flypress cast own weights?

[Seadog]

It would be if I had anywhere for it. It stays outside, sprayed with Ambersil. The struggle I had getting just the frame onto the bench was very time consuming, The frame alone weighs just short of 200lbs.

 

[500e]

Sold one a few years ago bd huge thing chap came with lorry & Hi-abb his initial idea was a pallet I suggested he looked at the photos Closer, frame was deep throat & aprox 2 1/2 ft high

 

[Gareth J]

Thanks for all the replies. Best not go overboard - it's a deep back so has a wider diameter spinner than a standard (I think) so don't need to overdo the weight with the extra momentum that will carry.

According to the site selling repro balls they sell them in 4" and 6". A 4" cast sphere is under 5kg so I'll start with that as an aim I think.

Could upgrade to a terracotta plant pot if the bean can is a bit small. Rounder edges too.

Brindles is a nice idea but don't need to order right now and don't fancy boring a hole.

Regarding getting it onto a frame, it was actually ok. Wouldhave been a 3-4 man lift I expect but I just ratchet strapped it up a wide wooden beam.

 

[frank horton]

when I bought mine I got lucky...somebody had welded the weights on......

 

[highseas]

I have the same problem and have the plan to use hollow steel spheres from Brundles filled with lead and they come in a load of different sizes

 

[Screwdriver]

Here's one I made years ago.

Hollow steel spheres filled with lead. Damp wooden insert to form taper. Skip forwards to 20 minutes(!) if you're not interested in melting lead.

 

[hotponyshoes]

To work out how much weight you need just fill some plastic bottles up with water and gaffa tape them in place.
Try it and adjust it until it feels right.
1l of water weighs 1kg.

Or roll a strip of lead around it and hold in place with a jubilee clip. Once you get the right amount take the lead off and melt it down.

 

[Gareth J]

Or roll a strip of lead around it and hold in place with a jubilee clip. Once you get the right amount take the lead off and melt it down.

Oh my goodness that's even simpler! Why didn't I think of that. That'll work for me for sure, saves the bother and hazard of molten lead splashing about too.

Is the feeling of "right" something you can describe?

 

[gaz1]

anyway if you dont want to pay for it you can make it via wood

for those none believers with wood heres a

 

[Screwdriver]

Oh my goodness that's even simpler! Why didn't I think of that. That'll work for me for sure, saves the bother and hazard of molten lead splashing about too.

Is the feeling of "right" something you can describe?

I'll be honest and admit I have never wanted any less weight on mine than it has now. Those are 6" diameter lead balls so 20kg each.

I once (stupidly) wanted to punch a 2" diameter hole through a hard brass sheet. I gave that thing everything I had, really wound it up and went through the plate with a massive crack which ricocheted like a bullet. Apart from spoiling a rather lovely tool because I hadn't lined everything up properly, the old DB6 had no issue at all.

Even with that rather ridiculous amount of weight in the balls, I can still operate the mechanism with a smooth controllable light touch. It's just that most of the time I don't. POWER!

 

[Mikes]

The weights always seem heavy when they bang your head whilst being over enthusiastic on the arm. Never helped by the squidgy rubber that you put around the punch. Suspect every apprentice has cursed the flypress weights when they first use them.

 

[8ob]

The weights always seem heavy when they bang your head whilst being over enthusiastic on the arm. Never helped by the squidgy rubber that you put around the punch. Suspect every apprentice has cursed the flypress weights when they first use them.

I had a Saturday job in an engineering firm when I was a nipper and a lot of that time was spent swinging on a flypress.The guys there set the thing up,I was doing the swinging with all my might with both hands wrapped around the handle while another guy fed the bits in that were being punched. For a "laugh" on one occasion they pulled the work while I was in full swing and this thing shot me across the workshop like a rag doll and I broke my arm , the laughing soon stopped

Bob

 

[Gareth J]

Think that's ample. See what you mean by the "feel" now. When you start to see the casting flex quite a bit you know you're exceeding capacity. I took a bit off of these weights as it was too easy to induce what I felt was too much flex. Can still push it but it needs more swinging on.

Cheers gents, much more practical solution than melting stuff

 

[Screwdriver]

What is that? 10kg per side?

 

[KemppiFrog]

anyway if you dont want to pay for it you can make it via wood

for those none believers with wood heres a

Just about collected enough lead bits for my keel. Casting is next month, in a wooden mould. Only 200kg. So nothing like those guys.
KF

Oh, lead is 11x heavier than water.

 

[Gareth J]

What is that? 10kg per side?

Not sure, at a guess, between 5 and 10kg per side. Didn't weight them

 

[500e]

Here's one I made years ago.

Hollow steel spheres filled with lead. Damp wooden insert to form taper. Skip forwards to 20 minutes(!) if you're not interested in melting lead.

Not keen on molten lead & damp wood, seen some nasty spitting with a bit of damp sand in casting mould

 

[Maker]

Not keen on molten lead & damp wood, seen some nasty spitting with a bit of damp sand in casting mould

I was thinking that, clearly it worked though.

 

[nickk]

Here’s mine,last press I bought missed 1,so bought a 6” solid off brundles for £15,counterbored it ,which reduced the weight compared to the original by a kilo at least.

 

[Screwdriver]

Not keen on molten lead & damp wood, seen some nasty spitting with a bit of damp sand in casting mould

luckily it is encased inside a steel shell. It can spit as much as it likes.