I got a jewelry press!

KCSteve

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I've been wanting a press for some time but money's tight so it stayed on the back burner.

Then the ever-indulgent wife was looking for a birthday present suggestion and thought it sounded interesting. Problem is, the ones I could find online were either too expensive, too small a press area (I want it primarily for blanking bracelets), or just too large to fit in my rather cramped available space. Or worse, a combination of those.

So I wound up checking around locally and got referred to a welder in my area. Talked to him, showed him pictures and generally explained what I wanted. He said he'd call me the next morning with a quote. He called quite promptly and not only said he'd make it for less than $200 but that he'd have it done today.

So now I have a press. :)


The jack is a low-profile one from Harbor Freight (there's one six blocks from my house), the high-quality paint job is my fault, but the well-built press is by:
Portwood's Mobile Welding & Repair in Avondale (north part of KC, right by North Kansas City Hospital). 816 454 5373
If you're in the area and want a nice press at a great price, give them a call.

Mine is only 16" tall, the plate is 5" x 8" (so I can do bracelets), and it opens to a max of 4". If you want to do press forming you'll have to make yours bigger (taller mostly) and will probably need a hole in it which will add to the cost.
 

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didyoung

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Kc that looks to be strong...but i caution you.
be carefull.
i have a good friend that built his press.
almost the same design.
blew the top off and nearly took off his head.
i wish no harm to you ....just use caution
 

monk

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i made mine for a 20 ton jack. plenty of push to form snuff lids. top & base are of .5 x 6" channel. the sides: are of 3/8 x 3 x 3" angle iron. i used low hydrogen rod with multiple passes to assure the beast wouldn't blow its top off. still going strong after many years in service. you got a bargain price. considering the price of materials, good deal.
 

dlilazteca

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Steve I'm with you, i want one, was looking at Harbor freights with compressor assisted lift, so you don't have to pump that up by hand.

Saludos,

Carlos
 

Silberschweif

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In my first job i´m a maschine mechanik This press will work for 6 to 12 tons maybe if you need more power the welder have to put a T piece around the Press. The T piece has to be burned or lasered out of full material and looks like a big O.The press welded to the inside of the O The pressure spreads then on the hole press and not only at a few points Now all the pressure works only at a few points and these are the welding points. So you have to be carefull
chris
 

Willem Parel

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In my first job i´m a maschine mechanik This press will work for 6 to 12 tons maybe if you need more power the welder have to put a T piece around the Press. The T piece has to be burned or lasered out of full material and looks like a big O.The press welded to the inside of the O The pressure spreads then on the hole press and not only at a few points Now all the pressure works only at a few points and these are the welding points. So you have to be carefull
chris

This is a very smart construction Silbersweif, would never thought of that but i understand how it works.:thumbsup:
 

KCSteve

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Thanks for the advice guys! I remember from previous threads about needing a solid frame for high pressure. The little jack I have is a 12 ton and I don't expect to really ever put it under any stress popping blanks.

When and if I try playing with coining I'll be asking for advice then and will make sure to show pictures of my press.

The guys that built it put an extra set of welds on it to make sure it was strong enough.
 

don hicks

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This may be a dumb question, but how is this press used in jewelery making. Do you use male and female dies (forms)
to bend the metal, if so can you post a photo of some examples. Thanks.
Cheers
Don
 

dlilazteca

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This may be a dumb question, but how is this press used in jewelery making. Do you use male and female dies (forms)
to bend the metal, if so can you post a photo of some examples. Thanks.
Cheers
Don

Don,

Just do a search on youtube there are plenty of videos one of the simplest and main ones is to shape your bracelets

Saludos,

Carlos
 

DakotaDocMartin

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Couldn't a person start out with a $75.00 Harbor Freight bench top press and modify that? Just an idea.
6 ton A-Frame Bench Shop Press
 

Brian Marshall

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Yes, there are some uses for this press.

I teach a couple of press and die making workshops a year - and I recommend this one for an entry level to forming and texturing.

I would not recommend it for blanking, nor working with metals over 24 -26 gauge.


Brian
 
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dlilazteca

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You're gonna need a 4 car, 2 story garage before long Carlos...


B.

hahaha... Don't give my wife any ideas.

I plan to have some modifications done just like Dakota suggested, I made a bracelet for my wife last year and I had to send it off to Gerry to get shaped, going to be doing my own shaping this year.

Rio Grande has some tools that attach with magnets, and sole purpose is to shape bracelets.

Saludos,

Carlos
 
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Brian Marshall

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All you really needed to shape a flat bracelet is a rawhide mallet and a baseball bat...

For a domed one, a rubber mallet and a trailer hitch ball...

Buying, making, or having a hydraulic press made for bending a coupla bracelets a year is not really cost effective.

Save your money for that laser welder you will be wanting by next week.


Brian
 

KCSteve

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I looked at that Harbor Freight press (as I've mentioned, they're six blocks away from me). Problems are that it's too large for my cramped space, it's upside down, and you still have to come up with the heavy plates.

Mine is for blanking out shapes. Got my dies today. Don go to PotterUSA.com and look at their pancake dies. They have vides showing how they're used. The small ones I got worked just like I expected, popping out the shape in less than a minute, then just a few more minutes to clean off the tab and polish the part.

The 6" bracelet was.... interesting. Gave my press a definite stress test. I pressed it out of 18ga copper and it never popped. I'm pretty sure I pressed it long after it had sheared through. Eventually I figured out that if the bottom of the raised portion of the die was lower than the top of the rest of the die the blank pretty much had to be cut. Next time I'll pay more attention to the space between the plates.

Even with that this is just so much faster, cleaner, and better than my pathetic sawing.

And I'm glad to have inspired the other thread with the much better design I'm going to steal if I ever get another press. ;)
 
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