DIY hydraulic press build from repurposed parts

sd455dan · Dec 30, 2016

BukitCase said:
Dan, I'm not at my shop right now but my HF "20 ton" press uprights are maybe a tiny bit over 1/8", so your .188 wall should be OK -

that's good news- was sweating that one because I just couldn't find the steel thickness of the HF units uprights

7/8" pins seem a bit light, but "run whatcha brung" projects aren't always ideal - I only mention that as a caution, because of your mentioning a heavier jack...

I downloaded the manuals for both the newer and older 20 ton HF unit and tried to figure out from the pictures what the pin diameter was.
It looked like they were actually closer to 3/4" but pics can be deceiving- I was worried with the split 4x4 that going any larger would weaken the uprights since the pin sides are only 1 1/2" wide.?.?

Here's a thread on one of MY uses of the HF press - still a 20 ton jack, but I repl. the original with the air/hydraulic version - maxed out the jack doing that push, didn't notice during the push but when I RELEASED the pressure, the whole press "straightened itself back out", kinda spooked me -

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...vice-requested.html?highlight=press+weld+bend

WOW I had no idea that 1/2 by 3 could be bent with a 20 ton press.

Great thread , down the road i think building a jig like yours would be very handy addition. Thanks for the link:thumbsup:

Know what you mean about hand drills and big holes - the last couple years before I retired there was boatloads of REQUIRED overtime (company was too cheap to replace retirees; OT was cheaper than benefit package supposedly) - I quit complaining when I realized what the OT would do for social security income AND the "toy money fund", and was able to add a mag drill to the list - now, any time I drill a hole bigger than 7/16" I just grin :thumbsup:

Mag drill would have been the cats meow...

I used my 1/2 craftsman 19.2 volt till all the batteries were out and my wrists were hurting.
so switched to my grandpa's Ancient gear reduction Thor with the longest grade 8 bolt i could find screwed into the handle port and started using lots of cutting oil- only had about 3 of the holes Really grab at the end, but the last one did get me - lost my grip and the drill wrapped the cord around 3 times before it finally stopped. GLAD those holes are all drilled...,

'Nuf blather, I don't envy you working in that cold shop, I've gotten too soft living in western Oregon... Steve

that day the outside morning temp was -4*

I am just glad the work didn't have to be done outside :laughing:

sd455dan · Dec 30, 2016

Stimw said:
You mentioned boat winch and drums.
Here is a trick I used on my HF-
Mount the boat winch on one of the uprights so the cable can go straight down to the table.
Put a pulley (I used an old one from a comalong) on the other upright so the cable can go straight down.
Then clamp the cable to the winch spool with one side down and the other side to pulley then down.
When you wind, both cables wrap or unwrap and go up or down keeping table level.
HOPE THIS MADE SOME KIND OF SENSE???? But it works great.
Also swapped out for air jack and much better.
Plus I put extensions on the uprights so I didn't have to stand on my knees to use it.

Thanks for the idea Tim
Yes- that is kind of what i had in mind, but since the uprights are 78" tall thought it would be nice to mount the winch possibly a bit lower, so believe I may need to mount 2 guide wheels (1 on each end of the top piece) for the far side apron cable.
But otherwise just as you described- Really need to look at the winch and check out how it (feels) at different locations first.
Have a lot of work on the jack support 1st. but will get there.

k0ua · Dec 30, 2016

TBN doesn't seem to require the under 1 meg anymore. It seems to resize my HD pix just fine now. The one I uploaded today was 5.6 meg.

sd455dan · Dec 30, 2016

davedj1 said:
Looks good so far. Now you will need to build yourself a brake for in the press. I have one I built and I can't tell you how handy it is.
There are companies that sell kits you have to weld together if that's a route you want to take.
I can fill you in on mine if you are interested.

Yeah- checked the swag kits out on you tube when gathering info on the HF presses, really a decent price to, when compared to what the local steel store wants for raw steel pieces...
Unfortunately pretty broke after Christmas, and with other expenses taking priority it is going to be a while till the budget improves :thumbsdown: but wife says it's ok to work on (free) projects

ModMech · Dec 31, 2016

Some NICE old Lincolns there...

I would like to be able to emulate what you have done, but budget and equipment will not allow it

sd455dan · Jan 1, 2017

ModMech said:
Some NICE old Lincolns there...

I would like to be able to emulate what you have done, but budget and equipment will not allow it

Thanks, I own the red faced one, but it was my BIL that got me interested in buying a Lincoln Idealarc 300 300 in the 1 st place- ( he actually owns the black faced one).
I just repaired it for him- and now he needs to make a place for it in his new garage -So for a while I have 2.

ModMech - You never know what kind of deals will show up from time to time -

This thread is about acquiring my idealarc Tig http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...300-a.html?highlight=to+buy+dinosaur+Idealarc

The TBN crew was helpful with suggestions and I am thankful. If there is a will there is usually a way to accomplish a goal. Keep at it you will get there.

sd455dan · Jan 1, 2017

More progress - although had some setbacks...

Got the springs cut from the garage door parts and bent the last coil for the top of the press using the torch.

i made 4 thinking the old springs may be a bit weak for this jack, which I went ahead and drilled holes to mount on the carriage and tigged a small socket and bar onto the release valve so I wouldn't have to pull the jack lever out all the time.

Built the carriage out of the last piece of 4 x 8" I beam that was left and used the plasma to cut out the side so the jack would fit then added the side square tubes cut from the weight set.

The guides for the carriage were more pieces of salvaged bed rail C channel. I added 5/16 bolts with nuts welded to the C channel and added lock nuts so the carriage side clearance could be adjusted.

Next made a C channel bracket that bolts to the carriage so that the assembly can be removed from the side of the upright frames.

For the press shaft used the weight sets center bar 1 3/8" steel welded to the I beam. The weight bar had screw on ends that seemed like they might make a way to add a longer attachment or other piece to the press So I welded it on around the 1 3/8" center.
Not sure if this will be of any use but what the heck why not:laughing:

Finally cross tied the threaded piece to the sides with some small round bar.

Totally mis drilled the holes for the spring tension adjusters

built them out of 3/8' thread all and chain links cut in half and welded.
here is the carriage and jack assembled in frame

It's ugly (especially the I beam jack support ends) but will do some clean up grinding...
getting closer to a usable press , next need to add the apron lift

sd455dan · Jan 31, 2017

More progress

Added wheels to the frame

dug out the old boat winch

The handle seemed way long so I shortened it a bit made a side bracket to mount it to the frame

I added some corner braces to the top of the press frame and also plug welded them.
Cleaned everything up and used some Caterpillar paint I had saved