With the recent article on building a shop press I thought I would share some advice on using them safely.
While most of you maybe experienced with their use,others may not be.
A press of 50 or for that matter even 20 tons can develope significant explosive force,50tons doesn't sound like much,but considering that it is 100,000 pounds it is considerable so certain safty habits should be learned in their use.
Since one of the most common uses for a press is to remove and install bearings and races,having witnessed several accidents and having shrapnel removed by a doctor myself I learned to first measure everything before pressing,the wrong bearing can ruin your day,do not go by the bearing numbers because on specials and automotive units many times the numbers will be the same as the common bearing in the catalog,but be mfgd to a defferent spec,this cost an old friend his life,he was pressing a bearing on in a 60ton machine when the bearing exploded and a piece of shrapnel went through his heart and killed him.He broke two rules#1 he trusted the parts counter #2he didn't use a shield.Evere since then I will either wrap the shaft in a leather apron or if I must see the part I will use a plexi sheild.
The next common use is for staightening or bending shafts or stock.If you use vee blocks for this be absolutely sure that they are made from steel and not cast or malleable iron,they to will part company and ruin your day.Also make sure that the blocks and the surface they are resting on is free from oil,you don't want any slippage.When straightening serverly bent shafts always use a pair of stabilizer forks(rods attached to the press table to catch the shaft incase it should roll and pop out)I was once pressing a bend out of a large(150lb) hydrualic ram,it was a large open sided press and I had the habit of standing behind the press frame(plenty of steel between me and the part)but the customer was watching me and walked in front of the press with the part under load,I told mhim to move out of the way in case it should slip and just as he cleared the side of the press it popped out and hit the shop wall 30' away.
Always avoid using long push bars and if possible they should have a means of being attached to the ram,I have found that a couple of sets of cheap impact sockets both shallow and deep make good press tools,they are soft enough not to shatter,but tough enough not to deform,plus they come in a range of different size od's.I never use things like automotive wrist pins(my own piece of shrapnel)or things like valve stems and the like.
To many of you this maybe old hat others maybe not,I don't mean to preach,but I hate to see people's lives interuppted by an unforseen danger,my buddy had a wife and two kids and lots of bills,but left them alone in an instant,it could have been avoided.I hope if I missed anything you guy's will add unto.
[This message has been edited by wierdscience (edited 06-18-2004).]
While most of you maybe experienced with their use,others may not be.
A press of 50 or for that matter even 20 tons can develope significant explosive force,50tons doesn't sound like much,but considering that it is 100,000 pounds it is considerable so certain safty habits should be learned in their use.
Since one of the most common uses for a press is to remove and install bearings and races,having witnessed several accidents and having shrapnel removed by a doctor myself I learned to first measure everything before pressing,the wrong bearing can ruin your day,do not go by the bearing numbers because on specials and automotive units many times the numbers will be the same as the common bearing in the catalog,but be mfgd to a defferent spec,this cost an old friend his life,he was pressing a bearing on in a 60ton machine when the bearing exploded and a piece of shrapnel went through his heart and killed him.He broke two rules#1 he trusted the parts counter #2he didn't use a shield.Evere since then I will either wrap the shaft in a leather apron or if I must see the part I will use a plexi sheild.
The next common use is for staightening or bending shafts or stock.If you use vee blocks for this be absolutely sure that they are made from steel and not cast or malleable iron,they to will part company and ruin your day.Also make sure that the blocks and the surface they are resting on is free from oil,you don't want any slippage.When straightening serverly bent shafts always use a pair of stabilizer forks(rods attached to the press table to catch the shaft incase it should roll and pop out)I was once pressing a bend out of a large(150lb) hydrualic ram,it was a large open sided press and I had the habit of standing behind the press frame(plenty of steel between me and the part)but the customer was watching me and walked in front of the press with the part under load,I told mhim to move out of the way in case it should slip and just as he cleared the side of the press it popped out and hit the shop wall 30' away.
Always avoid using long push bars and if possible they should have a means of being attached to the ram,I have found that a couple of sets of cheap impact sockets both shallow and deep make good press tools,they are soft enough not to shatter,but tough enough not to deform,plus they come in a range of different size od's.I never use things like automotive wrist pins(my own piece of shrapnel)or things like valve stems and the like.
To many of you this maybe old hat others maybe not,I don't mean to preach,but I hate to see people's lives interuppted by an unforseen danger,my buddy had a wife and two kids and lots of bills,but left them alone in an instant,it could have been avoided.I hope if I missed anything you guy's will add unto.
[This message has been edited by wierdscience (edited 06-18-2004).]
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