What is your dream forging press?

I should qualify what I said: I use the plate to get things heated up a bit when I first start. I have the jaws open when it's time to pull the billet from the forge and the press is running. Once they're hot to the touch I don't use the plate. I leave 'em open and scrape while re-heating the billet. There's a lot of steel in my dies and they stay hot quite awhile.
 
fitzo said:
Sounds about right, Dan. As chemists, we were always very certain that engineers were far geekier. Though not as dweeb-y as mathematicians, obviously. Physicists, of course, are all aliens. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D :footinmou
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Hey now Mikey, don't over-generalize too much now! I think I'm probably one of the more socially adept physicists I know! :) ...though, admittedly, many of my colleagues in academia are pretty introverted and seem like they're from another planet! :)

-Darren
 
Darren Ellis said:
Hey now Mikey, don't over-generalize too much now! I think I'm probably one of the more socially adept physicists I know! :) ...though, admittedly, many of my colleagues in academia are pretty introverted and seem like they're from another planet! :)

-Darren
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Yeah, yeah. Ray Walston used to be able to retract his antennae, too.... ;)

You'd have to admit, wouldn't you, that every scientific discipline insists they're the cool ones and all those others are, well, so "very square".... :D

Now leave me alone, I gotta get back to the Science Channel.... :eek: ;)
 
fitzo said:
Dan, I made a piece of 1/2" plate with a handle welded on to use as a preheat plate and I started cycling that back and forth with the billets the first few heats to get the dies warmed. If I remember right, I got the idea for that from Buxton or Duncan. Could'a been Bowie for all I know. I've learned so much from those three it's hard to keep separated who i owe a specific gratitude to. Thank you, my friends!

Since I usually use the heating time to scrape and/or brush my dies clean I usually don't close them up after that. I have to say, though, it's not a bad idea at all! Good tip, thanks!! :)

It's certainly a good idea to keep 'em hot, right up until I forget just how hot and grab one with a non-gloved hand to change out! Dang, I HATE when that happens. :(
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I gotcha about the first heat Mike..
I got that one from IG...
so we'll blame him :D
though it don't take long to open the dies just a bit if the joy stick is in the right place :) but the best way I think is, to have a striker do the opening and scraping , and maybe hold the beer if he can be trusted not to drink it :D
 
After thinking about my initial idea for mounting the dies, I have concluded that that idea sucks. (post 247 for all those who want to look back and laugh at me).

I have a much better idea that I think you will all agree doesnt suck as much. I will draw it tomorrow and post it. (I bet you all on pins and needles waiting for this gem, hey):D
 
adammichael said:
After thinking about my initial idea for mounting the dies, I have concluded that that idea sucks. (post 247 for all those who want to look back and laugh at me).

I have a much better idea that I think you will all agree doesnt suck as much. I will draw it tomorrow and post it. (I bet you all on pins and needles waiting for this gem, hey):D
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I'm thinking that when you slide the dies in, you'll catch slag in between them and the guides. just 2 cents.
maybe they should be self cleaning.. :)
 
I wonder if tapered dowel pins would work, shouldn't be a problem for the lower one just drop in place..
the upper could be doweled . and magnetic :) just kidding on the top one..
 
Fitzo im like you the dies get hot after first usage and will stay that was for some time like you I will preheat the first time to get heat in the dies nothing worse for the billet to suck heat out of the first few layers of a billet when getting started
. So I preheat to begin with but no need to after dies become welding glove hot and that’s in a very short order .
I have been guilty if some one were to be look in the windows of my shop when welding they may fine me placing dies on the top of my forge to get screaming hot , dies will get hot they should ne made to hold heat ,to me the hotter the dies are the better but like as been said every body does thing different that what threads like this is good for to see how other do what they and why .
And like Nick the handle looks like its in motion all the time you will develop speed as you become part of the machine
Mike even though you feel this is a bad die holder it did make me see another way to other than the one you showed 9thinking on my own scary ant it gives me a headache . ya I know Bill I am a headache - but im thinking that the holes at the end of your design has some merritt and I think I know a way to make it to where one can eliminate forward or backward scoots
ill show you when I can draw it

Bowie
 
Bowie, I've never heard Bill say you were a headache. I thought he did say something about pain and something else, maybe butt????

Dang, i'm just not sure.... :D
 
Ron Claiborne said:
Fitzo im like you the dies get hot after first usage and will stay that was for some time like you I will preheat the first time to get heat in the dies nothing worse for the billet to suck heat out of the first few layers of a billet when getting started
. So I preheat to begin with but no need to after dies become welding glove hot and that’s in a very short order .
I have been guilty if some one were to be look in the windows of my shop when welding they may fine me placing dies on the top of my forge to get screaming hot , dies will get hot they should ne made to hold heat ,to me the hotter the dies are the better but like as been said every body does thing different that what threads like this is good for to see how other do what they and why .
And like Nick the handle looks like its in motion all the time you will develop speed as you become part of the machine
Mike even though you feel this is a bad die holder it did make me see another way to other than the one you showed 9thinking on my own scary ant it gives me a headache . ya I know Bill I am a headache - but im thinking that the holes at the end of your design has some merritt and I think I know a way to make it to where one can eliminate forward or backward scoots
ill show you when I can draw it

Bowie
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I think your going to like my new non-sucking die holder. Yoiu will see it tomorrow. Let me know what you think when you see it.
 
This is what I have.
As you slide in the die, the cyan colored lock will rise up and out of the way. The dirt will push through the slots in the blue frame. The tabs on the back will lock the die in from left to right. When the die is all the way in the cyan colored lock will drop down the keep the die from coming forward. When you are ready to take the die out, push down on the back of the lock. The front of the lock will rise up. Grab the handle and pull the die out.

You dont have to do anything with the lock when you are putting the die in because the radius on the front of the die plate and the radius on the front of the lock will cause the lock to rid up on the die plate. Gravity will drop the lock back down when the plate is all the way in.

The lock can be put on the left or the right side. (Right side for left handers.)

The lock is lasered out of 3/8" steel and bolted on with a #10 bolt.

The blue frame is 11 gage, lasered and formed.
 
Mike I can still see slag building up in places in the rear
can you place a space between the rear end of the die holder and the plate
so all the slag just drops off the plate?
2 or 3 v shaped spacers would do it i think..hope this helps..

you got mail Mike..
BTW I like that lock
 
hopefully you understand, Michael, that you are causing many of us severe jealousy pains....:D :eek: :p


I hate to nitpick...but I don't think the die lock is going to rise up (as it's drawn). Think of it this way:

Draw a line from the center point of the pivot to the point of contact where the die touches the lock (as you load it). This line needs to be less than 45 degrees or else the lock will move down instead of up. Also, now imagine a tangential line at that point of contact (tangent to the radius of the lock). That will need to be less than 45 degrees as well.

If any of this is unclear, could you provide a straight-on side shot of just the lock with the die contacting it? (might help me explain - plus good to see).
 
One thing to consider in your lock design IS the rise of the dies. The flux will stick the dies to the billet and there will be a need to keep them locked down.

Keep it simple. Slide them into slots put on some hanging latches like on Bowies press.
JM2C
 
Pretty schmancy but I'm almost thinking it's elegant. :D The integral handle is definitely "Benz"!

At worst, if it gets sticky, you may have to work the lever by hand inserting the dies. I'd use a 1/4-20 for the bolt. #10 may shear if the die tries to squirt.

I showed my press with it's simple "slide a 1/2" bolt into a hole" keeper and it hung it's head and thinks it has to take the short bus to school from now on.... ;)

Get "full length welds" on the places where the holder contacts the 1" plate, Mike. Those are the only welds I have blown out on my press to date.....
 
Daniel Koster said:
hopefully you understand, Michael, that you are causing many of us severe jealousy pains....:D :eek: :p


I hate to nitpick...but I don't think the die lock is going to rise up (as it's drawn). Think of it this way:

Draw a line from the center point of the pivot to the point of contact where the die touches the lock (as you load it). This line needs to be less than 45 degrees or else the lock will move down instead of up. Also, now imagine a tangential line at that point of contact (tangent to the radius of the lock). That will need to be less than 45 degrees as well.

If any of this is unclear, could you provide a straight-on side shot of just the lock with the die contacting it? (might help me explain - plus good to see).
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I have some fine tuning to do on the shape. Its just a concept im trying to show with the pics that i posted. There is also a radius on the front of the die plate to help lift the lock. I drew it pretty quick this morning so I could get something posted.
 
Mark Williams said:
One thing to consider in your lock design IS the rise of the dies. The flux will stick the dies to the billet and there will be a need to keep them locked down.

Keep it simple. Slide them into slots put on some hanging latches like on Bowies press.
JM2C
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Does Bowies design lock the dies down or just prevent it from sliding forward? There is a formed lip that would hold the die down. I dont know if its clear in the pics i posted.
 
fitzo said:
Pretty schmancy but I'm almost thinking it's elegant. :D The integral handle is definitely "Benz"!

At worst, if it gets sticky, you may have to work the lever by hand inserting the dies. I'd use a 1/4-20 for the bolt. #10 may shear if the die tries to squirt.

I showed my press with it's simple "slide a 1/2" bolt into a hole" keeper and it hung it's head and thinks it has to take the short bus to school from now on.... ;)

Get "full length welds" on the places where the holder contacts the 1" plate, Mike. Those are the only welds I have blown out on my press to date.....
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Full length welds are a must on the outside of the frame.
 
One other thought, Mike, because I'm not sure of the scale: remember to make the handle holes large enough to stick a welding-gloved hand through. I know you've almost certainly thought of that, but at worst all I waste is a post... ;) :)
 
Dan Gray said:
Mike I can still see slag building up in places in the rear
can you place a space between the rear end of the die holder and the plate
so all the slag just drops off the plate?
2 or 3 v shaped spacers would do it i think..hope this helps..

you got mail Mike..
BTW I like that lock
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Done. Slag comes out the back and drops into the slag catcher.
 
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