Tang Stamp Press

ddavelarsen

ddavelarsen

Joined
Dec 7, 2000
Messages
5,179
Recently I got my first real tang stamp. However, the Flinch Factor is
seriously reducing my ability to apply a good impression. Just call me
Chicken, but I've flattened my fingers with a hammer too many times!

I've heard about hydraulic presses used for making impressions, and Jim
Ziegler's post below got me thinking about trying to build one. My
limitations include no milling machine, so no reliable way to get truly flat
and parallel surfaces; even a true 90 degree angle might be asking a lot.

Also, no welder.

Given all that, anyone have any ideas, photos, links, etc to plans or
discussion of building one? Is a bottle jack a hydraulic jack? How much
pressure - how big a jack - would be required to get a good impression?

Thanks for any ideas.

Dave
 
Dave,

I've no advice on a press or such to make better impressions, but until you come up with something, try putting some masking tape on the blade before striking an impression. The tape provides some "bite" for the stamp and just might help you provide some relief to those fingers...

Also, never strike the stamp a second time without resetting the stamp. If you give the stamp two "quick" smacks with a hammer, they almost always come out with a shadow image.

Good Luck,

Bruce
 
An arbor press is what a friend of mine uses but he is strictly a forger. I don't know how well it would work on "stainless" prior to heat treat.


C Wilkins
 
Thanks for the input. I was able to get a better impression today. Also am following up with Uncle Al after a suggestion from another maker on an arbor press conversion.

Dave
 
I've read popular mechancs for years, until they changed it to the latest yuppie update magazine.

Anyway over the years there have been plenty of little presses made with bolts, angle iron and flat plate.

i built one last year or so but i welded it up I made a mistake and put the jack on top, makes it hard to see the stamp. It would be better for the jack to be on the bottom, for cold steel my 3 ton jack is barely enough for 1/8" letters, for bigger stamps you need to boost the size of the hydraulic/bottle jack.

For scared fingers, use a pair of vise grips,or cut a notch in a piece of stiff heater hose, push the stamp through the hole so that the rubber makes a handle, i get better feel for the flatness of the stamp with the rubber hose.

life is what it is
 
Received a reply from Al Lawrence yesterday. "Yes they are still available. They cost $97.50." I'll write him to determine the size of the jack -- whether it'll make an impression in (possibly work hardened) steel. If so, I'm in I think. More on this later.

Dave
 
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