What are the different presses for Damascus for sale out there?

David Loukides

David Loukides

Joined
Mar 17, 2006
Messages
1,363
Hi Guy's,
Uncle Al's and Ron Claiborne's are 2 good one's, but there has to be more.
BTW I am not really interested in building my first press.
If you post one you have used how did you like it?
Thanks For Your Help!!!
 
I got one from uncle al's this year and finally got it wired in not to long ago. I had used one of his before at the school in old washington, ar. I like that it is foot operated leaving my hands free. I have never used Claiborne's but have heard good things about it. But the hands free operation of Al's won me over.
 
Ron Claiborne makes a good press. I have a 25 ton model. Buying a press from someone who has built enough of them to get the bugs out is a plus. Its that thing about never buy a car the first year it goes on the market.

Fred
 
I have the Carlisle press (actually Jeff's personal press) I like it, but if I was doing it today, I would go with the Claiborne press for the simple reason that for a nominal service charge, he will also make up and fit to the specific press whatever dies your little heart desires.
 
Have you looked a Tommy McNabb 's presses. I haven't used one but have seen them and they look well made.
 
The big thing that makes me nervous about the McNabb presses is the location of one of the main hydraulic lines. It hangs out above where you will be swinging some very hot pieces of metal. I cannot comment about whether having he cylinders on the bottom is a good thing or not because I have only worked a press that has the cylinder on top. The fact that Tommy makes a 5 ton model is nice. To my mind, the ideal press for working big pieces of steel would be something like the 50+ ton "four poster" that Kyle Royer has. That thing will weld and crush an original stack of steel to about half its original thickness using 6 inch flat dies......lengthwise!!!!!
 
Also one thing to consider is if you want you work to raise and lower with the die.ie the ram pushing the lower die into the upper die. I have a H frame but dont like how my work moves with the ram. I do like how uncle Als press has gotten around this with the top die moving down but the ram is still under the dies versus a c frame press with the ram above the dies for me this was not possible do to the height.
 
Thanks for the posts.
The Carlisle press and the McNabb press are new to me.
After looking and pricing I am leaning towards Ron Claiborne's press.
Feel free to add more presses to the list!!!
And Thanks for the Help!!!
 
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