"David Billington" wrote in message
...
On 03/02/2019 01:06, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 2 Feb 2019 20:08:20 +0000, David Billington
wrote:
On 02/02/2019 00:26, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Sat, 2 Feb 2019 00:19:54 +0000, David Billington
wrote:
On 01/02/2019 06:11, Cydrome Leader wrote:
It's some sort of press with a heavy wheel that spins back and
forth and
presses on the work using a heavy screw.
No audio needed, just watch about 10 seconds
https://youtu.be/CLcAms8GgeM?t=427
What's the history of these, any is it something uncommon in
the
US?
I've not seen a powered one like that but it's basically a fly
press as
others have mentioned. For manual operation they're quite nice
as
you
get a feel for the energy input required to do the job so you
adjust
accordingly. I have one and they're quite common in the UK. The
pic
posted of a bunch of them in Texas looks a lot like Norton or
Sweeney &
Blocksidge but I expect they were made in the US as well.
What do the heavy balls do for getting a feel for the work?
The balls just store the energy you apply to the handle when
swinging it
around and that energy is released when the tooling strikes the
work.
It's normal to keep a hold of the handle so you feel the
interaction
between the tool and work, not always required but it's nice for
some
things. The balls and fly presses come in different sizes
depending
on
the job requirement. The ram runs in precision guides so location
is
consistent which is useful for thing such as punches and dies
which
I
have a decent selection of, once the bolster has been located to
hold
the die the punches and dies can be swapped quickly and easily
which
is
really useful for the likes of punching holes in sheet metal.
They still make the things new in the UK
https://www.jameswshenton.co.uk/norton-presses-ccm5 .
After putting my pea sized brain to it..I can see some processes
where
they would be handy indeed.
I have a Dumont 5 ton broaching arbor press and a 60 ton hydraulic
press...plus a handful of small arbor presses....and of course a
couple sets of Greenlee hydraulic hole punch dies and hand pumped
power sources. Is there any reason for me to find one of those
presses as you discussed? If so..I will most certainly start
hunting
for one;
Thanks!!
I'd rather dedicate the shop space to one of these:
https://www.roperwhitney.com/our-pro...h-deep-throat/
Nice but I think a fly press is far more versatile especially if you
can make you own tooling. I use mine for punching but also forming,
shrinking, bending, punching louvres.
I agree that the fly press is a fast and convenient way to do those
jobs if you have one, but it isn't the only way, and it consumes a lot
of space on a heavy duty bench. I've hammered louvers into a shop-made
stainless steel replacement catalytic converter heat shield using a
formed block between the vise jaws as the lower die and rounded bar
stock as the punch, after slitting the metal between punched end holes
with a cold chisel. The result fit together well, didn't rattle, and
was pretty enough for where it goes.
When I took the blacksmithing class I carefully considered what his
equipment and methods could do, versus what I need and already have in
my shop. I think my arbor and hydraulic presses are adequate if slower
substitutes for a fly press, since I don't do hot die forging and
could make a spring swage that fits the anvil's hardy hole if I ever
wanted to. The blacksmith had his largest fly press set up to finish
round tenons on the ends of railing sections, a job my lathe could
handle.
https://www.blacksmithsdepot.com/pro...ng-swages.html
This describes the work of each trade in a shipyard.
https://www.amazon.com/Yard-Building.../dp/0060929634
The only part that the blacksmith needs to forge hot is the end of
stair handrails, all other curved steel on the ship can be bent cold.
-jsw