I built an H Frame style forging press from scratch! The press provides 24.5 tons of pressing power, running at 2500 psi.
This video covers some key things I learned along the way:
- Frame construction
- Hydraulic system
- Design thoughts
- More!
www.firecreekforge.com
/ elijahwilliamsknives
www.firecreekforgenranch.etsy...
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Very interesting. You are living proof of the adage, "learn what you need to know when you need to know it." Very impressive.
Thank you
It absolutely sucks as a hobbyist that these costs as much as they do. Thanks for the walk through. That's entirely too much force/power for me to DIY it. Welds on think metal should be done a little at a time so as to not distort the metal.
Wicked video. This has answered most, if not all the questions I had for my own upcoming build.
Thanks for sharing our lessons learned - Great info!!! A press is on my wish list.
Thanks for sharing your lessons learned!
Thanks for the advice and help, I’m in the process of building one now
This is a great video with tons of helpful information. Making video content is very time consuming, so I appreciate you creating this one. Huge help!!!
Another great video with great information!
So Good! Thanks!
Awesome video, thanks. I have that book but I found it quite hard to understand the design without having seen one in real life so this helped.
Great information. Thanks. I’m planning on my own press build
You bet, thanks for watching!
Thanks for the informative video!
Thanks for watching!
Hey Thank you ! Im getting ready to build one now. I was on fif but handle failed second round. Appreciate the help my friend. CONGRATULATIONS on the win
Thank you! Bummer on the handle!
Thank you sensie 🙏🏻
I can't wait to build my own. Thank you !!
similar to the press that Tommy McNabb was building and selling for about 4500. He later sold the design to Big Blue.
Good video! On your pipe threads you really need to use a thread sealant that is made for hydraulic systems. I used Loctite 545 on mine, and it has been leak free for 3 years now. It's expensive, but it works. Hope this helps
That's a great idea.
Thanks for the video. I've been wanting to build one as well but I know nothing about hydraulics.
you bet!
Hey what season an episode where you on? Also glad I found ur channel! Excited for ur next pre order on hammers!
Thanks! S6E8
@@FireCreekForge awesome 😎 will watch it now!
Just to share, those fittings have an interference fit, the angle of the male and female parts are at I believe a 3 degree difference from one to the other so when they are screwed together they kind of wedge together which forms the seal.
Very cool, thanks for the info!
You could also bolt on UHMW or a bearing type metal
That's a possibility too.
Nice job on the press, but have you fitted the replacement filter housing the wrong way round ? At 19:43 you can see a "flow direction" arrow on the casting that looks to be pointing at your valve block instead of towards your tank for the return circuit ?
Thanks! There's actually no arrow, "In" and "Out" are on the other side.
Great video with lots of detail so I thank you for that, as I'm looking at building something similar. I am interested to know why you chose to have the ram on the bottom and moving up rather than on the top moving down? Doesn't that mean you have to move your stock up with the ram to the upper die instead of holding your stock still and letting the ram move the upper die down to your stock? It also look like you would have to hold the stock up around armpit high to get any forging done which must be very awkward and tiring or am I missing something 😕 Cheers
The main reason i chose an H frame design with the lower cylinder was for work height. Being taller and with a bad back i despise bending or leaning over for repeated tasks, so this was a good height design for me personally. As far as the lower die moving up, you get used to it and literally don't notice it at all. Thanks for watching!
@@FireCreekForge Oh ok well if it's easier on you're bad back then that makes sense mate. Thanks for taking the time to reply.Cheers
Have you noticed any deformation (in the holes) where your clevis pins bear against your steel plates? My design uses 1 inch A36 plate, but my pin loads are 39,000 psi--3000 psi over yield.
I haven't, so far
I know this is an older video, but i noticed a few builds that use 3x5x1/4 angle as the frame.....do you think 3x3x3/8 would work for a frame? Im about to start my build but now I'm second guessing my build structure integrity. I don't want to use H/I beam because it's hard to come by where I live and when you do, it's really expensive.
I'm not an engineer so I can't give you a real answer, haha.. but it would likely hold fine.. the other issue to watch out for is torquing or twisting of the frame during operation.
Very nice job. Can I ask why you have such a long travel distance on the piston? Would a shorter stroke not save a bit on material and overall size of press? I only ask because I have been wanting to make a press myself and I really like your setup.
I wanted to have plenty of clearance for all kinds of projects... But i did over estimate that a little. Something like 10" of travel would be plenty.
@@FireCreekForge thx for the reply and thx for that video, I don't know anything about hydraulics so I paid attention to what you were saying and I will use that info. i don't suppose you put all the construction details on the press build on paper? Care to sell a copy? I watch forged in fire and I saw the episode you were on, congrats on the win.
@@tomstegner1294 Thanks! I sort of just sketched it out, but i did use Dr. Jim Batsons' book as a basis of what would and wouldn't work, i would get a copy. Let me know if you have a question and i can try to answer it. Thanks for watching!
First great video have been looking to build a press and watching videos but like you don't or didn't understand the system. The one thing you didn't cover is what is your investment into the press? I have been looking at just getting the Coal Ironworks 12 ton mini press. Just wondering how much I would save by making a press like you have. Thank you.
Thanks! I think i spent about 3500 all together. But, the one i built is twice the tonnage as the coal iron mini. It just depends on what you want and can afford. You could build this press for a lot less, i chose to go with brand new components.
What type of pump and power did you use?
Question: does the .020" play of the ram head show up in the billets? My log splitter/press wants to taper everything, horizontal press, top squooshes quite a bit more than the bottom, maybe to much for blade tapers even. 😮 Am thinking about building an H-frame, with a shorter ram, and quick disconnects so I could use the engine and pump from the log splitter.
I went back and fixed it, so it's been fine
I have no idea why anyone would make the moving carriage on the bottom. It's so easy to make the moving carriage on the top and keep the hydraulic cylinder on the bottom to keep the overall height down.
Kewl press and build, I'm late to the party I know :)
Thanks!
I bought Bastons and the parts list (page 31) talks about wide flange I-Beam for the frame, but yet I see angle iron not i-beam is this a error? I also find the drawings a little confusing. Is there a better set of plans done like with Fusion 360 or something?
There are a couple different ways to do it. This way is pretty standard for the H frame design. I think other guys have detailed plans, probably can find them on google
What size motor did you decide to go with?
5hp @ 1725rpm
What size is the angle iron that u used?
3/8" x 3"/ 5" I believe
@@FireCreekForge thanks, I bought 3/8 3x3 it’s what they had in stock
What gpm is your pump n control velve also what is the size of your cylinder
22gpm pump running half speed, 5"cylinder
What about the control velve n hp on motor n rpm, thank you
@@hughlink7341 5hp, 1712rpm or something close to that, I don't know on the control valve they have a flow rate higher than whatever you'll be running, it does have an adjustment that controls the pressure
What was the total cost roughly? Planning on building a press
I want to say 3k all said and done. I purchased new components however, I know you can do it for less if you find second hand or used.
Where did you get the hydraulic unit?
What part?
@@FireCreekForge ; Thank you for responding. All of the hydraulic parts, especially the motor, pump and tank.
@@wrongfullyaccused7139 motor and pump from Amazon; hydraulic parts, tank etc. From Northern Tool and Supply, MSC, Grainger, and McMaster-Carr all have a lot of the same
It works but you built it upside down. The ram should be on the top.
You can build them either way
Why’d you put the ram at bottom??👍
It provides a more compact design
Isn't that oil tank a little bit overkill? I mean I know how much oil that cylinder holds lol you could run a front end loader off of that size tank
Add shems
Overall, you usually end up better with buying an old commercial one for cheap.
Shim kit
Please tell me price in Indian rupees
Sorry I don't sell these
Price in Indian rupees
Buyers Beware of ICAN.... Many other makers of carbon bikes that will not waste your time and money. Do your homework before you buy from them
If you got between 5 and 10 thousands with a hand grinder I'm going to throw out my mill in my lathe and never use them again but I'm not throwing out my mail and my legs cause there's no way in hell you got between 5 and 10th using a hand grinder come on LOL I'm not trying to be mean I love your videos but stop now LOL
Too much rambling sorry