Looking to buy a press to squash alu tube...

[FASTdan]

In my line of work I regularly need to form aluminium tube (38mm, 45mm, 48mm, 50mm) with a 3mm wall to go from round to oval. Therefore I am looking to buy a press but I am unsure what sort of load will be required.

I've been looking at these on ebay, come in 20T and 30T:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-Ton-Industrial-Hydraulic-Workshop-Garage-Shop-Press-NEW-CT189-/190919341141?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item2c73adf455

I would have thought even 20T would be plenty to do the job, but the last thing I want to do is buy it and find it wont do it. Of course I could trail over there with a bit of tube and try it, but just wondered if anyone could advise?

Also has anyone bought one of those particular models?

 

[gordon stephenson]

Wouldn't it be quicker, depending on what lengths you are doing to use a set of rollers to achieve the oval section,

 

[Robotstar5]

What about a fly press?

 

[wyn]

As Gordon says, i don't think you will get the oval profile by just squashing it.

It needs to be drawn through a couple of sets of rollers to gradually get it down to the shape you want.

It would probably need annealing as more than likely it will be T6.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Bit more info needed. Unless very short lengths, a simple press will not do it. And.. as pointed out, if the oval shape is important, the tooling is critical. I needed 'D' shaped copper tubes for solar panels. A flat roller doesn't work, it needs to be concave, otherwise the flat side has a dip in it. Bit difficult to explain simply, but if you want to know, PM me.
KF

 

[FASTdan]

The lengths are only 50-80mm - and needs to stay round at the other end. Most tubes have a weld half way down (to form a bend in the tube).

I currently use a fibre covered copper mallet - whilst the other end is kept round using a turned boss seated inside. The shape at the oval end is not critical at all - hence I can get away with my current crude method. I do this having just done the weld which means the material is soft. However in some instances there is no weld, it is simply a straight tube - and cold forming is near impossible. Of course I can heat it, but thats quite slow.

I know what is being said about the dip in the middle, had considered if I could make something to support it internally once at a certain height and then maybe a loose fit d-shaped external tool to do the pressing.

 

[bigegg]

flypress with custom tooling.
you're welcome to bring a bit of tubing to shove under my fly press as a test - I'm near white rose centre in leeds

 

[FASTdan]

flypress with custom tooling.
you're welcome to bring a bit of tubing to shove under my fly press as a test - I'm near white rose centre in leeds

Thankyou for that offer, I may take you up on it. Why a flypress over hydraulic then? Speed?

 

[bigegg]

Speed mainly.

Hydraulic presses are more for exerting steadily increasing pressure, for such as bearings. A fly press is more of an impact tool - for punching holes, or in my case as a heavy hammer for blacksmithing