How To Set-Up Arbor Press

[ConradPark]

I use a small 2 ton arbor press for everything from stamping makers mark to riveting. I just use the steel base that came with the press, never had any problem. For larger templates I press first on one side, then every 2 inches or so until I reach the other end of the template. For much wider than 5" I use a book press. Weight of leather doesn't really matter as I dampen the leather surface the same way as when I do tooling. This also make the stamping slightly darker on natural and lighter colored leather. More important that you get good quality metal templates. Brass is best for the cost considered but thick magnesium is a cheap alternative for limited stamping. For chrome tanned leather you need to do heat stamping to get a lasting mark anyway. I would suggest not to use any stone as a surface as this can crack if you press too hard.

Edited July 30, 2014 by ConradPark

[ClaireAshton]

Just noticed this thread moving again. I just sent the following in a private message, but as you can see my frustration is creeping in...

My latest homemade tool that is NOT getting made is my Arbor press which I want to convert to a rivet and snap setter (as per Ian Atkinson Youtube video). I went to a local engineering works and they wanted £75 + VAT ($160?) to do the job, 2 main holes, 4 small holes for grub screws and 2 teeth grinding off. I came away, I could nearly have bought a made for the job machine from Tandy for that price.

What i might try is doing it myself. All I have is a hand power drill, corded and a cordless one. What are the chances of drilling the lengthwise hole anywhere near straight?

Alternatively if anyone knows of someone local to me who can manage this for a lot less than that asking price?

Claire

PS I manage by jamming the snap setter under the ram, then making sure it is vertical in both directions. What a pain that is! I can't set Line 24 caps as the little plate with the depressions will fit, just, but the line 24 is the end one and is unsupported. Whinge!

[Nuttish]

I posted this as a question in another existing thread but it's really not on topic there. So I decided to re-post it here...apologies for a double post but I can't remove the other one.

I went to Harbor Freight and picked up one of their 1 ton presses. Mainly because I don't like the way my 3D stamps have been coming out on 3/4 oz leather. I ordered a 3/8 inch thick steel plate and am waiting for that to arrive. I have to get some wood clamps or something to secure it to my bench. And I'm trying to think what I should use to put on top of the steel plate - under the leather to get a nice crisp stamp.

So I was wondering if anyone else uses regularly an Arbor press, and if so what kind of set-up you have. I could try trial and error but if I could get some help here I'm hoping to save myself some anxiety

I use a 2 ton Dake every day. 1 ton doesn't do it. Don't attach it to your bench with clamps unless you want a broken foot. They've got mounting holes for a reason.

I drilled and tapped the base so I could permanently attach a scrap of 1/2" steep plate. For small flat Delrin dies, I literally just use the ram on the back of the die. Larger dies will flex, so I have a little bit of steel on the back.

My dies have little tabs on them that fit into laser cut templates so that they're perfectly registered for every piece I'm marking.

[BDAZ]

I simply use a piece of granite on my 2 ton press. I hve some smaller plates for larger cutom stamps but for regular 2D and 3D work I use the Tandy Mules foot. The ram on the 2 ton is much bigger than the one ton.

Cya!

Bob

[Mike516]

Yes, you want to mount this with bolts, not clamps, as shown in my picture earlier in the thread.

The ram foot is not needed, but it can be used if you have trouble lining the stamps up.

I got another 1/4" steel plate to cover dies and can use this to cut small patterns on 3/4 oz leather as well.

Very versatile tool. So glad I made the small investment.

[ClaireAshton]

Bought a manual skiver on Ebay and went to collect...... as I walked into seller's workshop what do i see but a largeish bench pillar drill. Mmmmm....... 20 mins later and I had made arrangements for my arbor press ram to go in the post for the mods.

Buy some taps, tapping drills. grubscrews and pay for postage there and back and pay for the machining and.........

....... Yep, you guessed it, it would have been cheaper to let the machine shop do the job in the first place. But somehow I thought it expensive and thought I could do it cheaper...........

Well, still cheaper than a Tandy + specific dies. Why have I done this? I'm not sure as I prefer good handsititching to riveting and I don't do many snaps!

But I like the tools. And I like looking at them and saying, no one has anything like that. Ah, Pleasure.....

Claire