Arbor Press attachment

Maxwell Lol fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.localdomain:

The same way I attach pyrotechnic mould elements to them: Take the ram/rack off the press. Line-bore a tapping hole for an attachment stud size of your choice. (5/16 is about as big as you should go on that little press) Tap the hole. Attach a stud of the same thread size to your pressing formers. Screw former into hole. Press away.

LLoyd

--FWIW if the arbor is so big that you can't drill and tap the hole easily you can make a screw-on box tool that fits over the end of the arbor. I used to sell these many moons ago but there wasn't enough demand to keep selling 'em. Dunno why; always seemed like a good idea to me! ;-)

Lloyd's way will work, but I've also seen guys who cut/fold or weld up metal pockets which fit closely over the outside of the end of the ram. One or more sides are threaded for clamp bolts. The clamp bolts don't have to do much more than hold the thing there.

You'd better research your project a little, Max. 1 ton probably isn't enough to do much deforming on 1/8" brass. I'd try a small hydraulic shop press first, I often see 12 ton models on my local craigslist going for about what you'd pay for that tiny arbor press.

GWE

On Aug 31, 7:37 am, Maxwell Lol wrote: ...

I've seen several arbor press rams modified for tooling with a lengthwise hole and crosswise retaining setscrew. The ram is fairly soft and the hole slowly squeezes tighter at the opening, especially if the press is used for other things.

The traditional way is to connect the upper and lower dies with a long horizontal U spring or two straps riveted together at the far end, which keeps them in permanent alignment and avoids reworking the press.

jw

Thanks, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh, steamer, Grant Erwin, and Jim Wilkins

Useful information.

Harbor Freight has a small 10-ton unit, item 44811 for $170.

Joe Gwinn

I'm in the process of (learning &) making a bottle jack powered press/punch for 0.040" aluminium sheet.

I've got the jack pushing a 6" length of 1 3/4" square bar inside a square tunnel with two flat "gibb" plates to keep it tight. I'm worried about keeping the die halves in alignment. Do you have any suggestions where I might look for pictures illustrating the U spring or strap linkage arrangement?

Oh - while I'm imposing! Is there a rule of thumb for the press tonnage needed based on the die cutting size???? The jack I am using is quite old, I think its around 12 ton capacity.

thanks. r.

Ed. That still is a GOOD idea. I use the box scheme to hold tooling used in my electronic assembly business. Some boxes have the tool welded to the bottom, but most of the boxes have a tapped hole in the bottom plate. These are used with tooling to press pins or PEM nuts of various sizes into circuit boards. Some tooling even has a nylon pin to hold the tiny PEM nuts while they are being pressed.

Your idea is still good. You just need to sell into China!!!

Paul

One of the common types of grommet repair kit for tarps has the two dies connected together with a hinged strap.

jw

--I used a SHCS that fit in a clearance hole, counterbored for the head too. That way you could position tooling at any angle before you clamp the pocket widget to the end of the arbor.

Thanks Jim, I can now visualise how a U spring might work too. Probably a little light for what I'm trying to do. r.

So make it heavier. I've seen top and bottom fuller (U-groove) dies made like this that held up to a blacksmith's sledge hammer. Get a 36" piece of 1/4" X 1-1/2" steel, cut in half, mount your punch and die on one end of each, clamp them together and rivet/bolt/weld the other end. This will hold alignment better than a hinge. Pull the punch and die far enough apart that you can get the work in easily. 1/8" x 1" steel might be adequate.

jw

A possible issue: when the former is screwed tightly into the hole, the former may not be lined up properly with the work, depending on the shape to be pressed. For round formers, obviously this isn't a problem.

The ram/rack on my 1-ton press is 1" square. Hole was bored about 1" deep and barely over 1/2" diameter in the end, then drilled and tapped at right angles to this hole for a 1/4x20 thumbscrew. Each former has a 1/2" shank. Former is slipped into the hole and thumbscrew tightened. A flat filed onto the shank of the former may be useful.

Best -- Terry