building a shop press

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I know, this topic comes up frequently. I don't have any trouble fabbing up the H frame and all that, where I lack knowledge is Hydraulics. I know I could slap a bottle jack in there, but Id rather not. I have found some calculators online that tell me what size cylinder I will need to achieve the tonnage I want... I guess my main question is what do I need to search for in a cylinder? I see some have a large plate around the base that I could use to push against the bottom of my channel, and then make a set of rollers to have a moveable head press. I just don't know the technical name for that, or if that is even a good idea, etc etc. If anyone has a good source for some knowledge on hydraulics and cylinders, please let me know.And no, I do not want a harbor freight press... I need more width between the uprights to hold the swag offload brake.- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:I have no doubt that you could build a nice hydraulic press, but the materials are pretty expensive these days. Anyway, I have a 20 ton Taiwanese-built press that I got from the old Post Tool Company back around 1995 before they went belly up. It's called a Vulcan. It's much heavier-built that the common Harbor Freight units. A while back I upgraded it with the H.F. 20 ton Air over Hydraulic bottle jack and a SWAG Offroad press brake. It's perfect for my needs and the air-over hydraulic takes all of the work out of it. Personally, I would look for a vintage American press that you could upgrade. It does nice bends too. Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:a 20' piece of 6" channel is $120, I haven't priced 8" but I can't be much more, a stick of each will bed the entire frame. Honestly that isn't much considering what a new one goes for. I have looked and maybe had one within a few hours driving distance that had the width I need, They wanted 2500 for it...- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:Why not make a press brake that fits the readily available presses.....Unless you need a specific width for your application.....If you need that certain width that a custom application would dictate - An air over hydraulic jack would be my first choice, or look into a electric/hydraulic pump with valves etc.  There have been some posts on other forums regarding the use of power steering pumps out of common vehicles and adapting them for these applications too.Boostinjdm made a rolling ram mount for his press that looked pretty slick.
Reply:Originally Posted by camjeep3I know, this topic comes up frequently. I don't have any trouble fabbing up the H frame and all that, where I lack knowledge is Hydraulics. I know I could slap a bottle jack in there, but Id rather not. I have found some calculators online that tell me what size cylinder I will need to achieve the tonnage I want... I guess my main question is what do I need to search for in a cylinder? I see some have a large plate around the base that I could use to push against the bottom of my channel, and then make a set of rollers to have a moveable head press. I just don't know the technical name for that, or if that is even a good idea, etc etc. If anyone has a good source for some knowledge on hydraulics and cylinders, please let me know.And no, I do not want a harbor freight press... I need more width between the uprights to hold the swag offload brake.
Reply:It's the 40" brake I have- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:Mainly I'm curious about the plate to retain the cylinder. I'm wanting to stay away from bottle jacks.- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109 A while back I upgraded it with the H.F. 20 ton Air over Hydraulic bottle jack and a SWAG Offroad press brake. It's perfect for my needs and the air-over hydraulic takes all of the work out of it.
Reply:Take a look at the video below. He welded the plate to the end of the cylinder. You can see it clearly when he installs the cylinder towards the end of the video. As for a source for a cylinder I would look on CL and find something that came off a piece of heavy equipment. Last edited by njs552; 01-10-2016 at 07:38 PM.1988 Big 50 Diesel CC/CV1982 Weldanpower 225/2101968 SAE 300 motor generatorMaxstar 200SD2015 AHP 200x"The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
Reply:is that the best way to do it? I saw in Boostinjdms press he had a large plate on the end of his cylinder, but I was never able to tell exactly how he did it.http://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydraul...-9-8265-18.axdWould taking a cylinder like this, and getting longer bolts and bolting a plate on the end work?- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:I have no idea what the best way is, but I've seen it done several ways that apparently worked. I believe the cylinder boostinjdm used had something that threaded onto the end of the cylinder that the plate attached to? As for the cylinder you linked - that might work, but I imagine you might have difficulty sourcing longer bolts.1988 Big 50 Diesel CC/CV1982 Weldanpower 225/2101968 SAE 300 motor generatorMaxstar 200SD2015 AHP 200x"The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
Reply:Finally a name or something to search, seems a flange mount cylinder is what I am looking for.- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com