for sure. I'd probably modify the latch slightly, making sure there's a bevel on both sides (kinda like a double grind v chisel grind) so that you wouldn't have to use 2 hands to change out the bottom die. Although, I guess if the spring isn't too strong, you could just use the weight of the bottom die to depress the spring and then slide it in from there.
 
J. Keeton said:
I'm an engineer; I think that's impossible for me! 😅 ;)
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I think you've mention being an engineer before, I don't remember which discipline. I retired from I&E (Electrical & Instrumentation) working mostly in chemical plants.

Mike, you've got years of forging press experience, do you think those springs will hold up in the heat from how hot those dies will get?
 
Ken H> said:
I think you've mention being an engineer before, I don't remember which discipline. I retired from I&E (Electrical & Instrumentation) working mostly in chemical plants.

Mike, you've got years of forging press experience, do you think those springs will hold up in the heat from how hot those dies will get?
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He's a petroleum engineer, Ken. Used to come in to Paltalk when he was a kid in (I think) Matairie right after Katrina. I don't know as he remembers me. :)

Ken, my die-stop was a tab welded on the front of the anvil plate/die base that had a hole big enough to hold a big-headed 1/2" bolt loose. Simple, easy. All that flux and forge scale popping on to it all the time rendered it pretty ugly. I have no idea what mechanisms like Jimmy has mentioned would do, but problems are a lot more likely with moving parts. And your point about heat and springs is an excellent insight. I just favor simple where possible.

And, I can guarantee, once someone has a die and a billet come squirting forward at them during the squish they'll want a stop in place from then on. :)

Good news is, simple is usually easier to add on after the fact.
 
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