Shop press plates

[MarkM]

Good day all, from day one I never felt too comfortable putting too much stress on the cast press plates that came with my 12 tonne press. I am sure alot of you have them and know what I am talking about regarding the plates. There a good chunk of cast and thought I would make use of them and be set up to press from a 1/4 inch up 2.5. I needed some bigger v blocks as well for work holding and also to set angles on the table. Also just finished up a set of flycutters for surface finish , form tools boring and radiuses. I wanted to do the plates on the mill and don t have a boring head. I have time machines and material. Have To claw back a debt so the need for a set of fly cuttter from one inch to four and a half inch will do for now. Squared them up and dimensionally the same then bolted them together and went at it.
A few things had to be spot on. Be square. The 45 and 30 degree v blocks and the two pc.s exactly top to bottom dimensionally sound so they bolt togetether by just laying on a flat surface and ready to use.
A few more things to do. Threading and flycut the last twenty thou. My 3/4 collet is bad. I may just leave it anyways. I am sure I will have to clean them up some time. For now they work.

 

[westerner]

I have time machines

Go back to just before you incurred the debt. Choose to NOT incur the debt. Buy another 3/4 collet. Problem solved

Sorry. Could not help myself

I will go back under my rock now.

 

[MarkM]

The collet is no big deal. It s the boring head and the good boriing bars that are needed. Your way I d have a collet and no machine.

 

[ThinWoodsman]

Are these going to be used as press plates, and doing double-duty as v-blocks for the mill?

My arbor press needs some attention; came without plates, and the shoe of the ram is rather beat up. Hadn't considered thru-holes on the press plate for common diameters, looks like a good idea.

 

[MarkM]

Yes they are. As well as riser blocks and for setup for when clamping to the table. Both are .820" thick for now and I can t tilt my head. I Plan on adding some two inch bases with a pocket for when there used individually. Saves me having to make all those bushings. Keeps the clutter down and helps to stay organized. Did my threading today and in the 30 degree v I can hold up to 3.90". Hummed and hawded about what thread to use. I like fine threads for work holding but not in cast. Thought maybe 1/2-13 but settled on 7/16-14 to make it easier to stay out of the holes and radiuses and still get some depth and still,give decent clamping power. The two bolted together and the four bolts with a machinist jack and some additional clamping will go a long for me for some more work holding. More shop stuff.

 

[MarkM]

Finally got around to making some clamps and bolts for the blocks. I wanted to come up with something to use one set of bolts. On the 90 degree v I can hold from 1" and when flipped up to 2.25" Need some material to do the 120 degree v but have it figured to be able to hold up to 4.5". These were made primarily for the press and wanted to try to achieve more with it. Being cast I can use them for a square, and the v s are more for set up hanging stuff off the table from the side. There big but my vise will open to nine inches and needed to bridge the press properly. I like square bolts and the toolpost wrench is pretty handy.
It s funny how things are. You talk to people about having machinery and they think your all set now. I can t afford to buy everything and dont feel I can trust the deals out there so it s been having to build one thing after another just to complete the original thought Now I can get on to make some threading boring bars.

 

[MarkM]

Had some time to get that boring bar done. Ended up using 1.25" hoping for three to four inches of stickout, maybe five on a good day! The Block held tight. Plenty rigid and the radiuses come in handy for clamping.
BBar works fairly well. Stuck out four inches with a four inch i.d. , .100" per side and no complaints.

 

[Cooter Brown]

Don't drop those plates on the floor they will explode....

 

[pontiac428]

Great job on the press plates. I'm going to add that to my project list! I have a set of cast plates identical to yours, and another set a little larger and better quality but still not crisp enough on the edges. I guess I'll be cleaning up cast iron dust for awhile.

 

[MarkM]

They weren t too bad to machine once under the crust. Was able to curl a chip. Running slow or I just spent time at the grinder. While flycutting I started to look at x power feeds. Glad I m on the other side of that. Still a luxury with too much more important stuff ahead of it.