KR Wilson Press Replica

[Mr onetwo]

Hey guys, Instead of buying a Harbor Freight or other chinese hydraulic press(don't want a bottle jack style) I have decided to build a replica of the very rugged KR Wilson 37E 50 ton press.All the engineering was done many years ago and it's built mostly of 1" x 2 1/2" and 3/4"x 6" hot rolled flat bar with very little welding. A lot of drilling, but real easy on flat bar.I think one of the cheap Vevor 50 ton x 6" stroke jacks may work fine...just have to figure out the retraction part of it.I have a MaxJax and I wonder if the pump unit from that would operate the press correctly? Any thoughts are welcome and appreciated!

 

[cvairwerks]

You realize that unless you already have the bar stock, you'll be in it for almost 1500$ in materials. They come on the market for less than that, at times.

 

[d.mcfarland]

How much pressing do you do?

 

[Mr onetwo]

You realize that unless you already have the bar stock, you'll be in it for almost 1500$ in materials. They come on the market for less than that, at times.

Where in hell do you shop.If I get lucky at the scrap yard it will be less than $150 and I found a source for a top mount 50 ton press cylinder for $189 plus shipping.I already have the hydraulic unit.

 

[Mr onetwo]

How much pressing do you do?

None and never have...but I will and want a press rather than paying someone else to do it.

 

[cvairwerks]

I shop a couple of good steel yards and use the drops room as much as I can. When I price out building something, I make the assumption that I will not find what I need in the drops room, or if I do, not enough of it. I generally don't have the time to keep checking the drops rooms for what I need, when I need it. One trip, maybe two at the most and I've got to get on with building.

A 12' stick of cold rolled 3/4"x6" runs about $525. 2 sticks of 1"x2 1/2" will run you $450. 2 sticks of 3/4"x 1 1/2" will cost you about $250. So just for that bit of stock, you are at just over $1200. Add on the strap for the verticals, angle iron for the feet and miscellaneous other bits and you are rapidly approaching the $1500 point.

Last drops I bought ran about $.75/pound.\


BTW, you want cold rolled and not hot rolled for this project.....

 

[Steve_P]

It doesn't need to be cold rolled, which is more $ than HR. And the BOM states it's HR. Looking at the list, it says the ship weight is over 1000 lbs, so yeah, that's a lot of $ for steel if buying new.

 

[d.mcfarland]

None and never have...but I will and want a press rather than paying someone else to do it.

There are a lot of presses for less than $500 that are fantastic. There are even a lot for less than $300 that are still overkill for most car related tasks. Bushings and bearings, right?

 

[dkmc]

I have one of these presses, it's the manual/motorized pump version. Build year is 1947. Got it at the scrap yard many years ago for $375, it's in good shape with no signs of excessive abuse. I've never had it near 50 tons, but based on how much it grows taller at the 25-30 ton level, I'd never feel comfortable taking it anywhere near the 50 ton limit. Makes me question the original engineering and design. PS I can't believe it weights 1000 lbs, maybe but doesn't seem like it when moving it around. Easy enough to calculate with an online metal weight calculator.

 

[cvairwerks]

It doesn't need to be cold rolled, which is more $ than HR. And the BOM states it's HR. Looking at the list, it says the ship weight is over 1000 lbs, so yeah, that's a lot of $ for steel if buying new.

Steve: I've got a pair of the 60 ton presses and they are most definitely cold rolled. As they did custom version of these as well as the production ones, mine may have been custom jobs. There's no 3/4" material on mine, everything is 1" and the table lift system is rigged different from the build manual. Both are a bit taller as well. When I brought them home, my engine hoist was struggling to get them out of the truck bed, with the boom set for 1500# capacity.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Steve: I've got a pair of the 60 ton presses and they are most definitely cold rolled. As they did custom version of these as well as the production ones, mine may have been custom jobs. There's no 3/4" material on mine, everything is 1" and the table lift system is rigged different from the build manual. Both are a bit taller as well. When I brought them home, my engine hoist was struggling to get them out of the truck bed, with the boom set for 1500# capacity.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Steel frame as designed complete with all fasteners comes in at around 550lbs. I may cut this down to the size of their 25 ton model.

 

[Mr onetwo]

nice design...terrible video! I hate it when they give no details

 

[dkmc]

Steel frame as designed complete with all fasteners comes in at around 550lbs.

That I believe

 

[Mr onetwo]

Just picked up an old OTC power unit for $150.Similar to the unit in this video

 

[Mr onetwo]

Got a Prince 5.0" bore x 6" stroke 3000 psi cylinder for less than $300....USA made and parts are available

 

[Mr onetwo]

Wow...it is heavy and huge. This will give me the ability to both press and pull if need be.I will use it to raise and lower the table also.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Just ordered these press plates from Fazzio down in NJ

(PAIR) 9.75x9.75 Arbor Plates 1.5" Thick, Hydraulic H-Frame Shop Press, V-Cut | eBay

Model: Arbor Plate. Small orders are no problem. Size: 1.5" THICK. 9.75" x 9.75" x 1.5" CNC Plasma Cut. Be sure to add us to yourfavorites list ! Your Best Work Starts Here™. Joseph Fazzio Inc.

www.ebay.com

 

[jabberwoki]

I have that same press..what a beaut

 

[Eddyde]

How did your build go?
I just bought a good condition KR Wilson 37E 50 toner for $400.

 

[dkmc]

How did your build go?
I just bought a good condition KR Wilson 37E 50 toner for $400.

When you're trying it out, let us know if you get it near 50 tons on the gauge

 

[Eddyde]

When you're trying it out, let us know if you get it near 50 tons on the gauge

Will do, I need to get a new starter for it as its currently wired for 480v and need to change it to 240v. Also need to refill the hydraulic oil and change the plug. It worked when I bought it but we didn't press it to the limit there is a slight oil leak from the main cylinder but the rebuild kit is on order. I plan to restore it to original spec, if not beyond.

 

[dkmc]

Will do, I need to get a new starter for it as its currently wired for 480v and need to change it to 240v. Also need to refill the hydraulic oil and change the plug. It worked when I bought it but we didn't press it to the limit there is a slight oil leak from the main cylinder but the rebuild kit is on order. I plan to restore it to original spec, if not beyond.

Mine is 480 as well. All the wires for the starter and the motor wires are a bit crusty. Instead of disturbing them, I installed a small Acme transformer wired in reverse to boost my 240 to 480. Been like that for 20 years now, no issues.

 

[Eddyde]

Mine is 480 as well. All the wires for the starter and the motor wires are a bit crusty. Instead of disturbing them, I installed a small Acme transformer wired in reverse to boost my 240 to 480. Been like that for 20 years now, no issues.

Yeah I thought about using a Buck-Boost Transformer but they are 2-3 times what the starter cost. Also I'm running off a rotary phase converter and though it can be done that way, I have heard it can create a lot of electrical noise. Besides, my motor wires, while a little stiff, aren't cracking (yet) and can take a reconnect.

 

[john.k]

I used to make 50 ton hydraulic presses in my shop downtime ....made maybe 200 over 40 years ..........anyhoo,cost of steel was excessive ,so I found a steel shed fabricator and got what I needed (8 and 10" channel ) as offcuts for just above scrap price ..........the four side pieces came from a local steel yard who punched the holes as well....He was very good with the holes ,always within 2-3 thou of position.......with the hydraulics ,I used offcuts or salvage of 7" ID hydraulic ram tube ........a 7'' dia ram at 3,000 psi pushes 58 ton ,and you can up the pressure to 3100 for 60 ton without problems.......ordinary hoses will tolerate 3500 .

 

[john.k]

Just checked Machinery s Handbook ......... a 7'' dia cylinder has twice the area of a 5'' dia ............a 5'' ram pushes 29 ton at 3000 psi ,a 7'' cylinder pushes 58 tons at 3000 psi.

 

[Eddyde]

My press has a 5" diameter cylinder bore, just shy of 20 sq in, but has an operating pressure of 5,100 psi, so 50 tons.

 

[john.k]

The old style presses I copied frame design off had cast iron cylinders,and leather bucket piston seals .......and worked at 10,000 psi ,one size worked at 11,000psi...........the 50/60 tonner I made for myself has around 040 beam deflection at 3000 psi..........I had planned to put boxing on the cross beams ,just like the old ones did ...but have never got around to it..........The main use of these presses is truck and tractor workshop use ...with 60 tons you can press all the gears off a RoadRanger countershaft in one push .....this is a common repair to replace the PTO gear ,where drivers wreck the gear by driving with PTO engaged...........Im certainly too old to be taking big gearboxes out of trucks..........However ....having a press is a sure way to meet people who often turn up at the front door asking to use the press.