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Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 3:17 pm
by pollys1dad
Is there some type of manual, machine, press, not Industrial factory type air tool level, more sort of home hobby? For knocking out an oblong hole nice and neat in 2mm bendable grade aluminium, say 100 x 75mm and smaller sizes, like 25 x 15mm. Might also be going through 12 gauge galvanized steel.
Thanks.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:43 pm
by Bob D.
Thats a tall order. Pretty stout material thickness. If they were round holes a Slugbuster electrical panel punch would do the aluminum. Probably take the hand pump hydraulic version on the 12g steel. Two holes overlapping some, would be oval-like after cleaning up the sides.
Me? I'd make a pattern and use my plasma cutter and cut them right out with ease.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:58 am
by liveaboard
I've done that;
The shop had a mechanical arbor press, a big screw with a large weighted handle on top.
It looked awful, but with a little practice one could learn to control it quite well. give the handle a hard pull and momentum does the rest.
Soft bounce, hard press, it's a very flexible machine.
If you can find one.
They're heavy.

I made the punch and die by flame cutting followed by grinding with a hand held angle grinder. That was thinner material, maybe 1 or 1.5mm aluminum.
For punching aluminum a mild steel punch and die will work for a while. 10 or even 20 pieces.
If you need more than that, you need a "real" punch and die.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 10:54 am
by pollys1dad
mechanical arbor press. I have one of these,

https://www.axminstertools.com/axminste ... Country=GB Is this what you mean?

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:17 am
by Jon W
I’m sensing maybe some dobros in the works? Try posting over at the Musical Instrument Makers Forum (MIMF.com). A real depth of expertise and perhaps more importantly experience (successful and not) there. It’s a friendly, well moderated forum along the lines of Chaski. If you log in as a member you can search the full archives - back a few decades.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:21 am
by pollys1dad
Bob D. wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:43 pm Thats a tall order. Pretty stout material thickness. If they were round holes a Slugbuster electrical panel punch would do the aluminum. Probably take the hand pump hydraulic version on the 12g steel. Two holes overlapping some, would be oval-like after cleaning up the sides.
Me? I'd make a pattern and use my plasma cutter and cut them right out with ease.
I have a couple of Greenlee knock out punches by another manufacturer.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 12:51 pm
by Bob D.
pollys1dad wrote: Sun Jul 17, 2022 10:54 am mechanical arbor press. I have one of these,

https://www.axminstertools.com/axminste ... Country=GB Is this what you mean?
That is way to little to do much of any die punching. Plus with size you get more reach and can punch further depth into the workpiece. Can't have any shake in the arbor. Die align goes to hell. Makes a big difference getting your punch setup as high as possible off the press base so you have as little arbor extension as practicable.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:20 pm
by liveaboard
I was thinking of something more like this;
https://www.indiamart.com/saifee-machin ... chine.html

It seems to be called a "Fly press".
Rs.5,000; that's like, $100!
Shipping might take the fun out though.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 4:09 am
by pollys1dad
liveaboard wrote: Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:20 pm I was thinking of something more like this;
https://www.indiamart.com/saifee-machin ... chine.html

It seems to be called a "Fly press".
Rs.5,000; that's like, $100!
Shipping might take the fun out though.
OK thanks. I've never heard of a fly press, while finding out about them. I then came across ,the bench mounted workshop hydraulic press and punch and die sets for these. I think a hydraulic press would be a better bet, than the Greenlee hydraulic manual slug buster. But that all said and done, at the end of the day. The cost of a suitable box pan brake/folder cost of a decent shear, cost of punch and die sets, suitable grade of bendable aluminium. My time involved in punching. As a possible small scale one man business venture, the costs involved are unrealistic compared to having a metal fabricator make up the enclosures. Not forgetting state of world economy, Ukraine, possible full gas cut off to Germany, European recession. Might not be prudent to start a small one man business venture, in home workshop, just at the moment. Thanks again.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 4:12 am
by pollys1dad
Thanks everyone for the replies, appreciated.

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:49 am
by NP317
Best of luck to you.
RussN

Re: Some Kind Of Press For Knocking Out Shapes In Aluminium

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 4:11 pm
by tetramachine
Do you have a milling machine, that would do that kind of work easy.
Or drill four corners, cut with nibbler, might do AL that thick. Or saw of your choice.
A 40 ton IRON WORKER, would do it but the dies would be $xxxx.00