clicker presses made using shop presses

[SmokinP]

I've searched through some previous posts about clicker presses made using shop presses like those from Harbor Freight or Northern Tool. Some very nice serviceable set ups.

Being one who can never leave well enough alone, I'm going to see about designing and building a similar set up suited for leather clicking.

I'd like some thoughts on what you like/dislike about your present shop press arrangement or what you might like to see in one that's built from the ground up.

Seems 20 tons is a common size...is this suitable or should it be more or less?

What might be a suitable die and anvil plate capacity? (Being that shop presses seem to have excessive size capacity for leather work, scaling down the capacity would increase strength and stiffness)

Would you prefer the jack on top or bottom?

Is portability an issue? (weight considerations,carry handle?)

Any other thoughts or comments are appreciated. Pictures of course are worth a thousand words also.

[bruce johnson]

Smokin P,

I would not change a thing about my setup. Lower down in this section there is a topic called "manual mini clicker". It shows my shop press setup, and also the press forms I use that could not be done the same with a traditional clicker set up.

Originally I was going to have a benchtop press made, with a flat plat on top. Didn't work out and I am glad it didn't now. I need more free space on the bench than on the floor. The floor model is also capable of deeper depths that the bench top. Also I can really use it as a shop press when needed.

The price difference between a 20 ton jack and smaller is really pretty narrow. A friend from another list has broken smaller jacks, enough reason for me. I definitely want the jack on top, and a ram for my press forms. I use 1" thick cold roll steel plates, and poly cutting board over the bottom plate to protect the cutting edge when it comes through. Personally I have no reason for it to be portable. Any of the good benchtop clickers are over 100#.

[SmokinP]

Thank you Bruce. To be honest I have already seen the pictures of your press and I even saved the image to work from. I did note in your previous post that you had tried to have one built and the deal fell through....that's what got my wheels turning.

About what size as far as length/width are your press plates?

Is your top plate mounted to the ramrod assembly?

Being that the steel is already available I'd pretty much only be in for the price of the jack, which seem to be pretty reasonable. Might be one of those projects that ends up in a melting pot in China but it ought keep me occupied and outta trouble for a while.

[bruce johnson]

My bottom plate is about 8x18. I put a piece of plastic cutting board over that. I have three or four pieces for the top plate. Smallest is 5x5 up to almost 8x16. They all came out of the local steelyard's cutoff pile (Iknew a guy who knew a guy...). I do not fasten the top plate to the ram. I just set it over the die, making sure it overs all the die, and is kind of centered under the ram. I use the press probably as much for the press forms as I do clicking. I may click a bunch at once, and then not for a while. The press forms are kind of more frequent. On those the first press is just the ram on the male part of the mold to seat the leather. The second press is with a board and plate to crisp up the fold edges and flatten the sewing lip. If I was just clicking, the plate welded to the ram might be nice. It better be welded on 100% square, or the force won't be even over the die. One side might go into the board and the other might not even be through the leather. With the plate not attached, this is not a factor. It is a bit of a hassle to pull the plate out each time, but I think of the $1000 plus savings vs. a real clicker. That little bit of time and effort is worth the money saved for me. My biggest dies are spur straps, so it is not a huge deal for me to handle the plates and dies each time.

If you are building one, a factor I would consider. Make sure you allow for plenty of travel with the ram. On mine I click with the bottom plate all the way up. Some of the press forms I have to drop the whole bottom setup one hole to allow for the thickness of the forms and the leather not being bottomed out yet. Some of the old cell phones and flip phones are pretty thick.

[SmokinP]

Thanks for the dimensions Bruce.

My thoughts for the ram plate attachment was to machine a groove or bore a slip fit hole to mount the plates. A self aligning arrangement. I really don't think a plate could be welded dead square and as you said if it isn't it wont work. It can be made that the plate will stay with the ram but when pressing the force will be on the ramrod face and the plate...not the mounting hardware. Also, if things work out right the ram plates can be interchangeable. Maybe even the male part of the forming dies can be mounted to it.

I like your forming dies. With a little cutting and machining I can see alot of possibilities. The material you chose (which I think is the same as what I know of as UHMW) is excellent. Cuts like butter-wears like iron, easy to clean, non-stick, lightweight...great choice. One hint...find a machinist supply and get a deburring tool for about 5 to 10 bucks. It has a handle with a small swivel cutter that puts a nice small radius on the edges just lickety split.

For travel length I was looking at a jack that has a 6" travel. It is a solid ram jack. Do you think this might be sufficient or would it be better to go to a jack with a threaded ram to allow adjustment and increase the throat clearance?

This is all being designed on paper using AutoCAD program since I am a designer. As things start to unfold I'll try and post some 3D drawings to get some input.

Thanks again for all your help.

Al Popovich

Smokin P Ranch

Custer Park, Illinois

[bruce johnson]

Al,

Doing the math here:

For clicking, 1" plate on bottom. 1/2" cutting board, 1/4" leather. 1-1/4" die height. 1" plate on top. Four inches plus a couple to spare, should work.

For a flip phone press mold. 1" plate on bottom, 1-1/2" female mold height, 1/4" leather thickness, 1-1/2" male press form height. Four and a half inches, still room to spare. But, it you add another top plate on top to crisp up the sewing lip, It will close. One thing with both of these is that you will not be going through either plate or the cutting board, but it is nice to have some space to work in from the top and not be sliding everything in tight. Once you get a piece clicked (and they really do "click" when you go through), you just have to let off the jack enough to slide the piece out and allow for the height of the die and leather to go back under. I find that 3-4 pumps on the handle is all I need to go through even skirting. It is not like jacking a car all the way up and down each time like some non-believers will tell you.

A guy could probably use thinner plates too, but I got 1" to be sure.

I like the idea you have for attaching the top plate to the ram. That would work with little trouble. We're gonna get this thing figured out yet. We are beating the socks off the commercial one with more power as it is.

[Michael Sheldon]

possible idea for attaching top plate to ram...

Weld/braze a short (2-3") tube onto the center of your plate, with an inside diameter that will be a LOOSE fit over the ram.

Drill the ram for a cross-pin. Drill larger holes in the tube on the plate for the cross-pin.

The idea being that the cross pin is only to lift the plate. The ram would still contact the plate itself, and there would be enough play in the system that the plate could bear even pressure. This also means the cross-pin would not need to be very heavy, so the cross-drill through the ram should not have significant effect on the strength.

[greg gomersall]

You could weld a bearing collar with an iside dia. that matches your rams dia. then use the set screw in the collar to hold your plate in place. I have a piece 1" thick and 12" x12" for a top plate. Quite heavy and this collar with one set screw holds just fine. Greg

[SmokinP]

Things are starting to come together...on paper any way. I've got C6x13 structural channel figured in (and available) for the top and bottom of the frame. TS1.5x3/16 Square tubing for the frame uprights, bolted with 3/4" bolts.

Drawings are still rough and a few things I want to fab and see how they work out.

I appreciate all the help. Maybe I get this thing built we can arrange to get it passed around to a few folks to try out and see how it works out in real life.