Paul.
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And another little press tool used with a flattening tool for forming a joggle, see how its used here https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum...panel-repairs-and-how-to-form-a-joggle.77143/
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droopsnoot
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And, of course, for the v-block, I could just bolt four of them together if I can't find anything thicker.
That's similar to the "tool" I made up for the press, which has been the thing I have used it most for. Mine was made from four strips of aluminium bar (those that used to come in new filing cabinets, for some reason I never worked out). Three are cut to length and taped (!) to a piece of cardboard backing, and the fourth is used to press the metal down into the gap. It comes in handy when I make a particular piece, but I don't make many of them so I've never spent time making it better.
Another thing I learned while the chap was demonstrating the tools up in Bootle was that I may have been using it wrongly. I've always put the tool and piece under the flat of the press, then swung the arm around to get the momentum of the weights behind it. As I've now found (at least with the folding tool) there's no need to do that, just turning it normally will do the trick. That's a good thing, because I am always a bit concerned about things moving out of line while the press is moving, and I couldn't see how that wouldn't happen with the folder. And another advantage of this over my normal folder is that the folder has a limit on how small a section it will grip, so putting a fold close to an edge only works if you can put the workpiece in from the "other" side.
Paul.
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Another tool picture to give you ideas, this one is for rolling curves, the bottom tool is adjustable for width for different thicknesses, that is a piece of 50 x 10, the press makes very light work of it, I also have some smaller round top tools for bending bars with a smaller radius or for corners in flat bars.
droopsnoot
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Oh, interesting that you're using it to punch holes, I did wonder whether it would be up to doing some sort of basic cutting. I must walk before I can run though - even being able to fold on it is a major jump in usefulness for mine.
We have one set up full time as a corner notcher, another as a 6mm hole punch and this one gets changed for different things
droopsnoot
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I got a replacement bolt for the tool retainer today, a mate has massive tubs of old bolts and identified it as 7/16 Whitworth thread, found a bolt and a square nut which I've welded together to form a new bolt. I filed the head down to 17mm as it was some weird size I hadn't got a spanner for.
And the sections of bar from @h-dom arrived, thanks, so I can mess around some more with it now.
And the sections of bar from @h-dom arrived, thanks, so I can mess around some more with it now.
Hello,
I'm new to the site, but have just recently obtained an old Denbigh #4 Flypress and have lots to learn.
When I was looking at the photos you posted, I saw something that left me with a question or two. As this is my first Flypress, there are a couple aspects that I've yet to find solid details. In your photo that showed what you removed from your flypress' ram, is it possible you removed a sleeve that is intended to stay in the ram? The reason I ask, is that mine has a similar looking "sleeve" (not sure proper naming, but that seems to at least make sense in my head), that the screw seems to contact, rather than contacting the actual post of the tool up in the ram. It seems to measure just a few thou over 1" in diameter. (photo attached below)Again, a full blown newbie here, but I'm glad to learn from those who have done more than me.
Cheers in advance,
Lee
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I've not seen anything like that before on the anvil of a flypress. Also does look a bit like some weld around the sleeve. My guess is this was a 1-1/4" tool holder that has been sleeved down to 1". Also the retaining screw typically should press against the tool to hold it in place and usually aligns with a groove machined into the tool.
Screwdriver,
Thanks for that. It is a poor photo but seemed a bit odd to me as well, if indeed a solid sleeve. I have an endoscope, so I’ll put it to use inside this bore. I should be able to rule out whether there is actually a through-hole for the screw to penetrate into the bore, that might be obscured from the lone shoddy photo attempt made with my iPhone. My flypress didn’t come with any tooling, so I’ve been working to clean it up, prior to ordering some. The process continues…
Thanks again for the input,
Lee
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No worries. Also I should have suggested, the tool or punch must reach the dead end of the retaining hole. All the pressure from the press should act on the end of the punch or fixture. The screw merely stops it from falling out though some fixtures like a large bending jig should shoulder up against the flat base of the anvil.
10-4 While deciding on buying a flypress, I became aware of the potential for mushrooming of the captured tooling, if there was no collar that would contact the flat base of the ram, just prior to the tooling "bottoming out" in the bore. I appreciate you taking the time to share this, as I'm sure there is no possible way to know the knowledge base of the person posting.
I did put my endoscope to work this afternoon, and the first photo attached is from that unit. As info, the yellow circled area is in approximate allignment with the lock screw, so may have slight deformation (dark area) from the pressure of the screw. The second photo is of the lockscrew opening on the ram, and there does seem to be a solid sleeve (no actual piercing for the screw to make direct contact with the tooling, or at least I couldn't see nor feel any opening). I'm trying to also determine if there is any "quick / easy" method I might use to determine if the lockscrew is imparting enough pressure on the sleeve to actually hold any tooling in place, even though it doesn't make direct lockscrew to tooling post contact. Perhaps there is enough flex in the sleeve to still act to retain said tooling?? I bought some off the shelf 1" rod, but it is far from precision, and will not fit into the ram, more than perhaps 1/4" or so. The bore is open for approx 2.5". I made some measurements of all of the sockets I had at this small shop, but none were within tolerance of what I would expect to interact. I can't see tossing $1,400US to obtain a really nice set of precision gauge pins, just to determine this one question. I appreciate any input.
Cheers,
Lee
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For a big brutal mechanism like this, the tool fixture is a high precision fit. You're a lot more likely to have problems getting your tools out than difficulty retaining them. For mine, I got myself a 1" reamer and made sure the hole was bang on.
The odd nicks or dings can jam the tool in there especially if they don't quite "bottom out" until you hit it with a few tons of pressure. You need the accuracy else it's tricky to keep a punch and die aligned.
I hesitate to suggest you drill/tap the retaining bolt just in case it interferes with the fit (due to an inaccessible raised burr). You don't know how it's retained either and it might even be a hardened sleeve, something you don't want to discover half way through drilling it out. The tiny amount of flex should retain the majority of tooling until you start using big heavy bending jigs so I'd try it first and if/when it fails, address the problem then.
The odd nicks or dings can jam the tool in there especially if they don't quite "bottom out" until you hit it with a few tons of pressure. You need the accuracy else it's tricky to keep a punch and die aligned.
I hesitate to suggest you drill/tap the retaining bolt just in case it interferes with the fit (due to an inaccessible raised burr). You don't know how it's retained either and it might even be a hardened sleeve, something you don't want to discover half way through drilling it out. The tiny amount of flex should retain the majority of tooling until you start using big heavy bending jigs so I'd try it first and if/when it fails, address the problem then.
Thanks Screwdriver!
Sound advise. I have a couple of reamers, but they are unfortunately geared for wood, as in precision fit adjustment for pegs on stringed instruments. I’ll have to see what I can find. Do you have any recommendations? Steel, high speed steel, carbide?? Sources you might look at, if you were in the market?
Lee
Sound advise. I have a couple of reamers, but they are unfortunately geared for wood, as in precision fit adjustment for pegs on stringed instruments. I’ll have to see what I can find. Do you have any recommendations? Steel, high speed steel, carbide?? Sources you might look at, if you were in the market?
Lee
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eBay, used, lowest price + p&p.
We've not met have we...
We've not met have we...
Thanks I’ll start my search later today. I’m assuming the reamer would still be a hand held/ hand controlled tool, even though we’re dealing with metal instead of wood, for the precision mentioned?
Not that I’m aware. I have a few buddies in the UK, and I’ve been to London on a couple of occasions, but I’m more known for woodworking / guitar playing. (If we have met, I hope you and family are still well!
)Lee
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Thanks I’ll start my search later today. I’m assuming the reamer would still be a hand held/ hand controlled tool, even though we’re dealing with metal instead of wood, for the precision mentioned?
Not that I’m aware. I have a few buddies in the UK, and I’ve been to London on a couple of occasions, but I’m more known for woodworking / guitar playing. (If we have met, I hope you and family are still well!
Lee
The bore really ought to be within a couple of thou at worst so you could probably spin a reamer by hand.
It was a (lame) joke. Whenever anyone asks where to get <anything> my answer is always "eBay, used, lowest price + p&p" but yes, anything 1" that's vaguely decent will do. You only want to get rid of any slight imperfections, galling, dings, deformation in the sleeve and you'll probably only use it once!
It will come in handy if you decide to drill and tap the sleeve later.
Thought I’d share some more info. I was actively searching to find a decent 1” reamer as you described, but nothing was setting the world on fire for me. I kept thinking about the flypress and something I saw flipped a different switch in me. Over here in the US, many use 1” =25mm, even though it is more accurately 25.4mm. As the actual 1” rod I had in hand, would not fit into the bore, and my Denbigh was made in the UK (duh, right), maybe it’s bore was actually 25mm and not 1”! When I did the conversion for 25mm, the decimal inch value was 0.984 and some change. I ordered some 25mm steel rod (thought it said precision, but didn’t play out that way). I had the lock screw loose, and fed the 25mm rod into the bore, tightened the lock screw, and it slipped right out. Measured the rod and dang if it wasn’t 24.92mm. I wrapped a piece of blue painters tape about 3/4 way around the rod, at the end going into the bore. It was a little tight going in, but the tape didn’t come loose or roll up. I tightened the lock screw again and it held the rod like a champ. I measured a second time (made a mistake in the photo below, so it wasn’t actually 25.10mm) , so I was only catching the tape on one side of the rod instead of both sides where I measured before, and the digital micrometer displayed 25.02mm. I’m gonna order a precision rod of 25mm and validate that it works, like this test did. I’ll probably look for a 25mm precision reamer, too, as I may at some point decide to drill through the sleeve, so the lock screw holds via direct contact, rather than just compressing the sleeve into the rod / shank.
I also designed a quick and dirty acrylic tool to determine a range of diameters, to assess steel rod. (Image below)
Feel free to enlighten me if I’ve missed some reason why my logic is off kilter. As I mentioned before, I’m always glad to learn. Thanks for your thoughts and input.
Cheers
Lee
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We still used inches when that thing was made. Goodness knows what has happened since then with that sleeve insert.
Sounds like you will be drilling/tapping out the retaining bolt. ironically perhaps, that means you really will need to ream out the hole afterwards. If a tool galls its way into that hole, it will get stuck like it's been welded.
Good luck!
Sounds like you will be drilling/tapping out the retaining bolt. ironically perhaps, that means you really will need to ream out the hole afterwards. If a tool galls its way into that hole, it will get stuck like it's been welded.
Good luck!
