planning to buy a bottle jack press setup

[Randyc]

I'm planning to buy a bottle jack press setup to press mold holsters and sheaths. Since I'm running out of shop space and money I would like to be able to click out holster parts with the same press.

What size ie. ton rating would work out best for molding and clicking?

Would I be able to get enough clicking leverage with the manual jack?

Does anyone have any comments on the 6 ton press set up offered by Weaver Leather and would their clicker plates work on other brand H presses or are these plates made specific for their press? For forming holsters, I assume I would have to place rubber pads on the clicker plates. How thick should these pads be and who supplies the pads?

Thanks For The Help

Randy

[ArtS]

Get with Bruce Johnson on the Saddle and Tack forum. He made one. He found that he had to use a 20 ton.

Art

[MikeG]

I've been toying with the same idea. Here's a deal I found on a 20 ton air/hydraulic press. It will cost about $90 - $150 to ship depending on how far you are from one of their warehouses, but for me that still works out to be about the same as a Northern Tool manual 20 ton press.

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Shop-Press-s/40.htm

[mliebs8]

I actally went to Northern tool today and looked at the 20 ton they have on sale for $249, it looks alot better than the one Harbour Freight has for the same price. I'm going to pick one up this weekend, I have a friend of mine who owns a machine shop making 2- 12" x 12" x 1" steel plates for it as we speak. I hope this works for the moulding process because if it doesn't I"ll have a 200+ lb paperweight taking up room.

[Andy]

I have been pondering selling my Clicker, need it? I have it set up for home 220V (phase converter) so it'll run from your breaker box or dryer socket.

Pop me an email if needed.

Andy ( andy@shottist.com )