Freshening up a shop built Frankenpress

[Oregon rock crusher]

A couple months ago I spotted this arbor press packed in a trailer of equipment that had all spent a fair bit of time in the great outdoors. Kind of a ship wheeled, gear driven, shaft framed, full fledged Frankenpress. I loved it. $50 later and after rounding up a forklift it was in the back of my PU. Been sitting in the shop since but over the weekend I had some time to check it out a little closer.

First problem I noticed was the Ram was out of square to the table by several degrees. Whoever welded it up never had the head plates set square to the solid shaft frame members. The other thing was the Ram Cap was welded to the frame and it wasn't possible to adjust clearance. It wasn't a terrible fit but I decided to make it adjustable so I could set the clearance tight eliminating Ram drift.

I had to add some gussets to the ships wheel handle to get it pulled off so I could cut the frame. I think the first picture I took of it is with the puller on the wheel. With the wheel off I could cut most of the frame welds just leaving a little hinge weld at the front and jack it square and re-weld it. I also cut off the front ram retaining plate. The new one I made is 1/2" steel plate with a thin perimeter of steel welded to it leaving a recess to hold a copper plate. The ram will now contact the copper plate which is precisely adjustable with set screws instead of shims. A few pics of project Frankenpress.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

After taking care of the mechanical and alignment issues over the weekend, I hit it with the grinder and wire wheel on Monday. I also made a top cover to keep dust out of the pinion gear and shafts. A quick wash and paint and I'm calling it done. Still has the rough shop built look I liked it for. A little mad max edge.

I set it up on my bench this morning, right behind my Dake 3 ton press. It weighs about #475 and with 28" of ram it has 21" of usable stroke above the table. Enough for broaching which is something the Dake couldn't do well. Also one rotation of the spindle moves the Ram just over an inch. On the Dake one rotation moves the Ram about 3". The spindle gear is 11 tooth and it spins a 12 tooth idler getting the rotation right and the pinion gear is 103 tooth.

It does take quite a few rotations move the ram much distance but the ships wheel spins easily getting several rotations from one pull. Not really sure what the tonnage is but probably around 5 or so. I think it will get quite a bit of use. I like that little Dake a lot, and this won't replace it, but that extra stroke and under head work room will come in Handy. Ed.

 

[545_days]

Good job. That does look like a useful tool, the Frankenpress description had me expecting something poorly designed but that press looks well done.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Thanks 545_ I am pretty sure that "Frank" was made in a NW Portland machine shop. I believe it was called Friar Bennett but my spelling may be off. It was a down and dirty machine shop that was featured in a few brief scenes in the 70's movie Drug Store Cowboy, though the press doesn't make and appearance. Put together from scrap shaft and plate, mostly torch cut, gave it that "cleary shop made look". The design is strong enough though and with all that gear reduction it doesn't take much pull on the wheel to put a lot of pressure on the work. Ed.