Shop press to clicker press

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I presented this idea a little while ago of a clicker I wanted to build for work.  After chasing wire feed gremlins, changing spools, family obligations and the hot weather letting up over the past month or so, I finally got to get this done.I'm sure I'll catch hell for my welds.  I'm sure I'll catch hell for things being crooked.  (both understandable and I'll take it like a woman).  But here it is, a machine I needed.  It's my first attempted and (mostly) finished (except for paint) welding project.  I didn't have all the power tools that would have made this easier and I don't have the skills to make it look good.  But like I said I wanted to build, there it is.The ideaThe processMaterials:  4"x1.5" C-channel, (2) 12"x12"x1" steel plate, 3/8" eyebolts, 2"x2" sq tubingEdged bottom plate Cut off spring mount washers, install eyeboltsGrind weldsDrill eye bolt holes (hand drilled, yes, crooked.  Hoping the lateral/angle force doesn't kill the eye bolt).  Sq.tubing drilled for eye bolts.  Plate and tubing preppedWelded (used stick 6011, too hot and too fast)Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:whats a clicker press used for? ive never heard of such a thing
Reply:Installed eye boltsC-channel guides cut...and welded FCAW (both pieces were beveled and prepped after I found my good metal file)Hung.  I'll get the jack back on there todayI wanted to see what the weight would do to the springs and see if anything fell off during the night.  So far everything's in tact and the springs haven't extended from the original measurement.  My critiques on the work:- I plan to prep and paint the pieces.  - I don't like that crooked eye bolt.  - I didn't true one end of the sq tubing so the C-channel piece is kind of crooked- I wish I stick welded better.  May grind that all out and redo it again at a later dateI'm sure yalls experienced eyes will see a lot more.  But there it is.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:Originally Posted by rusty ripplewhats a clicker press used for? ive never heard of such a thing
Reply:Looks real good. Keep up the good work.
Reply:Hey Monica!Awesome Work there....  I'm VERY, VERY interested in more photos and how the bottle Jack, etc works on the dies, etc...  I suppose this would this be similar to a 'Bonny Doon' press wouldn't it?Good Stuff...Cheers,/Joe..Miller Diversion 165120 amp Buzz BoxVictor Oxy/Ace Oxy/LPGSmith "Little" Oxy/LPGHypertherm Powermax 30Lot's of Misc. tools n' crap....
Reply:Well you're certainly not going to get anything negative from me.And if your welds are that bad, I'll have to remember to post itty-bitty photos the next time I don't want my disasters to show up. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Thanks guys.  jman, looking at the bonny doon, yep it'd be similar I guess.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:Looks like you did a fine job of modifying the press to suit your needs, yes your welds look as you said too hot and too fast but that should hold up just fine for your intended usage.My only question is whether or not the press would end up cutting the leather around the edges of the die if pressed too hard or do you have some sort of stop to prevent that from happening?I am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39Looks like you did a fine job of modifying the press to suit your needs, yes your welds look as you said too hot and too fast but that should hold up just fine for your intended usage.My only question is whether or not the press would end up cutting the leather around the edges of the die if pressed too hard or do you have some sort of stop to prevent that from happening?
Reply:Originally Posted by MonicaThank you for the confirm.  I'm not completely understanding your question though about cutting the leather.  This press is used with the intention of cutting a specific shape of leather from a piece.  Like a cookie cutter.  The top plate presses down the clicker die, which goes through the leather.  The backing board under the leather is a piece of HDPE.What one does is pump the jack handle slowly when the top plate is on the die.  As that is done a there is a sound made as the die cuts the leather.  It sounds like a tearing, stretching type of sound that then culminates with a loud pop.  That's when one knows the die has completely cut through the leather.  Now the pressure can be released and the top plate raised to removed the work piece.I'll try to get a video and post it up.
Reply:Ah I see.  And we just mentioned the bonny doon up there which is for embossing so I probably threw you off.  No worries Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:Thanks 7A.  Yup, I do holsters Right now I use an exacto blade and cut patterns out by hand.  But boy that's getting tougher to do.  As my dad would tell me, "You're getting old".  haha  Thanks Dad.  I do keep a log for every order and it takes me ~20min per holster to cut out.  Nice thing about time logs is they are totally honest.  So, a clicker will certainly help my efficiency and production.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:Should work well for your intended purpose. Like others have stated, I would also be interested in seeing some of the results from this project and some of your work. Out of curiosity, how expensive are dies?  Nice project,mike
Reply:7A749, sounds like you worked the good old saddle stitch.  I love the results.  I used saddle stitch my first couple years building holsters.  It took me forever though with one hand.  I did get a new stitching machine in '09 that is doing a pretty good job.  Makes stitching much more efficient.  Where it would take me two hours now it's minutes.  I got started on leather work when I couldn't find a holster for my then new carry.  Business just kind of took off from that.mikee, dies run ~ $40 minimum and go up based on the amount of steel rule needed and complexity of the design and form supports.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:Originally Posted by MonicaWelded (used stick 6011, too hot and too fast)
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Monica, I found some stuff. Took some pix & promptly lost them in cyberspace when I tried to put them on the 'puter.  DUH.I'll do it again tomorrow, just didn't feel like digging it all back out afterward!! Thanks again for the neat press pix!
Reply:Very nice leather work. Welding may be my labor of love, but I'm very passionate about firearms and the related. and I've got one or two   . Got a website I might purchase some of that fine work from?