This page contains photos of wood pieces that represent the steel pieces that will be constructed to make a press for forming metal.
Pretend the horizontal 2×4 below is the center steel beam that slides up and down from the pressure of the jack below it.
The vertical 4x4s to the left of it are the upright wooden 4x4s that will keep the steel beams in line with each other .
The three-step steel wedge sitting on the 2×4 is a sample of the kind of form that will be set on the sliding steel beam.
Below is a piece of the 28 gauge that will be formed in the press. 28 ga in this case is .0156 inches or .0148 mm.
Unfortunately, I cannot always get 28 ga. Sometimes I might have to use 24 ga, which sometimes is .015 inches or .38 mm. Other times it might have to be 25 ga. which is .025 inches or .635 mm
Below is neoprene that is 1 inch thick and hard like the tread on a tire. It goes between the upper beam and the form. Under enough pressure it conforms to the shape of the form.
The wooden 2×4 below represents the upper beam against which the neoprene and the form will be pressed.
Below is the 28 ga. steel after being pressed between the neoprene and some real steel beams that were only 2 ft long. That small, original steel press was tested to find its weak point by pushing it until it came apart.
Joel
513-348-4744