Choosing a hydraulic press for the workshop

[drummerdimitri]

I have no prior experience with hydraulic presses and I need one for my workshop to bend metal and press parts together.

The thickest metal I'll probably ever need to bend would be a 20 mm thick steel/stainless steel plate.

Problem is converting that into tons of force which is one of the main specs of a hydraulic press and I'm not sure if a 30T press would be enough for my needs or would a 50T press be a better fit for me?

My local dealer has some Cizeta (Italian made) hydraulic presses that come in two flavors: dual stage hand operated pump or an electric model with a dual speed gearbox.

Since I've never used one before, I'm not sure if the latter would be worth the extra cost. It's not going to be used on a daily basis and maybe a couple of times a week at most.

Also, how hard would it be on one's hand to apply the maximum tonnage on a piece? That should help me decide between the two models.

 

[cvairwerks]

A 4" wide piece of 3/4" thick A36 steel will require a little over 101 tons of force.
Here's a quick calculator: http://jmtusa.com/calculators/

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

You're not bending 20mm/ 3/4" plate at room temperature. Not happening.

 

[marinusdees]

You're not bending 20mm/ 3/4" plate at room temperature. Not happening.

"Oh ye of little faith".

 

[matt_i]

If you buy a 50T then you will probably be suited for a long time.

Be very careful with presswork, imo you really need a lathe and sometimes a mill.

Its easy to build janky setups to support your work, a hydraulic press will spit them back out at you, could be thru your rib cage or skull. Take high tonnage pressing seriously. I've been near 75 and 100t which had a safety cage or chainmail curtain which was pulled across the opening and had remote controls.

If you are going to use the press as the prime mover for a press-brake, keep in mind the V-punch and V-die have to be guided, and that guide can't be just the bronze bushing in the hydraulic cylinder. Check out air-bending guides for press brakes to determine the width of your V-die opening vs. the tonnage required per foot.

 

[ItsNemo]

If you buy a 50T then you will probably be suited for a long time.

Be very careful with presswork, imo you really need a lathe and sometimes a mill.

Its easy to build janky setups to support your work, a hydraulic press will spit them back out at you, could be thru your rib cage or skull. Take high tonnage pressing seriously. I've been near 75 and 100t which had a safety cage or chainmail curtain which was pulled across the opening and had remote controls.

If you are going to use the press as the prime mover for a press-brake, keep in mind the V-punch and V-die have to be guided, and that guide can't be just the bronze bushing in the hydraulic cylinder. Check out air-bending guides for press brakes to determine the width of your V-die opening vs. the tonnage required per foot.

LoL Hydraulic Press Channel should be mandatory watching for anyone who wants a press:

They show you all the things not to do.

 

[drummerdimitri]

If you buy a 50T then you will probably be suited for a long time.

Be very careful with presswork, imo you really need a lathe and sometimes a mill.

Its easy to build janky setups to support your work, a hydraulic press will spit them back out at you, could be thru your rib cage or skull. Take high tonnage pressing seriously. I've been near 75 and 100t which had a safety cage or chainmail curtain which was pulled across the opening and had remote controls.

If you are going to use the press as the prime mover for a press-brake, keep in mind the V-punch and V-die have to be guided, and that guide can't be just the bronze bushing in the hydraulic cylinder. Check out air-bending guides for press brakes to determine the width of your V-die opening vs. the tonnage required per foot.

Yes, the safety aspect of a hydraulic press is a big concern of mine. Maybe that's why it would make more sense to get the electrically actuated model as it could be modified to be operated at a safe distance with some kind of transparent barrier for protection against flying parts.