• Traveling Hydraulic Press

    From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to All on Thu Aug 26 09:48:53 2021
    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are
    rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
    Also the location can be awkward. I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a
    hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose. I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram. They roll on
    bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea.... Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.

    --
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  • From Leon Fisk@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Thu Aug 26 14:18:08 2021
    On Thu, 26 Aug 2021 09:48:53 -0700
    Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are >rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
    Also the location can be awkward. I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a >hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose. I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram. They roll on
    bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea.... Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.


    Have you looked at the portapower type stuff? Not sure how much
    reach/throat you may need but they have 10 and 20 ton c-clamps. If
    nothing else browsing through the offerings may give you some more
    ideas ;-)

    https://www.enerpac.com/en-us/presses/USPressesHydraulic

    --
    Leon Fisk
    Grand Rapids MI

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Thu Aug 26 15:42:19 2021
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:sg8glm$22t$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are
    rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
    Also the location can be awkward. I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a
    hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose. I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram. They roll on
    bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea.... Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.

    '''-- <- Sig marker commented out. OK?
    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
    https://www.avg.com

    -----------------------

    I solved a heavy lifting and sliding problem at Segway by ordering a
    platform stacker similar to this: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200273774_200273774

    It's so handy as a mobile work platform or extension table that I bought one for $10 at an auction to use around the house, mostly to work on motorized
    yard equipment. It drops lower and raises higher than a scissors lift table.
    A lever chain hoist replaced the broken hydraulics.

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  • From Corvid@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Thu Aug 26 16:15:27 2021
    On 8/26/21 12:42 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:sg8glm$22t$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
     Also the location can be awkward.  I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose.  I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram.  They roll on bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea....  Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.

    '''--  <- Sig marker commented out. OK?

    YEAH!!!

    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
    https://www.avg.com

    -----------------------

    I solved a heavy lifting and sliding problem at Segway by ordering a
    platform stacker similar to this: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200273774_200273774

    It's so handy as a mobile work platform or extension table that I bought
    one for $10 at an auction to use around the house, mostly to work on motorized yard equipment. It drops lower and raises higher than a
    scissors lift table. A lever chain hoist replaced the broken hydraulics.

    The 24in. x 24in. platform looks like a folded piece of sheet. With the strengthening flanges notched out at the fold line. And the video
    doesn't reveal any more structure hidden underneath it. Can it possibly
    hold 1000 lbs.?

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Fri Aug 27 07:43:13 2021
    "Corvid" wrote in message news:sg97ag$tui$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    On 8/26/21 12:42 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:sg8glm$22t$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
    Also the location can be awkward. I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose. I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram. They roll on
    bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea.... Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.

    '''-- <- Sig marker commented out. OK?

    YEAH!!!

    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
    https://www.avg.com

    -----------------------

    I solved a heavy lifting and sliding problem at Segway by ordering a
    platform stacker similar to this: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200273774_200273774

    It's so handy as a mobile work platform or extension table that I bought
    one for $10 at an auction to use around the house, mostly to work on motorized yard equipment. It drops lower and raises higher than a scissors lift table. A lever chain hoist replaced the broken hydraulics.

    The 24in. x 24in. platform looks like a folded piece of sheet. With the strengthening flanges notched out at the fold line. And the video
    doesn't reveal any more structure hidden underneath it. Can it possibly
    hold 1000 lbs.?

    ---------------------

    The Wesco simply had a shorter URL than others I looked at. At Segway I
    bought a Vestil for half that price. 1000 Lbs on the small pallet that heavy objects are delivered on would rest on the edges. Platform stackers are intended as close-quarters forklifts to store and retrieve stuff from
    shelves.

    I've seen two versions of the platform and legs, a thin-edged wedge (like forklift forks) that lowers to the floor between the legs so a box can be muscled onto it, and a thicker rimmed platform that rests on the legs and
    drops low enough to slide the load onto it from a pallet, but not easily
    from the floor. Mine is the thicker, higher type though it goes low enough
    to push a tilted-back snow thrower onto it. A heavy box or appliance on the ground can be tilted back high enough on a hand truck to edge it onto the platform.

    I moved from general shop help to apprentice machine designer rapidly enough that I don't have much experience with warehouse equipment. The most overloaded, beat-up example of a platform stacker I've seen is the one I
    bought for $10, fixed for $40, and modified for off-pavement use, and it has the stronger-looking platform. The other, good one went for $125 at the auction.

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  • From whit3rd@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Fri Aug 27 22:01:28 2021
    On Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 9:48:59 AM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:
    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
    Also the location can be awkward. I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose. I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram. They roll on
    bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Yeah, my old 50 ton press worked like that. We rarely moved it from center, though.
    If the work is too big to easily move, I'd consider a pneumatic hammer (with maybe an
    alignment jig), and some pin compliance (like, knurling or using spring pins).

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 28 09:30:21 2021
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:sg8glm$22t$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are
    rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
    Also the location can be awkward. I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a
    hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose. I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram. They roll on
    bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea.... Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.

    -----------

    A gantry crane is a fine answer to lifting problems as it makes you
    Superman, able to lift great weights and fly them through the air. Their problems for me are that they are expensive, bulky and unable to operate off level pavement. https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-telescoping-gantry-crane-41188.html

    For temporary hoisting and moving loads under 1/2 ton I rig two 8' sections
    of (salvaged) channel iron overhead and run HF beam trolleys #97392 on them with chain hoists. Individually the channels are about half the weight of
    one comparable Wide Flange beam, easy for two people to lift and manageable
    for one with stepladder aid. I set up and took down the 16', 200 Lb gantry track by myself by attaching boat trailer winches to the supporting tripod
    legs with muffler clamps.

    The bolts that join the channel webs at the ends provide several
    possibilities for leveling hangers, such as turnbuckles or long forged eye bolts. Depending on length and load the channels may need intermediate bolts and spacers connecting the webs to prevent shear and lateral deflection. A single W section beam is better for a permanent installation, but more difficult to erect and suspend. The channel requires only a few bolt holes through the web. I used a battery drill and a Portalign. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/beam-stress-deflection-d_1312.html https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-standard-steel-channels-d_1321.html https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-wide-flange-steel-beams-d_1319.html

    Two hoists could lift a pair of long angle irons under the sides of the
    mold, held in place with threaded rod. The rigid slings at the ends could be slotted angle which allow width changes and suspend the mold from above its center of gravity. Web slings might let the load twist and fall. As long as
    you can jack up one side of the mold to remove or place the angle irons this should allow you to shift the mold in and out of the press and set it on the bed. The same rig works even better if the mold has corner lift eyes.

    The wheels on the 97392 need to be turned a little smaller to fit into 3" x
    4.1 channel. They fit as-is in 4" (high) x 5.4 (Lbs per foot) channel. The trolley is easier to assemble onto the beam if you drill the lower corners
    for long bolts or threaded rod that holds the sides in place while fitting
    the hanger rod and spacers.

    I use a trolley and hoist at each end to move logs into or out of the
    storage shed, thus I stay outside the stack, clear of danger if logs shift sideways. Once the log is more than half way out I chain the outer end to
    the overhead track and move the trolley and hoist to the center so the log
    can be swung a quarter turn onto the sawmill bed. The overhead track is permanent within the shed, temporary outside it.

    I described this as if starting from scratch. My second 3" channel trolley
    is a shop made mount for the HF 1300 Lb electric hoist that lets me stay
    even further from the load than a manual chain fall allows. When working out back away from power it takes a centered eye bolt to hang a lever chain
    hoist. The electric hoist starts with a jolt that visibly deflects the
    track, so I've considerably derated its load capacity. A manual hoist can position much more precisely.

    Good luck.

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Sat Aug 28 09:59:26 2021
    On 8/28/2021 6:30 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:sg8glm$22t$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I sometimes have to press premade registers and pins into molds that are rather to large to hold flat easily on the arbor press or my shop press.
     Also the location can be awkward.  I was thinking it might be useful
    to setup a small HEAVY table with some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for this purpose.  I have seen presses
    that will allow for side to side movement of the ram.  They roll on bearings, but when activated a large flange is pressed against the
    bottom of the bridge.

    Ok... tell me everything that is stupid about this idea....  Well
    besides the fact that I don't have to do it that often so its kind of
    like swatting flies with a 2 x 4.

    -----------

    A gantry crane is a fine answer to lifting problems as it makes you
    Superman, able to lift great weights and fly them through the air. Their problems for me are that they are expensive, bulky and unable to operate
    off level pavement. https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-telescoping-gantry-crane-41188.html

    For temporary hoisting and moving loads under 1/2 ton I rig two 8'
    sections of (salvaged) channel iron overhead and run HF beam trolleys
    #97392 on them with chain hoists. Individually the channels are about
    half the weight of one comparable Wide Flange beam, easy for two people
    to lift and manageable for one with stepladder aid. I set up and took
    down the 16', 200 Lb gantry track by myself by attaching boat trailer
    winches to the supporting tripod legs with muffler clamps.

    The bolts that join the channel webs at the ends provide several possibilities for leveling hangers, such as turnbuckles or long forged
    eye bolts. Depending on length and load the channels may need
    intermediate bolts and spacers connecting the webs to prevent shear and lateral deflection. A single W section beam is better for a permanent installation, but more difficult to erect and suspend. The channel
    requires only a few bolt holes through the web. I used a battery drill
    and a Portalign. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/beam-stress-deflection-d_1312.html https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-standard-steel-channels-d_1321.html

    https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-wide-flange-steel-beams-d_1319.html


    Two hoists could lift a pair of long angle irons under the sides of the
    mold, held in place with threaded rod. The rigid slings at the ends
    could be slotted angle which allow width changes and suspend the mold
    from above its center of gravity. Web slings might let the load twist
    and fall. As long as you can jack up one side of the mold to remove or
    place the angle irons this should allow you to shift the mold in and out
    of the press and set it on the bed. The same rig works even better if
    the mold has corner lift eyes.

    The wheels on the 97392 need to be turned a little smaller to fit into
    3" x 4.1 channel. They fit as-is in 4" (high) x 5.4 (Lbs per foot)
    channel. The trolley is easier to assemble onto the beam if you drill
    the lower corners for long bolts or threaded rod that holds the sides in place while fitting the hanger rod and spacers.

    I use a trolley and hoist at each end to move logs into or out of the
    storage shed, thus I stay outside the stack, clear of danger if logs
    shift sideways. Once the log is more than half way out I chain the outer
    end to the overhead track and move the trolley and hoist to the center
    so the log can be swung a quarter turn onto the sawmill bed. The
    overhead track is permanent within the shed, temporary outside it.

    I described this as if starting from scratch. My second 3" channel
    trolley is a shop made mount for the HF 1300 Lb electric hoist that lets
    me stay even further from the load than a manual chain fall allows. When working out back away from power it takes a centered eye bolt to hang a
    lever chain hoist. The electric hoist starts with a jolt that visibly deflects the track, so I've considerably derated its load capacity. A
    manual hoist can position much more precisely.

    Good luck.


    I was not at all talking about lifting and hauling a piece of stock. I
    was talking specifically about making a press with a X & Y moveable ram.

    ** I was thinking it might be useful to setup a small HEAVY table with
    some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for
    this purpose. **

    Like a bridge mill, but reinforced differently with a hydraulic ram
    instead of a spindle.

    --
    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
    https://www.avg.com

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 28 18:02:44 2021
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:sgdq1g$fv2$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I was not at all talking about lifting and hauling a piece of stock. I
    was talking specifically about making a press with a X & Y moveable ram.

    ** I was thinking it might be useful to setup a small HEAVY table with
    some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for
    this purpose. **

    Like a bridge mill, but reinforced differently with a hydraulic ram
    instead of a spindle.

    --------------------

    You wrote about moving the ram to the mold, I suggested two fairly simple
    and inexpensive alternatives to position the mold under the ram because of
    the difficulty I've had designing and building a man-portable bridge-like structure to withstand only one ton, using material on hand that's too large
    to accurately machine on my mill (or fit in my shop). It's the inverse of
    your problem, with tension and compression swapped.

    The Engineeringtoolbox references should help you size the structural
    elements to the desired span and force.

    "Cam followers" are stud-mounted rollers that are easy to turn into low
    profile retractable landing gear for the heavy moving parts. Since the ram
    will lift the bridge upward they might not even have to retract.

    Maybe you could find and use an old radial arm drill press to press in the pins? https://nsmachine.com/product/4-x-9-cincinnati-bickford-radial-arm-drill-2/

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Sat Aug 28 15:49:07 2021
    On 8/28/2021 3:02 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:sgdq1g$fv2$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I was not at all talking about lifting and hauling a piece of stock.  I
    was talking specifically about making a press with a X & Y moveable ram.

    ** I was thinking it might be useful to setup a small HEAVY table with
    some rails to move the bridge of a hydraulic press back and forth for
    this purpose. **

    Like a bridge mill, but reinforced differently with a hydraulic ram
    instead of a spindle.

    --------------------

    You wrote about moving the ram to the mold, I suggested two fairly
    simple and inexpensive alternatives to position the mold under the ram because of the difficulty I've had designing and building a man-portable bridge-like structure to withstand only one ton, using material on hand that's too large to accurately machine on my mill (or fit in my shop).
    It's the inverse of your problem, with tension and compression swapped.

    The Engineeringtoolbox references should help you size the structural elements to the desired span and force.

    "Cam followers" are stud-mounted rollers that are easy to turn into low profile retractable landing gear for the heavy moving parts. Since the
    ram will lift the bridge upward they might not even have to retract.

    Maybe you could find and use an old radial arm drill press to press in
    the pins? https://nsmachine.com/product/4-x-9-cincinnati-bickford-radial-arm-drill-2/




    I was thinking something a lot less portable. its not like I pick up
    and lug around my current presses anyway. I've got a couple pieces of
    standard rail I thought might go on the bottom of the structure to pull against. I expect it needs to be no heavier in tension otherwise than
    the 3/16 stamped sheet most of my 20 ton press is made out of now. I
    was thinking a 30 by 40 structure with a working range of about 20 x 30.
    I could still use it like a regular shop press at one end of the
    table. If it worked out well I could get rid of the two shop presses I
    have and just keep the 6 ton arbor press for light work. I think the
    net space used in the shop might be less.

    Of course things always change. Turns out the large pins I though I was
    going to have to press in are threaded and fitted. I'll just thread
    mill them before they come off the mill table. Still the idea of a
    hydraulic ram mounted on an extra heavy duty mobile bridge intrigues me.

    --
    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Sun Aug 29 09:21:29 2021
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:sgeeh2$p6q$1@gioia.aioe.org...

    I was thinking something a lot less portable. its not like I pick up
    and lug around my current presses anyway. I've got a couple pieces of
    standard rail I thought might go on the bottom of the structure to pull against. I expect it needs to be no heavier in tension otherwise than
    the 3/16 stamped sheet most of my 20 ton press is made out of now. I
    was thinking a 30 by 40 structure with a working range of about 20 x 30.
    I could still use it like a regular shop press at one end of the
    table. If it worked out well I could get rid of the two shop presses I
    have and just keep the 6 ton arbor press for light work. I think the
    net space used in the shop might be less.

    Of course things always change. Turns out the large pins I though I was
    going to have to press in are threaded and fitted. I'll just thread
    mill them before they come off the mill table. Still the idea of a
    hydraulic ram mounted on an extra heavy duty mobile bridge intrigues me.

    -------------------------

    OK, taking 40" as worst-case beam span between attachments, what is the
    maximum ram force?

    With both numbers you can experiment with on-line beam calculators to find
    the Ixx of the upper crosspiece that gives acceptable deflection at the
    center and angular twist of the ram when off center, as the beam bows. I'd start with simpler pinned end conditions although rigid connections to the bridge uprights might increase stiffness. The same process gives an idea of
    how stiff the table has to be under the ram.

    Then you look for shapes with suitable Ixx that lend themselves to being
    track for the moving ram. Two parallel channels are an attractive choice,
    used on commercial hydraulic presses and engine levelers, but they can fail
    by twisting and bending sideways (Iyy). I had to add bolts and spacers
    joining the webs and straighten one channel in the Y axis to cure that and
    let my gantry track reach proof load. My center splice was stiffer than the channels themselves, which was the intent. The splice would have been easy
    if the trolley wheels didn't have to roll through it.

    Some of the salvaged channels (pallet rack shelves) were slightly crooked
    and had to be straightened by bending them past their yield point. I was surprised by how much deflection that required, substantially more than the calculators indicated for 36 KSI maximum stress. One withstood bending like
    a (, over a foot in 8 feet. It may have been 50 KSI steel and was
    work-hardened when initially bent. I didn't get close enough to measure accurately. It helps to gain experience with how steel actually fails, which isn't intuitive from common experience with other materials.

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