Recent forging press purchase.

[tao_m]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CMEkXyFQWNBy2tEF9

I just recently came across this hydraulic press that I would like to outfit for forging metal, im not very familiar with all the specs but here is some information I gathered on it and I would really appreciate any input to make sure I can use it for forging.
Thank you.

Cylinder bore 7"
Cylinder stroke 23"
Cylinder rod 3.5"
It seems to have a single stage hydraulic 9.5 gpm at 1500 rpm.
Pump powered by a 10hp 3phase 1745 rpm motor.

How many tons of pressure and speed would you guess it puts out?
Should I get a vfd for it?

 

[Blackdirt cowboy]

It’s hard to say what the tonnage is without knowing the working pressure, but it should be about 48 tons at 2500 PSI. The cyclometer speed is going to be fairly slow. Most hydraulic pumps are designed to run at 3000 plus RPMs. Your motor is 1745 RPMs, so your pump output is half of that 9.5 GPM. This will make your cylinder speed about a half inch per second.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Th pressure will be about twice what most presses deliver. Speed will be about half as fast, but within a usable range.
The biggest issue is that it was a stamping or laminating type press that delivers the pressure over a large area. For forging you want a press to deliver the force in a small area. You will have to do some welding and reworking of the ram head and the table. Not insurmountable, but it will take some modifications.