Bottle Jack Press .... Why Not?

[RoosterShooter]

Over the past few days I've been looking around and talking to different folks about how to best mold leather for holsters.

The most prominent method is by implementing a 'Shop Press' with rubber or foam, and molding the leather to a 'Blue Gun' through pressure.

So, I looked and I read, and I looked some more only to have a lightbulb go off in my head! I thought to myself, "HEY! I have 6 various strength hydraulic bottle jacks out in the shop. Why not use one of those?"... so, this led me to a new type of search. 'How to design a shop press around an existing bottle jack'. After all, this is the main component in any shop press .... right?

Here you go folks. It was free for me, so I'll share it with all of you.

Tell me what you think. Of course, there will be some minor alterations to the design, but the fundamental concept is already drawn out for us. Whew! I thought I was going to have to crack out the wallet for yet ANOTHER expensive shop toy.

Well ... here you go ... FREE is always best!

Tell me what you think. Again, not my idea, but I scaved it from the net. It is in .pdf format, so you will need Adobe Acrobat.

Enjoy....

http://www.mossworks.com/docs/BottleJackPress.pdf

[Northmount]

So, I looked and I read, and I looked some more only to have a lightbulb go off in my head! I thought to myself, "HEY! I have 6 various strength hydraulic bottle jacks out in the shop. Why not use one of those?"... so, this led me to a new type of search. 'How to design a shop press around an existing bottle jack'. After all, this is the main component in any shop press .... right?

The metal bookshelf type frame material looks a little on the weak side, even though is is under tension rather than bending.

Here is one that I think will stand up to heavier usage and still be low cost to build. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=22164&hl=%2Bholster+%2Bpress+%2Bjpg

CTG

[RoosterShooter]

The metal bookshelf type frame material looks a little on the weak side, even though is is under tension rather than bending.

Here is one that I think will stand up to heavier usage and still be low cost to build. http://leatherworker...ter +press +jpg

CTG

That's one of the things I was going to change about it.

I am going to use 4" tubing in place of wood.

[renegadelizard]

my biggest concern would be the chance of having a piece ruined by hydrulic fluid...leaky bottle jack's arent exactly uncommon.

[RoosterShooter]

my biggest concern would be the chance of having a piece ruined by hydrulic fluid...leaky bottle jack's arent exactly uncommon.

I'm not saying it can't happen, but I've never had a bottle jack leak under normal use. The only time I have seen a bottle jack go bad is when someone was pushing it past it's intended weight rating, and the seals blew out! Also, a bottle jack is what is used in the construction of a shop press. Same part ... just a different configuration.

Edited October 10, 2012 by RoosterShooter

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Put the jack on the bottom so if it leaks gravity will not let it come in contact with the leather.

[Dwight]

I used a press for a couple of years, . . . heard about vacuum, . . . tried it, . . . sold the press, . . . end of story.

My vacuum bag and pump just work wonders with leather that cannot be done on most presses, . . . including a full length impression of a rifle or shotgun for a custom leather gun bag.

But, . . . to each his own, . . . and to the OP, . . . good looking press, . . . I did mine out of 2 x 4's and steel plates, . . . there's some pictures on this site, . . . just search for press or me, . . . you should be able to see it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[RoosterShooter]

I might try the vacuum seal method as a comparison.

Thanks Dwight!