The hydraulic type press is widely used in a wide variety of applications. It is excellent for jobs that require high pressure when machining parts. In the automotive industry, this condition applies to the processing of shafts, bearings and similar round-shaped products.
In everyday life hydraulic press used for the production of rubber, metal and plastic parts. This equipment is universal and perfect for various kinds works
In this article we will ask ourselves what a press can be made from.
Application of the press
To carry out complex and precise work it is necessary special equipment However, a simple hydraulic press will help solve some problems.
Here are the most common ones:
- production of bearings of the required size, perfect for your own small auto repair shop;
- bending of hardware;
- maintaining the required pressure for gluing parts of the product;
- assembly of rivet elements.
The best place to install equipment is a garage or suburban area. Photos of the press with your own hands can be seen below.
Hydropress for automotive work
Even for carrying out simple work you need to have some skills. It is necessary to correctly take into account the operating pressure, as well as the weight, dimensions and other characteristics of the piston mechanism.
The simple design of the hydraulic press is only applicable to passenger cars. For cargo vehicle you will need professional equipment. Homemade press ideas are unlikely to replace them.
Waste paper press
Such equipment, first of all, is necessary for country houses and suburban areas. A large accumulation of paper will sooner or later require disposal.
The installation operates quietly from a household electrical network of 220V at average power levels. The press is characterized by high productivity even with small equipment dimensions.
Press for cardboard materials
In addition to cardboard, pressing is possible plastic bottles And tin cans. But such equipment requires a hydraulic pump.
Sawdust press
Used to produce sawdust briquettes, widely used in heating country houses. The equipment is large in size. It consists of a table, frame structure, machine base and engine.
For manual application a jack is used, and mechanical use implies the presence of an electric motor.
Hay selection equipment
There are instructions on how to make your own press. As preparatory materials Prepare metal corners, slats and planed boards. First, we begin assembling the box using boards and metal corners.
This type of press is available in two versions:
- in mechanical form it is simple design with low power and force up to 1 ton;
- a homemade version of a hydraulic press with a working force of up to 4 tons.
Of course, it’s a good idea to have ready-made drawings on hand on how to properly make a press, since for manual assembly you will need fastening elements for the front part of the equipment, a base for fastening all components, a running guide and a transport pick-up.
Self-production of a hydraulic press
A simple version of a hydraulic press will require welding inverter, angle grinders, hand saw, metal puncher and metal profile. A jack is also required, depending on the purpose of the press, from 2 to 100 tons.
This type of press is made in the form of a bottle. Any hydraulic press consists of moving and static parts. These are perfect assembly units, such as channels, angles and thick-walled pipes.
Return units and a moving stop are used as dynamic workpieces; stationary products include various types of racks and bases.
Step-by-step making of a press with your own hands, especially its base, is possible from any available materials. The center of gravity of the equipment should be placed as low as possible.
When installing the press on the floor, channels and angles with a thick section are used. Square pipes are used to attach homemade presses to tables. The materials used are steel alloys; the use of iron alloys is advisable for workpiece thicknesses of 1 cm or more.
DIY press photo
Quite often in everyday life there arises the need to perform various renovation work or dispose of waste, in which process one cannot do without a hydraulic press. You can make a hydraulic press with your own hands, guided by the work rules presented below.
Features of manufacturing a hydraulic press
In order to make a hydraulic press, you will need to prepare a traditional jack, which will act as the main working element. It must be remembered that jacks can be different. For this reason, before starting to manufacture the press, you need to determine what maximum force you will need when carrying out the work. Thus, if you use a hydraulic press, the reinforcement of which does not exceed 200 kN, then you will only need to use human force, which will have to be applied through a special lever. If you plan to use more powerful pressing equipment, then you will need to use an electric drive.
Before you make a hydraulic press with your own hands, you need to take into account that there are many types of this equipment, each of them is different design features, location and number of main components.
Work technology
In order to make a hydraulic press with your own hands, you will first need to prepare steel blanks different shapes and dimensions. Thus, in order to obtain the base of the press, you need to use a thick steel sheet; if this is not available, then you can make it from separate sections of a steel profile, the cross-section of which is 100 millimeters. The dimensions of the base will depend on the type of work to be performed. The stability of the installation during operation will depend on this parameter.
Manufacturing of additional elements
Before you start making a hydraulic press with your own hands, you need to take into account that, as guide posts, you need to use pieces of a metal corner, the size of which is 100x100 millimeters, its height should be 1.5 meters. There should be 4 such blanks. These elements must be welded vertically to the steel base, placing two on both sides. The step between adjacent corners should be equal to 100 millimeters, which is necessary so that the ends of the working stop of the structure fit. They need to be made the same width. In the upper zone, all racks must be interconnected by means of a steel profile welded to them; it must be made to the appropriate size. The same element will act as a fixed stop when you make a manual hydraulic press.
Recommendations from a hydraulic press manufacturer
According to this technology of work, the jack is supposed to be fixed to the base. This suggests that work must be carried out with the rod moving upward. As for the guide posts, which should be located at the bottom along the height of the jack, they need to be strengthened with two bolts on each side for more impressive rigidity. Why do you need to make through holes in adjacent corners that must match the diameter of the bolts?
Assembly of the removable stop
A manual hydraulic press is manufactured using a certain technology, which involves the next stage of starting to assemble one of the elements of the hydraulic press, it is called a removable stop. It should be installed in such a way that the jack rod is secured in its central part. While the removable stop itself must slide between the guide posts during operation. For this reason, its length should be equivalent to the distance between the outer edges of the racks, which act as corners. The operation of a hydraulic press must assume rigidity of the structure; for this, the removable stop must be made of steel sheet, the thickness of which is 10 millimeters. From it, using a metal-cutting tool, you need to cut out 10 plates of equal dimensions, the width of each of which should be equal to 100 millimeters. Two plates need to be made 10 millimeters shorter than the others. Afterwards, the long plates need to be strengthened together at separate points or with a seam. Whereas short plates must be welded on both sides of this block with a deviation of 10 centimeters from the ends. When starting the equipment, these protrusions will not allow the removable stop to move to the side.
During manufacturing, it is necessary to make a hydraulic press piston, as well as a return mechanism, which is necessary to return the working part after the work is completed. It is made using two springs, as well as plates in which holes are made in the central part. When you draw up a diagram of a hydraulic press, you need to take into account the dimensions of the return mechanism, which should be slightly larger compared to the diameter of the screw rod. This element will not allow the plate to move during operation. The upper end of the spring must be fixed to the plate, while the lower end of the spring is attached to the base of the jack. In order to make the rod stroke slightly smaller, you need to use additional inserts that are fixed to the stop. Among other things, you can change the pitch to the upper stop by strengthening another plate slightly below this element.
In conclusion
The manufactured press, with a slight force in the cylinder, should increase the pressure several times. Due to the fact that the liquid used in such presses is not compressed, it will completely flow into another cylinder, which has a larger working area. The force in a large cylinder will increase to the extent that the area of its piston is greater than the area of the pistons in the small cylinder. Before starting work, you should draw up a diagram of the hydraulic press, which will simplify the process.
To perform work that requires using the pressing method, you will need a hydraulic press. For this, it is important for car enthusiasts to know how to make a garage press with their own hands. The best option– pressure 10-25 tons.
This value is sufficient to perform basic types of work. A hydraulic press is necessary for working with bushings, crankshafts, sheet metal, and fittings. Let's look at the operating principles and options for using a garage press, and also learn how to make one yourself.
Drawing of a press for a garage.
A hydraulic press generates force from several tens to several thousand tons, depending on the design and purpose. The use of such equipment is practical both in private garages and small workshops, and on an industrial scale.
Main functions of the press:
- metalworking;
- pressing;
- briquetting;
- production of steel profiles;
- pipe processing;
- production of rubber blanks.
You can free yourself from the expensive services of car services and make a garage press yourself. To do this, you will have to invest in component materials and arm yourself with knowledge. The hydraulic jack is used as a basis; it is the main element of the device. Sometimes a screw or pneumohydraulic jack is used.
The physical principles of the device are based on Pascal's law. The press consists of two main cylinders and chambers. In a smaller container, the pressure of the liquid increases and it is transferred to a larger working container.
Options for using a homemade press
A small press with a pressure force of 10-20 tons will greatly facilitate work in a garage or workshop. The range of applications of such a device is wide and varied. The press is also used for repairs - for working with bushings, crankshafts, and in everyday life - pressing cylinders and metal debris.
When performing construction work with a press, you can bend reinforcement or bend metal sheets.
The amount of work that a press can perform depends on the power of the force. To perform standard work, the average car owner will not have enough power of 5 tons, and it is not advisable to use more than 100 tons. The best option is a force of 10-20 tons.
Main advantage homemade press The fact is that it was created for personal needs and when creating it, you have the opportunity to independently control all processes.
Design features of a homemade press
Drawing and dimensions of a garage press.
As mentioned above, a press with a capacity of 10-20 tons will be enough, but the rest should be based on your needs.
The main and main element of a homemade garage press is a hydraulic jack. You can make your own built-in pump with hydraulic cylinders. They will work on the principle of transferring oil pressure from a smaller chamber to a larger one.
The two cylinders are connected to each other by channels through which special oil passes and presses on the piston. In this way, the force is transferred to the tool and the workpiece. The installation of the cylinder is carried out vertically, but for narrowly targeted purposes it can be carried out horizontally.
With pump in cylinder larger size pressure is created. The lightest press based on a bottle jack. It is important to think in advance about what work will be performed using the press.
You can adjust the stroke of the jacking rod and the height of the parts being pressed.
There are several ways to do this:
- installation at the top of the screw drive frame;
- creation of a removable movable mobile table;
- use of removable pads;
- applying the above methods together.
All listed dimensions are entered in the drawing. It is important to consider the size of the jack, the parts being processed and the rolled metal.
Preparing the press project
Before assembling the garage device, you must select correct drawing, but it’s better to make it yourself so that the future instrument meets all the requirements. The most important design element of a hydraulic press is the bed.
This is a frame along the slats of which a horizontal beam moves. The frame must be strong enough to withstand the forces of the jack, and also have a safety margin.
If the calculation is incorrect, the press design may not withstand the load.
Garage press project.
The base is best made in the form of a platform. The width of the platform opening depends on the size of the materials that are planned to be processed in the future.
To calculate the width and height of the opening, add up the following parameters:
- thickness of the movable table and platform;
- jack size;
- rod stroke value;
- dimensions of processed workpieces.
- width 800 mm;
- height 1780 mm.
Important elements drawing are racks, stops, legs, spacer angles and spring locations. The design is supplemented with some elements to ensure the movement of the stop.
What is the press made of?
A homemade press for a garage must be made reliable and with a good margin of safety, since all components are subject to serious pressure and load. Where to start?
The process is divided into several stages:
- First of all, the frame and platform are created.
For this purpose, channels with numerous stiffening ribs are used. A rectangular metal pipe is used as a blank. 4 pieces are cut out of this pipe according to the dimensions of the drawing and welded into one element. The rigidity of the mechanism increases if the seams go on the sides. They are made from the same pipes vertical racks and emphasis. - The frame consists of a platform, two posts and a lower support.
The main functions of the frame: taking on the force, distributing it and ensuring the stability of the structure. The platform is supplemented with a clamp made of a pipe 15-20 mm long. - To ensure the press moves and create force on the product, a removable stop is made.
The knot is made using steel strips, which should be slightly shorter than the distance between the posts. The thickness of the strips is 10-15 mm. The strips are fixed using holes. - The final step is to place the hydraulic bottle jack into the frame.
During installation, the stops are pulled back and fixed. Fastening is carried out by bolts or welding.
Press assembly tools
In the manufacture of devices used various instruments, which are in every garage. First of all, you need a hydraulic bottle jack. To prevent the unit from falling apart under high pressure, you will need a reliable foundation.
To assemble the garage press, you will need the following tools:
- welding machine and electrodes;
- grinder with a metal disc;
- screwdriver;
- electric drill;
- level;
- roulette;
- sheet steel;
- hacksaw for metal;
- electrodes;
- profile corner.
If you are new to working with welding machine, then it is recommended to first practice on inverter-type devices or trust a specialist. If it is necessary to use tension springs, you can take door springs, springs from the front seats of cars, or any other that meet the specified requirements.
Rolled metal for assembling a homemade press
Dimensions of press elements.
To make a garage press with your own hands, you may need rolled metal:
- Channel, product No. 8 and higher.
- Pipe of round or rectangular cross-section not less than 4*4 cm.
- A corner of at least 5*5 cm. Used when assembling the base of the frame.
- Sheet steel from 8 mm thick. Useful for leveling out various types of unevenness.
- A strip of steel 1 cm thick for stiffening ribs and guides.
- The pipe section is about 10 mm. The diameter is selected depending on the size of the jack rod head.
- Inserts-linings made of steel profile.
Press Assembly Guide
The hydraulic press assembly procedure consists of four main steps that must be followed. At each stage of work you need to check the drawing.
- Parts are made from rolled metal in accordance with the diagram or drawing.
The necessary holes are made with a drill. - Frame welding.
Strengthening ribs are welded at the corners of the frame. The “U”-shaped frame is bolted to the base to form a frame. - A desktop is created from a metal sheet 10 mm thick.
For vertical movement of the table, guides are made of 10 mm steel strip. The width of the guides corresponds to the width of the frame. A pipe is inserted between the frame posts, steel strips are attached, and the structure is pulled together at the sides. - Fixation of tension springs.
Before installing the jack, you need to pull the work table. Make a thrust socket and weld it to the bottom center of the table. Then the jack head will be securely rested on the movable table. - The homemade press for the garage is ready.
All that remains is sanding and painting to give it a marketable appearance.
Bottom line
It is quite possible to make a press for a garage yourself; for this you need to purchase materials and tools. You can take a ready-made diagram or drawing of a device or create a new one for required dimensions. The finished device will be useful to every car owner who carries out repair work independently.
How often do you use a pressing tool in your garage?
There are often situations in everyday life when you need to squeeze objects with enormous force. This is precisely what various pressed devices are used for. The most popular and reliable is the hydraulic design. Is it possible to make a press of any complexity with your own hands and use it in everyday life? To answer the question, you need to familiarize yourself in detail with the types of equipment and functions, and choose the right model for yourself.
Read in the article:
Purpose and functions of the press in everyday life and industry
The press is the most ancient industrial device, which in many cases cannot be avoided. It is used for pressing a huge range of various types products and structures (starting jewelry, ending with airplanes).
Essentially, a press is a device that exerts powerful compaction different substances, and also:
- squeezes out liquid;
- lifts and moves heavy objects.
Today there are 4 main types produced:
- Wedges.
- Lever.
- Hydraulic.
- Screw.
Types of hydraulic presses
Hydraulic models are divided into vertical and horizontal by type of design.
Vertical includes:
- Pressing.
- Pressing.
- Stamping.
To horizontal:
- Edit.
- Chopping.
- Flexion.
Vertical models can be found in construction and mechanical engineering. They consist of a pump high pressure, which is used for labor-intensive pressing. To work along the bed guides, a low-pressure pump is used.
Applications of hydraulic press
The popularity of hydraulics is growing every year in different areas. Such irreplaceable equipment, industrial presses, excavators and powerful cranes work efficiently thanks to their unpretentious mechanism. Let's consider presses that operate on the basis of hydraulics and are used both in everyday life and in industry.
Device for silent blocks
Presses for silent blocks are used for pressing in and out of automotive bearings. The equipment performs a wide range of auto maintenance, repair and maintenance work.
Expert opinion
Tool selection consultant at VseInstrumenty.ru LLC
Ask a specialist“If you are planning your own mini car service or just repairing cars yourself, then you can safely purchase a hydraulic press for silent blocks or make it yourself.”
When developing the unit, you need to consider the following parameters:
- Dimensions.
- Mass.
- Installation of pressure gauge.
- Calculate the parameters of the bed.
- Piston performance.
There are many parameters to design this press. Some may have passenger car 1 ton, others have a multi-ton truck. A simple press with minimal parameters is not suitable for a truck.
Advice! The simplest device, made independently, is made from a simple hydraulic jack with a conventional hand pump.
Description of the model for waste paper
A waste paper press is a must-have for your home and workshop. Over the years, many homes accumulate a quantity of unnecessary paperwork that needs to be disposed of. The device is manufactured with medium power. And it works from the mains, but does not absorb much electricity.
The compact model is able to recycle a lot of unnecessary waste paper. The equipment is used like a cardboard press, eliminating tin cans and plastic bottles.
At self-assembly the following parameters are taken into account:
- Piston parameters.
- Bed parameters.
- Equipment dimensions.
A hydraulic pump (manual or ready-made) is used for pressure. For the simplest model, a conventional hydraulic jack is used.
Briquettes for sawdust
Briquettes are common for heating private houses; this is the simplest and effective way fuel. It is for these purposes that a sawdust press is made.
A press for fuel briquettes is a mechanical device that consists of the following elements:
- Base.
- Table.
- Power frame.
- Drive (mechanical or manual).
For a manual drive, a jack is often used as an addition, and for a mechanical drive, an electric motor. The family of briquette presses also includes a roller press.
Hay processing equipment
The device looks like a wooden box, which is mounted on a frame made of reliable timber. You can use it as a frame metal profiles.
The box itself is made without a roof, but with a gate. To make a homemade hay picker press, you will need some materials:
- Pre-finished boards.
- Corners.
- Metal slats for durability.
First, the treated boards are connected with metal corners using fastening bolts. Then, for strength, we line the box with metal slats. We move on to the door or gate, which is installed on hinges, like a standard door leaf.
To assemble a hay collecting apparatus you will need:
- The basis for installing all components.
- The main part of the attachment to the front.
- For the press box running element.
- Transport picker.
- Chamber, cylindrical, with a press and gearbox.
Advice! The main attention in the model should be paid to the walk-behind tractor. The more powerful the mechanism, the higher the rotation speed will be.
How to make a garage appliance yourself
If you want to make a press with your own hands in the garage, then it is best to use a manual drive (hydraulic pump). The model consists of chambers with 2 pistons, which are connected to each other by an oil line. A hydraulic press operates according to Pascal's law.
Models based on a pneumatic piston and pneumohydraulic structures are created for the garage.
Device and design of the press. Types of different models and their use in everyday life
The operating principle, for example, hydraulic equipment resembles a mechanism that, with the help of human effort, can lift a load whose mass exceeds the capabilities of an ordinary person.
Hydraulic energy operates on this principle, based on different mechanisms:
- Shock absorber.
- Drive.
- Pump.
- Brake.
Today there is different types powerful, industrial and manual presses designed for home needs.
Press for the production of furniture facades
The press is used for the manufacture of furniture facades based on wood tiles and PVC. And also for decorative overlays For door leaves with your own hands. A vacuum press will become a reliable assistant in performing all these works.
Thermal vacuum press includes:
- Camera.
- Thermal module.
- The chamber is made from a rigid, stable material that is not subject to deformation or compression.
The outer part is covered with PVC film with sealed edges.
Harvesting unit
The baler is an indispensable and reliable design for cases when it is necessary to completely remove hay and straw from the fields.
The unit itself is useful for the agricultural part. There are 2 types of cleaner, they qualify as for large industrial units, and for small models:
- Rolled.
- Bale.
Industrial special equipment is an independent unit, and small models are attached to a walk-behind tractor.
Each type has its own characteristics, so before creating a model with your own hands, we recommend that you learn more about each model in more detail, watch the video:
Types of tabletop hydraulic presses by functionality
The table press is divided into two main types:
- Universal.
- Specialized.
Specialized models perform one specific operation, with ready-made equipment for this action.
Universal presses have huge functional differences. Tabletop designs are designed for different operations and equipped with different technologies for each function.
Mechanical press
The tabletop manual press can operate both automatically and manually. The design gained its popularity due to its small size. The equipment is reliable and has great resources.
Thanks to the manual press you can process:
- foam;
- cardboard;
- polymers;
- rubber;
- skin;
- various types of metals.
Most often, this model can be seen in the metalwork industry. Thanks to the press, craftsmen significantly save time on the manufacture of bearings and pressing.
Vibropress and its application
This is an indispensable device for the construction of country houses:
- Concrete blocks.
- Expanded clay concrete blocks.
- Pavement tiles.
If you do home model do-it-yourself brick making press for your home, then you can stamp blocks in unlimited quantities, ensuring, at a minimum, your own construction, and at maximum your own business.
Electro-hydraulic press
Equipment such as an electrically driven hydraulic press is used not only in large industrial enterprises, but also in ordinary workshops.
It is due to electric drive, you can solve a significant part of the problems:
- many types of work with metal products;
- work with bearings and shafts (production, pressing);
- pressing of products from wood shavings.
You can buy a hydraulic press with an electric drive, but not every ordinary person can afford such a luxury. We invite you to watch a video on how you can make the equipment yourself:
Construction of a hydraulic press for a garage, drawings, assembly
Experienced motorists make these types of models on their own from available raw materials, which will subsequently allow them to carry out a number of free work for car repair and maintenance.
Pay attention! IN independent production Hydraulic presses for garages often require the use of a manual drive.
- We will need a hydraulic pump.
- Select a model: tabletop or floor-standing.
- Drawing with dimensions.
Before we make a hydraulic press, we will need to develop a drawing with dimensions and some instructions.
Designing drawings of a hydraulic press with your own hands
Before making an individual model, you need to decide exactly what type of activity the device will be used for and what power it should be.
Next and important stage, this is the development of a drawing of a hydraulic press with your own hands, let's consider several models:
| Models | Description |
|---|---|
 Complex hydraulic model | Schematic drawing general view, requires time and the necessary specialized equipment. |
 Simple manual | Automotive, simple. You can do it yourself by reading the instructions. |
 Conventional tire changing machine | Two-speed with hand pump. There is a self-return system to the starting position. Mobile piston. |
 Floor model | There is an overload valve. Floor installation, two speeds, manual pump drive. |
 The model is assembled in simple conditions | When creating they use thick-walled pipe. For the floor structure you will need channels or corners with thick walls. |
Advice! Before developing the drawing, we determine the layout and installation of the jack.
In most cases, the jack is installed from below at the base. The development of the drawing includes such an important detail as the structure of the bed. This is a very important point, because it bears all the load, so you need to take care of the strength even before production.
How to make a hydraulic press with your own hands for the garage?
A small step-by-step instruction:
- For the workbench you need a channel or metal pipe.
- The cutting strips will be used for the table guides. The length of the guides and the width of the bed must be the same.
- After the work is completed, the equipment is assembled and bolted.
- A do-it-yourself hydraulic press involves making an adjustable, removable stop, which is made in the same way, but we make holes for fixing in the strips opposite the racks.
Installation of spring elements and a jack is the final stage in the construction of a hydraulic press for a garage. There are cases when a jack is not needed; it can be easily removed from the equipment.
2 (fastening elements);
3 (jack up to 20 t);
4 (spring mechanism);
5 (movable structure);
6 (stopper);
7 (adjustment device);
8 (transverse design);
9 (support legs).
Everything is securely fastened
Do-it-yourself hydraulic press from a jack, drawing with a bolted connection
Installation of the beam will be needed for greater rigidityAdvice! When producing a hydraulic press from a jack, first of all it is necessary to ensure the strength of the frame; it is on it that the load will be placed.
Which jack is suitable for our design?
Today, the glass jack is most often used for the production of hydraulic presses. There are inexpensive devices that can squeeze more than twenty tons.
Note! But there is a problem in using such equipment; they are not able to function upside down.
It seems logical to fix the jack on the upper beam and use the lower one as a support, but in this case the jack will have to be modified.
Design modification:
- Option 1: install the tank and connect it to the hole for filling the jack using a silicone tube.
- Option 2: will require a new development of the jack itself.
Operation of the clamping system
To make a press out of hydraulic jack with your own hands, it is planned to form a rod. Many craftsmen claim that it is not convenient to use. A large area is needed to develop various, large molds and large-sized parts.
In the role of blocks, you can use ingots, in which blind holes are made to strengthen them with the main structure of the press. If you don’t have the financial means, you can make the units yourself. You need to make a hole in the beam where the heel of the jack should fit, with virtually no gap. Then we make several holes for the return mechanism.
Then at the top of the assembly we weld a piece of pipe to fit the jack. We weld the lower part using corners.
The role of the adjustable support beam
To attach a portable beam, massive steel fingers are suitable. On the vertical part of the frame we make a series of round cuts at different heights. The diameter of the notches must match the cross-section of all bolts.
Installation of the return mechanism
The last detail in the design of a hydraulic press is the return or spring mechanism. Here you can insert regular door springs. The task can become much more difficult when using a headstock, since its own weight may prevent the spring mechanism from compressing.
Advice! One option is to increase the number of springs to 6 or use more powerful parts.
What you need to know when creating a hydraulic structure
- To create the necessary pressure, either a built-in or removable hydraulic device is used. It all depends on the equipment used for the homemade press.
- Before you start your small production, you need to know exactly what this model will be used for.
- Depending on the effort, you need to select the degree of reliability of the jack.
- Before work, you need to make a small plan and create a drawing for your future design.
Video review: DIY hydraulic press
In conclusion
A self-made hydraulic press has a number of undeniable advantages:
- The simple and inexpensive design will please you for a long time.
- The model does not have various types of safety devices for rebooting, which simplifies the model.
- The operation of the device is not affected by the position of the work table.
- You can safely change the parameters of the height and length of the working stroke.
Today it is impossible to imagine a garage or car service without hydraulic equipment. Having completed the press with your own hands, you will receive exactly the device that will serve you for a long time. In conclusion, we would like to offer you a video to clearly see the intricacies home production hydraulic press.
For some operations home handyman a press with significant compression force may be required, but the purchase of equipment of this class will be completely unjustified. Today we will tell you how to assemble a reliable press based on a hydraulic car jack in a few hours.
What and how to assemble a frame for the press?
The material for the frame, its structural strength and the method of assembly should be determined by the pressure that the jack is capable of delivering. For accurate calculations, it is important to understand in which direction the loads act during operation.
The base of the press is a rectangular U-shaped frame made of a channel or a paired steel angle. The main acting force is the resistance to compression, expressed in concentrated load. The main force is concentrated in the centers of the horizontal crossbars. The forces that stretch the vertical racks of the press and the phenomena of deformation in compressed parts can be completely neglected.
1 - upper thrust beam; 2 - bolts; 3 - jack 20 t; 4 — return springs; 5 - movable beam; 6 — locking pin; 7 - adjustable support beam; 8 - transverse beam; 9 - legs from corners
For installation with a compressive force of up to 5 tons, you can safely use the following to make a frame:
- Channel according to GOST 8240-89, standard size 8P.
- A pair of hot-rolled angles according to GOST 8509-93, size 50x5 mm, connected with 10 mm rods every 20-25 cm, or with a solid weld.
Let us immediately make a reservation that we provide approximate data on rolled metal for a frame with an internal window no wider than 100 cm. By analogy, when using a jack with a force of up to 10 tons, the frame should be made from:
- Channel size 10P.
- Twin angle steel 63x7 mm, solid seam connection with internal inserts of nominal cross-section.
If the required compression force reaches 15 tons or higher, then the frame should be made of:
- Channel size 14P.
- Twin angle 75x8 mm, connection similar to the previous one.
The above proposal for rolled metal products implies a tenfold safety margin, which completely eliminates exceeding the limit of elastic deformation and is normal for installations of this kind. All frame joints must be welded with solid double-sided seams and butt cut. If the connection is not made by welding, assembly with bolts or cotter pins is allowed. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the maximum permissible load for cutting
At bolted connection the main load becomes dispersed and the compression force of the press must be divided by the number of bolts or fingers. The destructive shear force of bolts made of the most common steel ST-3 is:
- M10 - about 2500-3000 kg.
- M12 - 4000-4500 kg.
- M14 - 5500-6000 kg.
To ensure the required safety margin, each fastening element must experience a load five times less than the destructive load. For steel fingers, the force can be taken 10-15% higher than the specified values. If required quantity fasteners cannot be placed in a corner joint, the strength should be increased with gussets, for which it is preferable to use corner steel instead of sheet steel. The same applies to the welded frame structure, which also helps to avoid the use of excessively massive rolled steel.
In addition to the loaded upper part, the frame includes two racks with legs that provide the press with sufficient stability, and a cross beam that can be adjusted when processing parts different sizes. The cross-section of the upper and lower beams must be equivalent, as well as the cross-section of their fastening elements. Everyone is free to implement the legs and support according to their own considerations; they do not experience work loads in addition to the own weight of the press. The only requirement is the presence of a bottom crossbar, which gives the structure additional rigidity.
Which jack to use and how to modify it
The most affordable and suitable for making a home press would be a glass-type hydraulic car jack. As mentioned above, you have the right to choose the working force to suit your tasks; there are relatively inexpensive devices on sale that can squeeze up to 20 tons or even more.
The main problem with using these jacks is their inability to work in an upside-down position. It seems most logical to mount the jack permanently on the upper beam and use the lower one as a support for the part. However, this will require modification of the hydraulic mechanism.
The first option for modifying the jack is to install an additional expansion tank with a capacity of about 300 ml. The tank is connected to the filler hole of the jack with a regular silicone tube. To ensure a tight fit, you can use threaded fittings for the oxygen hose, which are available in any auto parts store.
Another modification option will require disassembling the jack. It is necessary to completely drain the oil and pump the plunger, then tighten the upper clamping nut, holding it in a vice. After this, the outer glass is loosened with a rubber mallet; it should come out of the seat ring at the base of the jack. Immediately next to the plunger lever there is a hole for collecting the working fluid. The whole problem lies here: the glass is not completely filled and therefore, when upside down, the hole does not come into contact with the oil. To eliminate this, you need to tightly press a tube into it, almost the entire height of the glass.
If you do not redo the jack, you will have to implement a more complex mechanism with an additional third beam. It should slide along the side guide posts and have a tight enough fit so that the jack does not move when pressure is pumped up. In our case, the jack is simply attached in an inverted position to the center of the upper beam. There is no need for massive bolts here; it is enough to make a couple of holes in the jack’s support plate and ensure fixation with M10 or M8 bolts that can withstand the weight of the jack itself and a slight shear force on initial stage compression.
Manufacturing of clamping pads
The jack rod is not very convenient to use; it usually requires an increased area of the compression headstocks to use a wide range of molds and work with large parts. In this case, the force must be distributed evenly over the entire area of the compressed surfaces, without causing deformation.
In the simplest case, short, solid ingots can act as clamping blocks. It is enough to simply make blind holes with threads for fixing them to the main structure of the press. But this kind of detail is not always available to the average person, so we offer an option self-made headstocks that can withstand significant compression forces without harm.
The top headstock must have the ability to be integrally fastened with the jack rod, preventing shifting during operation. Simply put, a blind hole should be made in the headstock into which the heel of the jack will fit with minimal clearance. You will also need a pair of holes for attaching the return mechanism springs.
Both headstocks can be made from two sections of channel or four pieces of angle, forming a parallelepiped with open side edges. Seams on the planes through which the axis of the main working force passes should be welded with a continuous seam from the inside, the rest - from the outside. One of the faces is blanked with a square insert, after which the internal cavity is filled with sand concrete grade 500. After hardening, the headstock is welded on the other side, so two incompressible blocks are obtained.
To fit it on the jack, it is enough to weld a piece of pipe of the appropriate diameter in the upper part of the headstock, which will act as a casing for the glass. For even greater reliability, a washer with a hole for the heel of the rod is attached to the bottom of the sleeve. The lower headstock can simply be placed on an adjustable beam, but it is better to weld a couple of corners or steel rods that limit the shift.
Adjustable support beam
As you already know, the lower beam must have a cross-section no smaller than that of the upper one, but it differs in design. Support table It is made of two channels, with the ribs facing outward, which are placed on opposite sides of the racks and welded in the central part with inserts from angle or thick reinforcement. There is free space along the center of the beam, which explains the need to make a lower support block. The latter should rest on at least half the width of each shelf; the shear stops are welded in the center of the lower part.
The best option for fixing the beam to the racks is with the help of massive steel pins. To do this, a series of round notches at different heights with a parallel arrangement should be made in the vertical channels of the frame. As you understand, the diameter of the fingers cannot be less than the total cross-section of all the bolts used to fasten the upper part of the frame.
Return mechanism
The last part of the homemade press design is a spring mechanism that will fold the jack when the bypass valve is open. For this purpose, ordinary springs for finishing doors are suitable, which can be purchased in unlimited quantities at any hardware store.
The task is complicated when using an upper headstock, the significant dead weight of which will not allow the springs to compress. Alternatively, you can increase the number of springs to four or six, or use more powerful extension springs for the gate.
If there is no upper block, it is necessary to secure the springs to the jack rod. To do this you will need a washer, internal hole which is larger than the rod adjusting screw, but smaller than the piston diameter. The spring is attached to it through two small holes along the edges and fixed to the top beam in the same way or on welded hooks. It is not necessary to position the spring strictly vertically; you can compensate for the excess length with an inclined position.
