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deborahannclark - Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 12:12pm

I just joined art metal and this group. I am very interested in hydraulic metal forming. I don't have a press but need/want one. How am I going to justify this to the rest of the family? Perhaps we can barter, I am a degreed metallurgist with 27 years experience is steel copper, stainless, heat treatment, failure analysis.

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Press

visitor - Wednesday, November 26, 2008 - 10:42pm

Well Debora...

Decide what you need for a press. Be patient. Gather materials. Build, or have it built.

I built a 50-ton press to do make art metal with. I accumulated many things to build it with, and in the end, built it with a pump unit I bought for $15 (I need to replace an end cap on the motor, which will cost me an additional $9), a cylinder that I bought at a steel recycling place for less than $50 and scrap steel I bought at the same steel recycling place for about 10 cents a pound. It's doubtful I have a hundred dollars in the whole thing. But it does take patience, research into what you really need and more patience (and maybe tools to cut steel and welding skills).

You'll get there if you want to.

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hydraulic metalforming

deborahannclark - Tuesday, December 9, 2008 - 9:33pm

life is good, while looking around for the materials to build a press, I bought the book by Susan Kingsley (I think this is correct, I left it at work) I found not one but 2 presses in a back room at work. A beatuful new 25 ton electric hydraulic press and a 6 ton smaller press. This will get me going. I am now accumulating all the necessary supplies and securing permission to use the equipment.

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