What Thickness Plate Do You Use For Your Forming Presses?

[shooter55]

Well, I broke down and bought a press to replace the home-made one I built not long ago (another post). My wooden one was adequate, but I decided to get a free standing unit and save some counter space. Have plenty of floor space (not according to the wife, though). Tried my wooden "sandwich" but heard a distinctive "craaaakkkkk" on my last molding. Time to get plates instead. I overkilled the press I needed by getting the 20T one from Harbor Freight.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim

[Tree Reaper]

3/4 plate will be plenty.

Pressure will be 3 ton and under in most if not all forming.

[mncarpenter]

I use 1/2" steel plates, work great. they work well for clicking as well, with a cutting board of course

[silverback]

Hi Tim,i have a 6 ton H press and use 20 mil aluminium plates top and bottom with a poly bread board cutting plate.Its worked ok for me for the last few months.

[shooter55]

Thanks all who answered. silverback....never thought about aluminum plate. Great idea, but I'm sure more costly. I have a steel fabricator about 3 miles away and I picked up some 1/2" plate today like mncarpenter uses. Didn't know if I could continually handle 3/4" Tree Reaper. Did a form today. Works excellent....and proved that I would be worn out with the 3/4" stuff.

Do have another question though....where do you purchase a gauge to measure the pressure? I'm using mainly blue guns, so I'm not too worried about those, but if I have to use a firearm, don't want to compress anything too much.

Didn't know it was gonna be a two parter, didja?

Thanks again for the responses.

[silverback]

Tim,try your local scrap metal place for the ali plate.

[Tree Reaper]

I went with 3/4 because that's the same size that came with my 10 ton, I like to stick with what the manufacturer uses.

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-9652-Pressure-Tonnage-4-Scales/dp/B000HI9CJK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_2