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[f150skidoo]

I could only get cast bevel washers locally. Since I had to weld them I was worried of the washers cracking so that's why I made my own out of mild steel.

 

[f150skidoo]

Well the press isn't even done and I'm already doing mods to improve it. Since the first post of this thread I wasn't crazy about the design of the stabilizing feet. The feet were definitely strong enough (made from 3/8" flat bar) but they just bothered me. I wasn't going to install casters but quickly realized that its to heavy to even drag. I thought of just bolting the casters to the original feet but was worried about the extra height and possibility of tipping. So the new feet will be several inches wider and will make the press sit lower with the casters on. I made a wood template to plasma cut a arch to match the power unit mounts shape into the 4"x3/16" flat bar. I don't want to see the bolts holding the casters from the top of the new feet so I drilled and tapped some 3/8" plate. I ran out of time today but I'm going to weld on a plate to the top of the curved parts then put a gusset back to the uprights.

 

[readhead]

Much better. I was a bit surprised by the original design. It didn't fit your design sensibility.

 

[f150skidoo]

So a bit more of progress, On top of the new caster mounts I added some 2"x4" .188" rectangular tube to stiffen the parts up. Since the parts are just 3/16" flat bar I had to use a heavy angle iron to clamp the mount straight for tacking on the top plate. The one side is completely done and the other side is just tacked up, I got maybe 2 hours of work until I can start painting it.

 

[f150skidoo]

So I finished up all the welding odds and ends on the press. I was then able to start painting, The frame and table I was able to paint it to completion. But the cylinder I have to paint it in stages due to its weight since I cant flip it with out the hoist or I would damaging the fresh paint. Hopefully in a few more days it should be operative.

 

[Loose Ctrl]

That's a real pro job you've done.

 

[f150skidoo]

So I cut up and painted all the 1"x4" arbor plates. On the valve I should've drilled and taped holes and used socket cap screws to secure it. Instead of welding on studs and using a nut since their isn't enough clearance for the hex nut. So I discovered of a solution and their called allen nuts. But their a rare fastener and I would have to buy and entire box of them, so I decided to make my own. I bought a few connector nuts and just ground the flange off of them and they work perfectly.

 

[f150skidoo]

So this is the very last build post since its all done and working. I got the cylinder installed and bolted down with the ten 1/2" gr.8 bolts, I made sure I properly torqued down all the fasteners to 90 ft/lbs. I got the power unit installed and plumed up to the valve and cylinder. I did a quick test with the brake and I bent 23" of 3/8" plate to 90 degrees. I have to play around with the relief setting on the pump and valve since the system is currently relieving at 2500 psi instead of 3000, That difference works out to about 14,000 lbs of force. My old HF 20 ton press would flex like crazy when I would try and bend plate but the new is rock solid with minimal flex.

 

[Iron-Iceberg]

Great job. I'm still designing mine in my head. And it's cool to see what others have done.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Wicked good job man!

 

[hedgehog]

nice fab work. feels good to build rather then to buy

 

[tarbellb]

Damn! Super clean, well done.

 

[zmotorsports]

I can't believe I missed this earlier. Fantastic fabrication job on the new press.

Mike.

 

[C_F]

Oooh! I missed the grand finale post, glad to see the thread bumped today. The press turned out excellent!

Thanks for taking us all along for the ride, it was both interesting and educational.

 

[stioc]

This is one of those things that someone's going to find in a couple of hundred years and go "holy cow, they knew how to build strong stuff back then". Nice work!
Btw, I've never seen a mag drill before looks useful, which one do you have? Do you recommend it?

 

[f150skidoo]

Thanks for all the positive comments, my mag drill is a Unibor EQ35N. The UK made drill works great and is very handy tool to have. In the coming days i'm going to post some updated pictures on the swag press brake kit since I had to modify it.

 

[f150skidoo]

So I underestimated the force of my press and bent the original press brake, It bowed the reinforced top die 3/16" so it wouldn't bend the work piece evenly over it's length. I cut off everything and kept just the top & bottom dies, I welded the original bottom die to 1" x4" flat bar. The top part is 1"x4" flat bar across the entire width that welded to a short piece of 1" plate as riser which is a upside down T. I sandwiched the T of 1" plate with two pieces of 5/16" x 8" flat bar. The brake now weighs around 250 pounds.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

wow great job