One more question....

DonL

DonL

Well-Known Member
Okay, I seem to be on a silly question roll these days...wish I could say this would be the last one...but I doubt it... :)

I see a lot of people making their own presses. Why wouldn't a vertical log splitter (or a horizontal turned on end) work? I've seen them in the 20 to 30 ton range.

I actually thought about this last Winter while helping a buddy split his wood.
 
DonL,

While forging presses can and have been made from log splitters I believe the problem with them is the speed of the rams travel. The longer the dies are in contact with your steel and the travel time limit the amount of actual work that can be done on each heat.

I think these types of press builds are typically done with stuff purchased used for a song so the very low cost of going that route makes it better than nothing and doable financially. In this case it could make sense.

If purchasing a new splitter It'd probably be best to keep saving for a press build/purchase that will be more suited to our type of work.

Take care, Josh

That said I'm hoping to get a press in the next year or so but I'm leaning heavily towards going with one from Riverside machine over building.

If I wanted a "starter" press I'd probably go the air over hydraulic mini route instead of the log splitter route.
 
In addition to what Josh mentions, the repetitions, stresses, and just overall wear and tear are far more on a forging press than a log splitter would ever encounter. My thought on a forging press is......it simply cannot be overbuilt.
 
I espescially agree with what Ed says. I built a 80 ton forging press and thought that I over built it. I have a crack starting just above the center of where the dies press. Not over built I guess. Wont take much to repair this but If I would have "REALLY" overbuilt it I wouldnt have to burn paint.
A log splitter wont hold up long.

Jim
 
After watching the above video a couple of years ago, I decided that I needed a wood splitter anyway - so I bought a 20 ton splitter and made up dies from RR track that can be put on or removed in minutes. Works for hobby level knife making. And splits wood for the wood stove. Don't know how well it would hold up for serious forge welding use, but I hope to find out in the near future.
 
Thanks for the responses guys. I was just curious as the idea came to me while we were splitting wood. The ram on the splitter we were using is pretty slow and I thought that might be a problem. I need not worry about that at this moment anyway, I don't have a place to put a splitter or press!!
 
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