Shop Press Upgrade

[epanzella]

I'm not a fan of wearing out my lathe bed doing keyways so I decided to get a broach set in the near future. This turned my thoughts to how I was going to drive the broaches. I could by an arbor press for which I have no room or upgrade my shop press with an air/hydraulic unit to speed up the process. I picked door # 2. With a coupon I got a harbor freight 20 ton hybrid jack for just over a hundred bucks. As the jack extension was now speeded up I decided to make a tool less knob for the retraction to increase efficiency a bit more. I'm delighted the way this turned out and it only too a few hours.

 

[GeneT45]

That air-over jack makes a huge difference! When I finally did it I wondered why it took me so long.

GsT

 

[C-Bag]

It’s not about speed. It’s about feel. There is no way you know with a hydraulic press if the broach is stuck. The shops I worked in it was immediate termination if you got caught using a hydraulic press to broach with. You might want to make a 1/4” plate screen to stand behind as if that broach shatters we’re talking HSS shards that will go right through you.

 

[epanzella]

It’s not about speed. It’s about feel. There is no way you know with a hydraulic press if the broach is stuck. The shops I worked in it was immediate termination if you got caught using a hydraulic press to broach with. You might want to make a 1/4” plate screen to stand behind as if that broach shatters we’re talking HSS shards that will go right through you.

I see Kieth Fenner and others run broaches with shop presses all the time. They back off the ram every 2 inches or so to stop any side pressure from building. That's why I made that quick release knob. I can quickly back off the ram without tools.

 

[C-Bag]

I see a lot of dubious unsafe stuff on YouTube. To each his own. You should ask Janderso about his experience with hydraulic press and broaching. The quick release is not going to stop a broach from shattering after the fact.

 

[benmychree]

I see a lot of dubious unsafe stuff on YouTube. To each his own. You should ask Janderso about his experience with hydraulic press and broaching. The quick release is not going to stop a broach from shattering after the fact.

I quite agree with the anti hydraulic press for broaching, it can be done, but at your peril!

 

[pontiac428]

I agree with John and C-bag, it's one of those cardinal sins in the work shop to use a hydraulic press on a broach. You will feel the shrapnel cutting through before you hear the ping! It's not the eyes you have to worry about, either- they give no resistance- it's what lies immediately behind them.

 

[epanzella]

 

[Chewy]

I agree with the others on hand pressing the broach. just because you have power feed on a lathe or mill doesn't mean you HAVE to use it. You get into some dubious setups that can be done by hand and hit the power feed and watch what happens. On that HF press the blocks are cast. First thing to do is throw them away, Especially if you are going air over hydraulic. They can shatter before you hear them groan. Use solid steel or get the plates from Swag. Problem is that the plates cost more then the press.

 

[mmcmdl]

It’s not about speed. It’s about feel. There is no way you know with a hydraulic press if the broach is stuck. The shops I worked in it was immediate termination if you got caught using a hydraulic press to broach with. You might want to make a 1/4” plate screen to stand behind as if that broach shatters we’re talking HSS shards that will go right through you.

This has been discussed multiple times in the past . My buddy took a trip to the ER years ago when the broach broke and shattered . Broach parts hanging out of his stomach . We learn by our mistakes if we get the chance to .