WIP - Hydraulic Press Build

[efleming]

Hey Eric,

Have you finished writing your damascus layup program yet? I'm just taking a wild guess here, but you sure would be the guy for the job, if you were so inclined. You know, something that will prompt and capture input:

• how many types of steel? and their dimensions
• layer layup pattern (alternating steels, etc)
• length of beginning billet
• target size of finished billet
• etc

And the program could return info like: how much steel is needed, how many pieces of each type, beginning billet size and weight, likely finished yield at various sizes, etc

Heck, you probably already have such a program!

All the best, Phil

Hey Phil,

You give me the raw data, I'll write the program to work as you specified above... Deal?

Eric

 

[AKHammonds]

Eric-
You have already taken Most of the pictures you need and you can cut and paste most of the text....Make a DVD showing the rest of us how to make a press like yours. You could sell it for $20.00 Easy maybe cost $2.00 to make. I would buy one in a heart beat and so would a lot of other people... We have the Kinyon hammer why not the Felming Press?????
Think About and I will buy the first copy...

Allen

 

[efleming]

Eric-
You have already taken Most of the pictures you need and you can cut and paste most of the text....Make a DVD showing the rest of us how to make a press like yours. You could sell it for $20.00 Easy maybe cost $2.00 to make. I would buy one in a heart beat and so would a lot of other people... We have the Kinyon hammer why not the Felming Press?????
Think About and I will buy the first copy...

Allen

Well, that's an interesting idea. Most of the info is right here in this thread. What kind of information is missing here and are there others that would be interested in a DVD or construction document?

Eric

 

[TekSec]

Maybe suppliers for the parts, dimensions and some really good pics / videos of you squishing some steel! Very nice job!!!

 

[ddavelarsen]

Man this is the coolest thing I've seen all year. Don't know how I missed it for so long but I'm sure glad it popped up today. Eric, that is some sweet building. :thumbup: Congratulations!

I love this forum!

 

[efleming]

Maybe suppliers for the parts, dimensions and some really good pics / videos of you squishing some steel! Very nice job!!!

Thanks Erik! You may have missed it but a full CAD drawing with dimensions and hydraulic calcs I used are in the 8th post of this thread --> http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6864788&postcount=8

I can get a parts list with suppliers together...

Video of squishing some steel is sure to come!

Man this is the coolest thing I've seen all year. Don't know how I missed it for so long but I'm sure glad it popped up today. Eric, that is some sweet building. :thumbup: Congratulations!

Thanks Dave! This was a really fun build... Glad to share the progress with you all...

Eric

 

[TekSec]

Why yes I did, but thank you for pointing it out!

 

[efleming]

Per multiple requests, I've attached a parts list of what I used to build the press. I think I got most of what was used in this list along with prices and where I ordered them. Enjoy...

Eric

 

[lazerboy2000]

wow awesome work Eric! I just stumbled onto your site and enjoyed looking through your shop tour and the WIP of this build. VERY good work and I'm always fascinated by true machinists like yourself. Do you happen to have a gallery of your knives?

 

[efleming]

wow awesome work Eric! I just stumbled onto your site and enjoyed looking through your shop tour and the WIP of this build. VERY good work and I'm always fascinated by true machinists like yourself. Do you happen to have a gallery of your knives?

Hello Lazerboy,

Thanks for the nice comments. I would not consider myself a "true machinist" as I've never had any formal traning and have not done this as a job. I'm just a hack that gets my mind set on something and won't let go until its done. Don't have a gallery up yet but would like to do that this year. Any knife pics I have are very poor quality pics and not worthy of posting on a web site. My hope is to build a light box and get pictures that are of quality to post.

Eric

 

[Salem Straub]

I love your shop tour. Inspires me to build all of my own machines and tools. Funny, my last shop had a HF bandsaw, a vertical welding forge very similar in appearance to yours, and one of my anvils was a Russian 110# cast beast with a modified horn. What did you use, a torch and an angle grinder?

 

[efleming]

Just an angle grider and belt sander to dress it up. Many hours spent getting it into shape. Some day a real anvil will appear in the shop but, San Diego does not offer many options for used anvil purchases... Will have to break down for $1K plus for a new one or go on a road trip of 8 hours plus to find a good used one.

Take care, Eric

I love your shop tour. Inspires me to build all of my own machines and tools. Funny, my last shop had a HF bandsaw, a vertical welding forge very similar in appearance to yours, and one of my anvils was a Russian 110# cast beast with a modified horn. What did you use, a torch and an angle grinder?

 

[ddavelarsen]

All the compliments on your shop tour made me go take a look too. That is some kind of shop. I wish I had the patience (and welder) to make so many more excellent tools! My favorite was the seat on your stool though. :thumbup:

Looks to me like you make some really large blades! And I think I saw a round support on your grinder, which is something I've thought would be very useful. I need to figure out how to mount better tool rests on mine.

Thanks for all the sharing, this is great stuff.

 

[efleming]

Got to weld up my first Damascus billet today. 1080 and 15N20. Only had my large dies ready so just set the weld. Let the billet cool and welded up the drawing dies but did not have time to draw out yet. Press worked fantastic! Here are some pics...

This is a pic of the billet welded up. Used a TIG welder with no filler rod. No contamination from unwanted metal...

Coming out of the forge at 2300F.

 

[efleming]

Heading into the press...

First press. Man was that sweet! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[efleming]

This last pic came out funny as my son had a hard time finding the button on the camera and my hand started really feeling the heat of the rod through the glove. I think I was just starting to say a choice word before switching to the other hand... :thumbup:

Eric

 

[ddavelarsen]

Cool! :thumbup: Congratulations Eric, can't wait to see what that becomes. Looks like you got your photo issues resolved, so no more excuses!

 

[efleming]

Special Note: To all you that plan on building a hydraulic press that utilizes an electronic solenoid valve. Build a relief valve into your initial plumbing design. Unlike most mechanical valves, the electronic solenoid valve that I found does not have a built in relief valve. I ran into a very dangerous situation in that at full load my press is putting out ~4000 psi !!! With a 5" cylinder that translates to ~40 tons! Really bad things can happen if something decided to blow.

Great thanks go out to Brian Thie for helping me understand how to add a relief valve to my hydraulic circuit. I'll not be running this again until I have a properly installed relief valve.

Eric

 

[Phil Dwyer]

Hey Eric -- I've linked to this amazing build of your remarkable press a couple of times in different threads recently. Reading through this again, I continue to marvel at your genius and skills. The files are an even bigger bonus. The orbital CAD plans, the calculation spreadsheet and the parts list are a real gift. Oh ya, and the wiring schematic in post #49. How in the world did you figure all this stuff out? I hate to impose on your generosity further ...but do you have a shot of the wiring diagram that's more readable? Or anything else that would explain that to us lesser mortals? I read through a post by Joe Caswell in an older thread, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ydraulic-Press-question?p=5479237#post5479237, but I'm kind of glassing over. Mahalo my friend! -- Phil

 

[Mike Davis]

Phil, i am happy you decided to repost this old thread. I have been going crazy trying to plan a press build, this helps immensly. Eris, fantastic job on the press!!! That is a true thing of beauty!