How to Make Dies For Hydraulic Presses

Hydraulic presses are machines designed to use enormous force to shape metals and other materials. Used in industrial settings for tasks like making car body parts from metal, hydraulic presses are an indispensable piece of machinery.

To use a hydraulic press effectively, a set of dies made of steel or pourable epoxy-steel called Devcon Plastic Steel are required.

Design

Conforming dies are ideal for hydraulic presses because they allow users to form intricate shapes without using shears, creating interesting reliefs for their work and saving material costs by using thinner gauge metal than would have been possible with standard masonite dies. Although conforming dies may cost slightly more to create than pancake or impression dies, their versatility and cost efficiency make them invaluable tools in any workshop environment.

To create a conforming die, start with a model of the desired shape - this could be made out of wax, wood, plaster or plasticene and should have a symmetrical form. Carefully trace its outline on one plate (part A), cutting out this area with a saw while leaving at least 3/4-inch margin all round before filing up to its scribed line while keeping edges perpendicular - an intricate process which requires precision for optimal results as it serves as contact surfaces to form metal sheets into final product.

Once your cutout is ready, attach it to a flat base made of rigid material such as plexiglass and secure it using masking tape or plastic steel. Coat both the model and matrix base with silicone or similar product to provide lubrication. Using doublestick tape you can then cut a punch from the matrix and position it so that when raised up onto part B it sticks securely to both the underside of the matrix as well as to its top surface on plate A.

Place the flexane pad on the bottom platen and lay out your sheet metal for shaping on it. Pumping the arm of a hydraulic jack forward will advance its lower platen until pressing all parts pressed against upper platen as hard as it will go - repeat this process until you achieve desired shape.

Materials

The hydraulic press is an indispensable piece of equipment used in fabricating metal art forms. It can be used with pancake dies, impression dies and other types of dies to produce finished pendants, earrings, rings and components such as bales and bracelet links; or used with found objects to create dynamic metal sculptures. While commercial hydraulic presses can be expensive investments, home shops can acquire one for under $1000 with some elbow grease.

To use a hydraulic press, two matching dies must be set upon a platen in a strong frame with a hydraulic ram inserted between them and then compressed by it to form the desired shape. While this method of production can be highly effective and safe, proper training must first be received to learn its process and ensure adequate safety measures.

There are various dies suitable for hydraulic pressing, from basic masonite dies (which require a separate male die to form the shape) to cast male-female conforming dies made from harder materials like metal or pourable epoxy-steel that provide better detail, durability and slower deterioration than their masonite counterparts - though even these more durable models eventually need to be replaced after prolonged use.

Additionally, sheet metal must be selected large enough to cover the outline of your pattern plus an additional 3/8 of an inch all around - this extra flange helps draw down into female die. Before pressing, be sure to lubricate both Devcon as well as your dies with Devcon to reduce adhesion issues.

Devcon is a high-strength, self-releasing pourable material comprised of 80% steel powder and 20% epoxy resin binders. Available at many hardware stores or tooling supply houses.

Flexane

If a person does not own their own hydraulic press, he or she can utilize one at the local metal shop or rent one. A hydraulic press can be an invaluable tool for die forming and can be used to duplicate formed-art or create small-scale production pieces; larger scale works may also be possible but setting one up is usually too time consuming to be practical for most artist/metalsmiths. Different die types may also be designed specifically for use with hydraulic presses ranging from simple masonite dies fitted with male dies to cast male-female conforming dies made of metal or epoxy-steel pourable pourable epoxy-steel pourable epoxy-steel pourable epoxy-steel pourable epoxy-steel.

Simple silhouette dies made out of Flexane block punches with rigid silhouette cutouts can be highly effective and cost-effective to create, especially if they feature heavy gauge brass or steel punches (backed up with plexiglass or masonite) with two reversible punches, made out of heavy gauge brass or steel pieces and designed so as to be used from both sides; even solid brass and steel silhouettes may be utilized if sawn carefully along scribed lines and filed back down so as to maintain straight perpendicular edges on cutout cutout.

An effective technique for creating a conforming die is to shape a female form out of annealed copper at least 3/8 inch larger around its perimeter than what's actually required, leaving an extra 3/8-inch of material that can later be cut away, or used for casting mold purposes. This extra metal creates a flange which can then be cut away later or used to make casting molds.

Devcon plastic steel liquid--an amalgamation of resin and hardener that forms a pourable liquid--is then added to the pattern or plaster mold in a pipe section, flask or similar container, where it will dry over it easily and separate from both model and inside walls of container provided they have been sufficiently lubricated. Once set, this durable material should provide strong resistance against damage while providing some level of male/female conformity that aids production of high-quality metal parts.

Press

Hydraulic presses are powerful machines used to shape metal into its desired form. Based on Pascal's Law, they use incompressible fluids like hydraulic fluid to transmit mechanical force more effectively - an example of their incredible efficiency that makes hydraulic systems essential components of multiple industrial processes.

A cylinder frame serves as the basis of any hydraulic press, providing it with its compressive force necessary to drive an anvil and die. Each of its cylinders features a plunger that when pressed against anvil produces mechanical results; additionally, this hydraulic press comes equipped with a ram which drives this plunger allowing it to apply significant amounts of pressure against material being formed on anvil and material being formed.

Hydraulic presses make use of larger sheets of metal more easily than using tools or hammers, providing greater precision when shaping them into shapes such as curves or stretch forming to reduce thickness. They can be found in many industrial settings including creating curves from metal sheets. They're often employed during stretch forming which involves stretching pieces over a shaped block to reduce its thickness.

At home, an inexpensive hydraulic press and plastic steel material can be assembled together quickly for die forming on craft paper rather than cutting directly into masonite - this technique makes production much faster and simpler than before!

If using the Devcon system, be sure to apply release agent liberally around the pattern or Plaster mold and walls of your container with this kit. After lubricating them properly, follow the label instructions for mixing and pouring plastic steel; one-pound cans typically sold by hardware stores or tooling supply houses contain this epoxy-steel alloy material.

Once you are ready to begin pressing, set up the controls and place your materials between dies before engaging the hydraulic press. A pump cylinder applies pressure to hydraulic fluid which then transfers directly onto anvil and die. When your desired effect has been reached, release ram and allow pressure from hydraulic press to subside.