Comments on: Monday update 9-22

By: John D.

John D. — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:46:16 +0000

Can you rotate the cylinder bodies 90 degrees so the inlets and outlets face to the reat?

Alternately, you could convert the press into a ‘toggle’. Think Luger pistol with muzzle pointed down and horizontal cylinders actuating the middle joint. Provides much better forging force curve. Make eight links, four for each cylinder. All four connect to each cylinder clevis, two each connect to the ram and two each connect to the upper anchor point. This gets you cylinders well to the rear where they are easy to shield.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 15:28:35 +0000

Thanks for the info John. We are currently looking at ways to isolate the hydraulic hoses. I looked at hard piping and do not think it is possible. I am checking on the nonflammable hydraulic fluid. Thanks again as safety is paramount.

By: John D.

John D. — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:38:24 +0000

Use some ‘soaker’ hoses to keep the surface of your addition concrete moist for a week after it is poured. Will change the solidification of the concrete from ‘outside in’ to ‘inside out’. This will greatly increase the surface compressive strength of the concrete; important given the equipment you will be putting in there.

Don’t like the flexible hydraulic hoses over the workspace in your forging press. If one of them bursts due to heat or age while your are forging, you are in for a spectacular fire. You can use a nonflammable glycol-based hydraulic fluid or put in a sheet steel catch pan / shield just below the lowest cylinder fitting. Normal industrial practice is to use steel piping, a shield to protect the operator, and glycol hydraulic fluid. Otherwise, the press seems to be well designed. Four two to three inch diameter vertical steel guides running in CDA 95X aluminum-iron bronze bushings should provide adequate lateral stiffness.