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06-03-2024, 07:23 PM
Didn't have much luck getting a good visible paper imprint. Also if there are any life forms, they're sneaky enough that I didn't catch any. What I did do though, is check squareness of the ram itself using a combo square, and then squareness of the ram with respect to the work piece at first contact. I need to double check one measurement, but it seems square enough that it's below my threshold of measurability. Worth mentioning, however, that this press didn't come with a solid table base or a daisy wheel table, so I'm using some small bits of bar stock that check out as pretty square with my combo square. There is a hair of daylight on the squarest piece I have though, maybe that's enough to cause issues?
I just called a (per yelp) reputable and reasonably priced machine shop to see what they'd charge to fix the ram hole, and they said it'd be $150 minimum, assuming no special stuff needs doing. They'd have to bore it out, plug and weld it, then re-drill the hole. That's twice what I got the press for ($80), and there is another Dake press nearby for $150 so it doesn't seem like it'd make much sense to have the machine shop fix it. There's also another Dake that just popped up for $75, 1.5 ton, with a solid table, with 2 in more space under the ram than my current one, and it appears to be in excellent condition.
So, going forward, I think I'm going to have a look at that 1.5 ton press, and if it looks good buy it, return the current press, and buy the magnetic chuck to use with the bigger press. There is another idea I just thought of. I picked up a Cambion terminal swager a while ago very cheap (see below), but have not been able to use it since I don't have the right punch for it or a suitable anvil/plate for the bottom of the eyelets. Punches are $100 on ebay, but I'm already near that price for an arbor press. Anyhow, maybe the machine shop can spin one up cheaper and/or quicker, then I'd just need some square bar stock (hopefully getting square stock is easy... machine shop scraps?). Bonus points for using a purpose-made tool for swaging. From quick tests before, there is very little slop, and action is like butter. Hmm... I think I'll see about getting some metaphorical toast for that metaphorical butter, and then I'll be in business.
Not my picture, but this is basically my cambion press (though the pictured one is missing a part or two):
I just called a (per yelp) reputable and reasonably priced machine shop to see what they'd charge to fix the ram hole, and they said it'd be $150 minimum, assuming no special stuff needs doing. They'd have to bore it out, plug and weld it, then re-drill the hole. That's twice what I got the press for ($80), and there is another Dake press nearby for $150 so it doesn't seem like it'd make much sense to have the machine shop fix it. There's also another Dake that just popped up for $75, 1.5 ton, with a solid table, with 2 in more space under the ram than my current one, and it appears to be in excellent condition.
So, going forward, I think I'm going to have a look at that 1.5 ton press, and if it looks good buy it, return the current press, and buy the magnetic chuck to use with the bigger press. There is another idea I just thought of. I picked up a Cambion terminal swager a while ago very cheap (see below), but have not been able to use it since I don't have the right punch for it or a suitable anvil/plate for the bottom of the eyelets. Punches are $100 on ebay, but I'm already near that price for an arbor press. Anyhow, maybe the machine shop can spin one up cheaper and/or quicker, then I'd just need some square bar stock (hopefully getting square stock is easy... machine shop scraps?). Bonus points for using a purpose-made tool for swaging. From quick tests before, there is very little slop, and action is like butter. Hmm... I think I'll see about getting some metaphorical toast for that metaphorical butter, and then I'll be in business.
Not my picture, but this is basically my cambion press (though the pictured one is missing a part or two):
