Hydraulic press question

[bubbas55]

Has anyone tried an air over hydraulic press like the Bonny doom 20ton jewelry press. They look big enough, are 20ton and much smaller than most I've seen.
Thanks

 

[Esav Benyamin]

What?

This forum is for website tech questions. I don't understand your post well enough to know where to move it.

 

[rycen]

Better for MT&E or Shop talk

 

[12345678910]

Firstly the Bonnie Doon press is horribly overpriced in my opinion.
$1,000 for a 20 ton bottle jack and small frame.
$3,000 for the same small frame and a wee little electric jack

For that price, you could build one, or almost buy one.

I've seen some use a Harbour Freight air over hydraulic jack in a small press frame, but it's much much cheaper.

Secondly, it's too slow.

forging presses are desired to be in the 1 to 2 inch per second ram speed.
The idea is to get several pressings in before the work cools too much.

There is a book on forging presses and lots of pics and info here

http://www.dfoggknives.com/hydralic.htm

 

[Salem Straub]

There are a lot of people who have built them. Here's the link:
http://forums.dfoggknives.com/index.php?showtopic=9932

They are not ideal, though, as the Count says. You really want something faster and stouter.

 

[Will Leavitt]

$1-3000 should buy you a homebuilt "real" smithing press even if you have to source out some of the work like welding, it also buys a lot of fly press. I think I've seen used smithing presses for sale on ABANA for that price range also.

 

[Salem Straub]

Or, you can get a 30 ton or more log splitter and convert it for $1500 or less pretty easily. If you could find one for sale with an electric motor rather than gas, it would save some money and work.