Ranger Buckles

maplesm · Oct 2, 2016

Questions for those that make ranger buckles. Formed with a soldered on back.
What gauge silver are you using? Second can forming be done with a lower low end
press such as a Harbor Freight.

Brian Marshall · Oct 2, 2016

Gauge can vary depending on whether the buckle is relatively narrow for a 1" belt - or wider for a full 1 1/2". Generally, we use 18 gauge for the "top" and 20 gauge for the liner... We've made narrower dress buckles for 1" belts using 20 for the top and 22 for the liner. We've used 16 gauge for a fully filigreed 1 1/2" buckle top that spanned about 3" vertically.

As to the HF presses, yeah you can get the job done with a 20 ton - IF you have guide pins built into the die or some other means of keeping it in line. A box made of 4" square tubing comes to mind as well. HF presses are not exactly precision and the top & bottom tend to wander a bit.

You can also jack up your truck and jury rig a press from that... to keep costs down, if you aren't making a bunch of 'em?

Brian

KCSteve · Oct 2, 2016

There is also this thread showing how to make your own press.

maplesm · Oct 2, 2016

Thanks Brian - I know you have been there and done it. I was asked to do 12 initially. Don't know from there. I think I will skip the car press and go with one made for the work.

maplesm · Oct 2, 2016

Thanks Steve. I am not a welder but those look like good plans

Brian Marshall · Oct 2, 2016

Anneal the top pieces of sheet silver dead soft before you start... we don't always do that, but this is your first time.

IF you choose to use the HF 20 ton, get someone to cut you a "box" out of 4"+ square steel tubing for containment. Height will depend on your stack.

Make your dies and your urethane fit inside it without much slop, add a thick steel "pusher" plate on top, another larger thick surface on the bottom and you should have a safe journey into forming silver sheet... (by thick, I mean at least 3/4" or 1")

Brian

maplesm · Oct 2, 2016

Thanks Brian. I always anneal before working metal and plan on using a containment vessel. I do think I will go with a more substantial press though. Not
too excited about new tools but also don't want problems

monk · Oct 2, 2016

i made one dedicated to forming snuff lids. 4 pieces. 2 of 6" channel beam for bottom & top. 2 pieces of 1/4'X 2 1/2 X 2 1/2" angle iron for the supports. i welded mine with lh rod. with a 20 ton jack have made well over 300 lids. the thing is ugly, but no weld failure (yet)

mitch · Oct 3, 2016

Brian Marshall said:
You can also jack up your truck and jury rig a press from that... to keep costs down, if you aren't making a bunch of 'em? Brian

many years ago (1981?) my brother and i co-owned a '73 Jeep CJ5 and while he was out one day it lost a rear U-joint. he called me up, i drove over, we hit the local auto parts store, then set about fixing it in a parking lot. when it came to installing the bearings in the yoke (packed the cups with grease to keep the rollers in place during assembly) we had no press or vise, but i improvised by using the jack under the rear bumper. i remember the bearings were tight enough that my brother had to stand on the bumper to provide enough resistance without lifting the vehicle. i used a stack of quarters, or maybe nickels, to countersink the bearings down below the retainer ring grooves.

necessity truly IS the mother of invention...

Ranger Buckles

maplesm

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Brian Marshall

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maplesm

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