Return springs for homemade press

[balmerchris]

ive seen people make them with the jack mounted upside down on the top rail, if you did that you may have to alter the jack a little and fit a reservoir to enable the jack to work but then you wouldn't need to raise the weight of the jack

I did that with a 3 ton jack a good while back just to see if it would work and it was very tight.
To be honest I don't have a big enough stilson or wrench to dismantle it nor am I strong enough.

 

[balmerchris]

There is a nice wide platform either side of the jack so you could anchor down a pair of road springs off a car or motorcycle , they will work in tension and compression. Just thoughts.


Bob

A friend suggested the same thing but I don't want to loose any of my table width.

 

[balmerchris]

As said, use springs off a busted trampoline. If 2 aren't enough add 2 more. I've a large bucket full of them from 2 trampolines & you're welcome to a few of them for the cost of the postage!

That's very kind of you. I'll have a look in my local agri machinery place today but I I don't find anything I might take you up on your offer.

 

[insomniac]

have a look at eurosprings . They have a comprehensive stock in all shapes and sizes

 

[Wallace]

I thought the same as Screwdriver, fit a counter balance.

 

[balmerchris]

If you have the room, rig up some counterweights attached by cable to a couple of pulley wheels. Then you can use more reasonably size springs. You can run the weight(s) inside a length of plastic pipe to keep things tidy.

I thought the same as Screwdriver, fit a counter balance.

If I can't get some suitable springs I might do that. Might be an interesting thing to do anyway.

 

[gaz1]

how about washer springs the ones that hold up the drum

 

[Turbo]

BTW I like the design of your press, I'm planning on building something similar when I find that box of round tuits I have somewhere! What sizes of channel did you use?

 

[balmerchris]

BTW I like the design of your press, I'm planning on building something similar when I find that box of round tuits I have somewhere! What sizes of channel did you use?

I used 125 x 65 x 10mm channel. There was some left over from a job at work. I hadn't intended to use such a large jack but I was given this 50 ton as a replacement for a smaller one of my own that I used for a job in work but had to be left outside for weeks and was badly corroded.

So far all it has cost me is the £20 for 1 metre of 1, 1/4" en8 and the £32 for the 4 heavy duty springs I got in tractormatic yesterday.
Oh and a piece of nylon6 150 x 100 x 12 of eBay for the sliding piece of channel on the bottom of the jack.

 

[balmerchris]

Got everything sorted on this finally. Took 4 heavy duty springs and some very heavy counter weights made from 100x10 flat stacked and welded. Also drilled lots of holes in the guide rail to try to shave off some weight.

 

[Parm]

Got everything sorted on this finally. Took 4 heavy duty springs and some very heavy counter weights made from 100x10 flat stacked and welded. Also drilled lots of holes in the guide rail to try to shave off some weight.
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Looks good but complicated. I've seen designs where the jack has been modified with the addition of a tube inside to allow it to work upside down thus eliminating the need for springs etc

 

[Screwdriver]

That is a serious looking piece of kit right there. Nice job.

 

[Screwdriver]

Have to agree inverting the jack would save a huge amount of weight.

Course, you can always do that later once you've got it all up and running.

 

[balmerchris]

I'm not sure I want to mess about with the insides of a 50ton jack. Besides I don't have a spanner big enough to open the gland nut. It's HUGE.

 

[123hotchef]

stick it in the vice!

 

[WorkshopChris]

I have one to build on my list of projects, what diameter did you go with for the pins to adjust the table height?
I have a couple of lengths of universal column earmark for the build, just need to find the time and decide on a jack or cylinder and pump.

 

[balmerchris]

I have one to build on my list of projects, what diameter did you go with for the pins to adjust the table height?
I have a couple of lengths of universal column earmark for the build, just need to find the time and decide on a jack or cylinder and pump.

I got a 1 metre length of 1 1/4" en8 of eBay and it fits beautifully through a 32mm hole drilled with a mag drill cutter in a large pillar drill.
If I had a choice I would use a cylinder and pump. However I got this 50ton jack for peanuts and couldn't bring myself to spend another £300 on a cylinder and pump.