Hydraulic Press

My press is built on an 18" I beam frame. It has a 10 hp dual pump hydraulic station pushing 16 gallons a minute at 1500 psi. I am driving a 5" double acting hydraulic cylinder with an 8" throw. I have rigged the four way valve on the back of the beam and linked it to the handle which you can see running at an angle across the press.

This press was copied from a press that Jimmy Fikes developed several years ago and modified by using materials I was able to scrounge from the scrap yard. It is a wonderful tool. When the metal is hot, the press will move through it like clay. You have excellent control being able to control the speed with the handle and the pressure by adjusting the pump.

I introduce photos of my press at Batson"s 5th annual hammerin and the idea was quickly adopted by several makers in attendance. Hank Knickmeyer and Todd Kinnikan demonstrated making mosaic Damascus for the ABANA conference at St. Louis the following year and the effectiveness of the tool was made known to the forging community.

Dr. Jim Batson has published a comprehensive manual on how to construct the hydraulic forging press and it is a wonderful primer on hydraulics as well as a detailed description on how to make one from scratch for around $1,600.

Dr. Batson is a retired aerospace engineer, ie. rocket scientist, and has done the engineering along with detailed drawings this book.

Through an arrangement with Dr. Batson, I am able to offer copies of this book for $35. If you would like a copy please contact me at dfogg@dfoggknives.com

Jeff Carlisle in Great Falls, Montana is offering forging presses Imagination Xpress for sale from his shop. The photo below shows Montana knifemaker, Josh Smith unbridl@linctel.net drawing out his Damascus billet using a Carlisle press. Josh is a good, young knifemaker who caught the attention of the knifemaking community a few years back and has only gotten better. The knives he showed me at Rick Dunkerley"s hammerin in Lincoln, MT this June were exceptional. Contact Josh for photos.

Hot cutter for press

One of the handiest tools I have for my press is a hot cutter that I made from a piece of railroad rail. I use a section of the rail stood on end. The webbing is shaped to a hot cutting edge and the ends serve as stops for the ram. I also made ears to keep it from sliding off.

The web edge is slightly lower than the flats so it leaves a hinge in the billet for folding. The tool can be adapted for any die configuration as shown here is it used with my base dies. Try it you will love it.

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