Shop press

[Tom Kitta]

So I decided to make one based on 50t design at princess auto. Incidentally I ended up making it much stronger as calculations shown the PA model to be very marginal for 50t load. I may one day get proper cylinder for it vs. just a jack.

Project is very, very large. I have at least 100h into it. Its done. Legs are from 2" by 0.5" steel. 4 peg construction with 1 1/8" pegs. Welding this whole thing from all sorts of scrap metal takes forever.

Drilling holes in the legs. Fun little project for the mill.

Drilling more holes - now for the pegs. In total I drilled 118 holes.

Almost there - need to just finish the bar that pushes.

Finished. Need better place for it and stronger springs for the jack. I also need to figure out why pins don't align well - maybe I have it backwards. There was a LOT of welding distortion.

 

[John Conroy]

Nice job Tom. I'm still collecting material for my press project. What size is the C channel you used?

 

[Tom Kitta]

I welded two angle irons which were 3/8 thick and 2.5" legs. As you can see they are reinforced with some 0.1 square tubing. The top has a plate reinforced at the top 3/4" thick. This aint weak PA press.

 

[CalgaryPT]

Finished. Need better place for it and stronger springs for the jack.

There's place down in Manchester area-—around Calgary Power Coatings— that sells springs for trampolines, called Play Factory. They sell individual springs. That's what I use for my press, but yours may need something stronger.