Hydraulic press with your own hands from a hydraulic cylinder

How to make a jack press with your own hands?

Every car enthusiast knows that the press for the garage is a must for servicing the chassis of your car, and will be a great addition to the home workshop. This machine is indispensable when working with bushings, crankshaft, for mounting bearings, bending sheet metal, fittings, etc. д. In some situations you can be helped by a vise, but this method is ineffective if we are talking about large parts. The press method allows to cope with tasks of any complexity. Do you think that make a press for the garage with their own hands difficult? Then you will find our article useful.

The unit under consideration allows to process a variety of products and materials by means of pressure. For the operation of the mechanism is responsible for a special liquid. In the system in question, it remains under increased pressure.

The design consists of two main cylinders, they are also chambers. The smaller vessel increases the pressure of the fluid and transfers it to the working vessel, which has a larger size.

Hydraulic press

A channel or duct is used to connect the cylinders. In the big compartment, the fluid (usually special oil) exerts a force on a special piston. From there the force is transmitted to the installed power tool and then to the workpiece.

The operating cylinder is generally installed upright. Sometimes installed horizontally.

The press can develop forces of up to several thousand tons. The specific value is chosen in accordance with the characteristics of the processed blanks and the tasks to be performed.

Home-made press

Hydraulic presses are widely used for making pipes, pressing various products, manufacturing various pressed blanks of rubber, wood chips, plastic materials, etc.д.

How to use a homemade press

Homemade hydropress for the garage

At the garage, such a press will be a great helper for self-repair of the car and performing other tasks. For example, if you build a self-made press, you can press out the bearing yourself and then press in a new product. So you do not have to go to the car service center and spend money.

The press allows you to perform straightening, securely glue various parts under pressure, squeeze the liquid, bend a metal product, compress old bottles, cardboard, tin cans and other similar materials.

Factory-made pressing equipment costs a lot of money. If you assemble it yourself you will have to spend money only for the necessary accessories. An additional advantage of assembling the press yourself is that you will personally supervise the process every step of the way and you can get a machine that is best suited to your needs.

Fields of application

If we talk about the most common fields of application of hydraulic cylinders, they are to equip presses for various purposes. Presses driven by a hydraulic cylinder are widely used in agricultural product processing enterprises, metallurgical and machine-building plants and in many other areas.

Presses equipped with hydraulic cylinders of different capacities are successfully used for the following tasks:

• Pressing and unpressing of bearings and different shafts;
• metal bending and cutting;
• gluing products made of different materials, performed under pressure;
• Pressing oil and juice from herbs.

The operating element of this manual pressing tool is the hydraulic cylinder

The presses equipped with hydraulic cylinders are actively used not only in production enterprises, but also in everyday life (particularly for pressing juices from fruit and berries, as well as to solve problems of repair of cars and any other equipment). Many home masters make such presses with their own hands, using as the main working body a car jack, which, in fact, is a typical hydraulic cylinder, capable of developing quite serious efforts. up to 50 tons and more.

Depending on the purpose of the press, hydraulic cylinders with appropriate technical characteristics are selected for its equipment. The main such characteristics are working pressure and speed at which the plunger moves.

The hydraulic cylinder of this table press is actuated by a manual pumping station

Before you buy a baler. It must be clearly defined for what kind of work it will be used and how often. On this basis, choose the most convenient option. Types of hydraulic presses differ depending on method of pressing component movement, mounting, drive type.

Horizontal and vertical

Horizontal and vertical hydraulic balers differ in their design. Horizontal design is used for cutting, bending and straightening. The vertical press is used for pressing or unpressing parts.

Hydraulic horizontal baler is used for waste. Used for pressing corrugated cardboard packaging, waste paper, plastic bottles, textile waste, fluff and feather etc. д.

Horizontal (vertical) press is equipped with a press plate that moves in horizontal (vertical) direction.

Floor and table press

According to the type of installation hydraulic presses are divided into floor and table. A bench press can be placed on the workbench, but it will occupy a useful volume, and a floor press can be placed separately, but it will be more expensive. Presses have different load capacity and, therefore, a different volume and frame for mounting in the room.

How it works

The hydraulic cylinder principle is based on two laws of physics. One of them states that the liquid under pressure practically does not change in its volume. According to the second (Pascal’s law), the fluid pressurized will transmit the pressure unchanged to any point and in all directions.

Thus, if we create a closed hydraulic system with two cylinders of different diameters, equipped with pistons and connected to each other by a pipeline, the fluid pumped by the piston of a smaller diameter cylinder through the pipeline into the cylinder with a larger diameter piston will exert more pressure on the latter. All hydraulic cylinders work according to this principle and are in essence geared motors.

Hydraulic cylinders for presses are characterized not only by their simple design but also by other advantages:

• high efficiency demonstrated when working with heavy loads;
• The ability to make fine adjustments of the parameters of functioning;
• High reliability and protection against overload, which is ensured by the use of safety valves;
• Compact dimensions and low weight;
• high energy efficiency, which ensures the economical use of such devices.

Constructive design of a homemade press from a jack

Before you make your own hydraulic press, you should understand what components are included in its design.

The stability of the device requires a strong and reliable lower part, which acts as the base of the installation. It has the form of a platform and is made of massive thick metal. Metal channels and angles are mainly used for this.

As seen from the diagram of the press, the vertical parts of the design are represented by columns. The elements are made of steel angles and are welded to the base in such a way that a right angle between the elements is ensured. The height of the stanchions is calculated as the sum of the jack height, its rod length and the thickness of the workpiece. At the top of the uprights a fixed stop is fixed. It is made of a corner piece.

Hydraulic jack is used to create the necessary force on the surface to be treated. It will need to be fixed to the movable stop. The jack is actuated by a manual lever or an electric motor.

The height of the lateral stands must be the sum of the thickness of the workpiece, the height of the jack itself and the length of the jack stem

The mobile end stop applies pressure to the press. The element is made of steel strips or angles. To move the stop to a normal position, a return device is used. It is represented by several springs. Their length and degree of expansion is calculated on the basis of the press parameters.

Models for 30 tons

Hydraulic cylinders for the 30 tons press are popular at the industrial plants for stamping various dishes. Many models have damped pistons. The piston rod itself is set with a diameter of about 60 mm. This type of hydraulic cylinder weighs roughly 22 kg. The piston rod is used without attachment. Variants for drive presses have a sleeve. The piston diameter is matched to the piston. The flanges in all configurations are mounted on special feet. It is also important to note that trunnionless hydraulic cylinders are available on the market. Their linings are made of honed steel. It is possible to buy the model in stores at the price of 5 thousand Euro or more.

Models for 30 tons

Hydraulic cylinders for the 30-ton press are popular at the industrial plants for stamping of different dishes. Many models have damped pistons. The piston rod itself is mounted with a diameter of about 60 mm. This type of hydraulic cylinder weighs around 22 kg. The piston rod is used without attachment. Variants for drive presses have a sleeve. The diameter of the piston is adjusted to that of the piston. Flanges in all configurations are fixed on special paws. It is also important to note that there are trunnionless hydraulic cylinders on the market. Their linings are made of honed steel. It is possible to buy the model in stores at a price of 5 thousand to 100 thousand roubles.

How to use a hydraulic jack: design features

Most often, a homemade press is made from a hydraulic jack. This is due to the design features of the product and the principle of its operation, which is based on the laws of hydraulics.

Home-made press is most often made from a bottle-type hydraulic jack

There is a piston in the jack cylinder. Operating liquid in the form of mineral oil is located above it or in a separate tank. The hydraulic jack is actuated by a small pump that pumps oil through a bypass valve over the piston. The force is minimized by the difference in diameter between the plunger and the tool cylinder. The working fluid, which is above the piston, pushes it out, which contributes to the lifting of the load located above it.

To lower the tool, you should know how to use the hydraulic jack. To do this, slowly bleed operating oil from under the piston into the reservoir or into the top of the cylinder. For this purpose, a bypass valve in the form of a round head with shoulders is used, which must be loosened.

Some difficulties may occur during operation of the device, which is the result of insufficient oil level in the device. For troubleshooting, it is important to know how to fill the hydraulic jack with your own hands. To do this, unscrew the filler plug on the body of the tool and insert a hose into the hole to fill the reservoir to the desired volume. Once the process is complete, the jack is pumped.

Preparing the draft press

One of the most important elements of the design is the frame. It is a frame. Inside such a frame the jack is located. The frame must be strong enough to withstand the force of the jack with some reserve. It is necessary because during the operation the press will exert a downward and upward pressure, and without it the construction can simply burst.

The frame

The base of the frame is better to do in the form of a platform. The width of the opening of the platform chosen according to the size of materials you plan to further process in their press. In all circumstances, the aperture must be larger than the total dimensions of all the elements of the equipment to be placed.

To determine the appropriate height, you need to add together the following parameters:

• the dimensions of the jack;
• The size of the working stroke of the main tool rod;
• the thickness of the mobile table;
• The height of the workpieces to be pressed.

In this case, the jack is installed on the base of the frame, and the function of the support for the workpieces will take over the top of the frame. Transfer of force from the jack rod to the workpiece is accomplished by means of the mobile work table. Such a table is mounted on the frame. A jack is placed between the frame and the table.

The table is mounted in such a way that it can move along the frame in upward and downward directions without hindrance, supported by lateral guides.

On the sides of the jack are springs of sufficient stiffness. One eye of each spring is fastened to the base of the base frame and the other to the mobile table. The springs installed will compress the hydraulic jack into the starting position with the rod hidden. Size of springs and their stiffness must be selected according to the characteristics of the jack.

The stroke of the jack rod, and with it the height of the parts being pressed, can be adjusted in several ways:

• by installing a screw drive at the top of the frame. This element must necessarily be equipped with a hand wheel. During the operation of the press it will be possible to screw in a screw, which will reduce the size of the gap for the workpieces inside the frame;
• by creating a removable movable mobile table. If necessary it can be attached to the frame with bars or bolts. Beforehand, it is necessary to make holes in the frame, whose pitch in height should be somewhat less than the stroke of the jack rod;
• Using interchangeable pads. The hollow or solid steel profile is well suited for making these elements;
• using the above methods in combination.

All relevant dimensions must be entered on the drawing. the dimensions must be given taking into account the dimensions of the jack, the workpieces to be processed, and rolled metal that will be used for the hydraulic press assembly.

Making additional elements

Before you begin to manufacture a hydraulic press with their own hands, you need to consider that the role of guides you need to apply the metal angle pieces, whose size is equal to 100×100 millimeters, its height should be equal to 1.5 meters.

There must be four of these pieces. These parts must be welded vertically to the steel bed, two on each side. The spacing between the side-by-side angle bars must be 100 mm, which is necessary for the ends of the working stop to fit into the structure. They must be made of the same width. In the upper zone all the props must be joined together by means of a welded steel profile, which must be made to the proper size.

The same element will act as a fixed stop when you make a hydraulic hand press.

Purpose and function of the press: applications

The press has a wide application. Sometimes it is a necessary item in the workshop or in the garage. Small device often used in car repairs. You can use the press for silent blocks as well as for pressing out bearings.

Such equipment is used to create briquettes from waste, when gluing two surfaces, as well as for bending metal parts. At the same time factory-made devices can be unaffordable for many people. If you decide to make such a device with your own hands, it can easily be adapted to certain tasks.

The principle of hydraulics makes life much easier. Thanks to a simple mechanism, different equipment works effectively.

Self-made unit is used for work in the garage and the workshop

So, let’s consider in more detail what is necessary for such a device:

• Pressing out different bearings, then is used in small car repair shops;
• bending metalware of various shapes;
• Providing pressure for gluing two elements;
• rivet assembly.

Try to make a press with their own hands in the garage. Such a device is used for pressing out and pressing in all kinds of parts. This equipment performs a huge range of repair, maintenance and preventive maintenance.

• Even a small car service center needs a hydraulic press, which can be purchased or made by yourself. To make such a machine, you need to decide on the installation of a pressure gauge, weight, size and performance of the piston. Before developing the press it is necessary to take into account the models of cars. Simple design is not suitable for large machines;
• A waste paper press is often needed for the workshop and at home. When there is a large accumulation of paper, it needs to be disposed of. Such a design has a medium power rating and can operate from the electric network. With the help of a small machine you can remove a significant amount of waste paper;
• Cardboard press is also useful, with which you can press plastic bottles and tin cans. When assembling the machine yourself, you need to consider the parameters of the piston, the bed, the size of the equipment and weight. Such a device uses a ready-made or manual hydraulic pump;
• sawdust press is used to create briquettes. Received briquettes are used for heating private houses. Such a device consists of a table, a power frame, a base and a drive. For the manual mechanism is often used a jack, and for a mechanical design is suitable electric motor;
• Homemade hay baler is a special box, which is installed on a frame construction made of beams. Such frames can be made of metal profiles. The design is made in the form of a box, but without the upper part. You will need some materials to make a hay press with your own hands. Drawings with dimensions will make the task easier. It is worth using angles, slats made of metal and treated boards.

To make the machine for hay you need to connect the boards with metal corners. After that the box is lined with slats. This will give strength to the product. Then you need to proceed to the wicket or door, which is fixed on the hinges.

To assemble you will need an element for attaching to the lobes, a base for mounting all the components, a running piece and a transport picker. You will also need a special chamber with a gearbox and hay. Bale baler is used for one cycle of wrapping and collecting straw or hay.

They pick up the dried hay in the field and also press the bales. Then bales are formed from the canvasses. This process is characterized by baling without deforming the vegetation. Factory pick-ups have a fairly complex setup that is rarely done at home.

The machines for waste paper are used at the points that are engaged in the reception of various secondary raw materials. This machine is characterized by high pressure of about 15-50 tons, which helps to make bales of small size. For loading them, it is possible to use any manipulators. Presses for fuel briquettes are also very powerful.

Such a design can be made of two types:

• The mechanical version is a simplified design with little power. In this case, the force can reach one ton;
• the more powerful includes a homemade hydraulic device, the power of which can be up to 4 tons.

The manufacture of the press for plastic bottles is done in a similar way.

Design of the press: features of existing devices

To create a significant force on a certain area, the design of the hydraulic press is used, you can buy such a unit in specialized stores. Such a machine is an effective and simple device.

If you decide to make such a construction according to the drawings, it is necessary to understand what it consists of:

• The lower part or the base is necessary for the stability of the structure. It looks like a platform and is made of solid metal. Metal corners and channel bars are suitable for this;
• The uprights are the vertical parts of the structure. The height of the elements is calculated as the sum of the length of its rod, the height of the jack and the thickness of the fixed stop. The props are made of steel angles welded to the base;
• The fixed stop is fixed in the upper part of the columns. To make it the same angle is used as the stands;
• the jack allows to develop the necessary force. This element is attached to the movable stop. It is driven by an electric or manual drive;
• the movable footplate exerts the main pressure on the mechanism. Can be made of corners or steel strips;
• the return device is used for the movement of the movable stop into the normal position. It uses springs, the degree and length of which are calculated depending on the parameters of the press.

How to make a simple construction can be seen in the video below:

Vacuum press

When making a vacuum press with their own hands, it is worth considering that the device consists of a thermomodule, a table and a vacuum chamber. The last element is often rectangular and made from rigid material.

This design has some features:

• The machine has only manual operation;
• affordable materials are used for the work;
• Speed of operation should not be inferior to its factory counterparts.

The vacuum construction is assembled from such parts:

• The frame is made of a rail for the thermomodule and a profiled tube. For the work we need a welder and an electric drill;
• vacuum table is made of clamping frame, clamps and tub;
• it also needs a water ring pump.

The thermovacuum press is also made by analogy.

Baler

Such a machine as a baler is installed as a trailed machine for power tillers. It is used on small farm fields and on large farmlands. After the green material is cut with the mower, this machine works on it. In this process, rolls of stalks are formed, and after that the machine is used to produce baled bales.

Here are the advantages of using such a unit

• Drying time is reduced, and hay losses are reduced;
• Several times less labor costs;
• This increases the quality of the hay during storage;
• self-adjustment of the attachment is possible.

The following diagram shows a version of the bale chamber

The most common variant is the roll mechanism. Spring tines allow for the collection of the grass mass. each portion is then rolled into bales. A mini-tractor can load up to 20 tons of straw in 20 days with this baler. Roll-up structures have small dimensions.

The swath press of the baler variety makes briquettes in the shape of a rectangle. The grass in the windrows is picked up by the tines and deposited in the baling chamber. The dimensions can be adjusted with machinery. The bales are securely packed and tied with twine. After that the unit is thrown on the field.

You can also make a homemade version from walking beam and lumber. A large box of boards is made and a horizontal method is used to load the hay. A rack and pinion or screw jack is used as the press. With such a device it is possible to knit bales of straw and press them.

Table type mechanical press

The table press can be operated by both automatic and manual traction. Such equipment is often made of solid steel.

With the help of a manual press are processed:

The mechanical press is used to press out bearings and bushings, forging and punching small parts. Such a unit saves time in making parts.

The device of the hydraulic hand-held machine produces force by means of a hydraulic cylinder rod. The element contains liquid that is compressed under pressure. The unit is used to compress, deform and join parts.

The hole-punching variant is used for punching holes in sheets of different materials. Manual mechanical devices are required for pressing pipe sleeves and cables.

Vibropress

Vibropress allows you to reduce the time of construction works, as well as reduce their cost. The device device assumes three drives: hydraulic, mechanical and pneumatic. The work of the unit is based on the technology of vibro-pressing.

Even with the manual and the necessary drawings to create a vibropress your own hands can not succeed. This can occur due to incorrect calculations, inaccurate adjustment and low performance.

A power press

Hydraulic baler with an electric motor has a simple design. It most often consists of a thick angle and a channel. All elements are connected by thick bolts.

The structure of the press

The home-made press does not need high technological indicators. As noted above, it is used to create and correct uncomplicated and small parts or uncomplicated operations. On this basis, homemade presses usually have a maximum force of 20 tons.

However, the parameters by which the presses are classified are suitable for both production models and self-made.

Making the base

The first point in any instruction for making a press is to make the base. It is assigned the role of a support, so it must withstand the load of the machine.

The strength characteristics of the platform are a guarantee of a quality device. Its width must correspond to the dimensions of the objects you wish to process.

And also, it can not exceed the sum of all the dimensions of the device. The height of installation should be chosen according to the size of your jack.

It is also worth taking into account such factors as:

It is necessary to attach the car jack to the base of the press so that the elements rest against the steel frame and place the work table on top. The latter will be moved thanks to the bed.

To give the machine the necessary rigidity and strength properties, you can reinforce it with profiles. It is also possible to use metal sheets instead, after bending them into an angle and welding them together.

To make the equipment more stable, you need to attach additional metal plate 2025 cm thick 0.8-1.2 cm. Then you will need to install a pair of springs on both sides of the jack. They need to connect the work table with the base.

Options for using the press

Rather widespread is the use of the hydraulic press in the home workshop or garage. Such a device, characterized by relatively small dimensions, can be used both for repair work on the car, and to perform other household works.

With this compact device you can easily perform removal of glands and bearings, as well as pressing new parts in their place. In addition to repair work, the press can be used for bending metal parts and workpieces, creating the necessary pressure when gluing dissimilar surfaces, squeezing juice and oil, briquetting waste.

Pressing equipment of industrial production has a relatively high price, so not everyone can buy it. Therefore, home craftsmen try to make a homemade press from a jack, while spending money only for the purchase of necessary materials. The peculiarity of the device of such a device is its complete adaptation for solving the necessary problem with a specific workpiece or part. A made press will fit perfectly into the functional interior of any garage or workshop.

How to make a press with your own hands

The presence of high requirements to the technical characteristics of the homemade press made of a jack is not considered mandatory. For the production of home works, it is enough that the device developed an effort of 10-20 tons and was able to perform the function entrusted to him.

Regardless of the nature of the manufacture of the press, it must fully comply with a number of parameters for the product:

• The total weight of all equipment.
• Dimensions of the device.
• Stroke length of operating piston.
• Option to install a pressure gauge in the press.
• Characteristics of the supporting frame of a functioning product.

In hydraulic presses pressure in the main cylinder is often created with a hydraulic hand pump, which can be located either separately from it, or be built into the construction. The location of the pump depends on the design of the machine. The use of the jack is considered the most appropriate solution, since it already has a manual built-in pump.

Before proceeding to the development of the drawing of the future product, it is necessary to think through what scheme it will work according to. There are basically two options:

• The jack is located at the bottom of the press and the pressure on the workpiece is upward.
• A jack is fastened to the upper part of the equipment, which correspondingly leads to a downward pressure on the workpiece.

A jack is generally used as the base model. the jack is located in the lower part of the press. This scheme is also applied to factory-made equipment. The second arrangement is mainly used when bushes or bearings have to be pressed out of single mechanisms or assemblies.

Making the frame

The supporting base of any equipment of this type is the frame. This device is of particular importance when designing and building the whole system of the press product. Structurally, it is a frame, inside of which there is a jack with working plates that transfer pressure on the metal workpiece.

The frame must be very strong, as all parts are subject to load in more than one direction. To avoid premature breakage of the whole structure, all parts of the supporting base are calculated with a large margin of safety of the elements.

The lower part of the bed is also responsible for a good stability of the equipment. Therefore, when calculating the width of the frame, you need to consider not only the size of the workpieces, but also the size of all the components of the future construction.

The height of the inner frame opening is determined from the total height of the following elements:

• The jack to be installed on the equipment.
• The value of the free stroke of the piston rod.
• The total thickness of the workpiece and the press body.

Self-made device will be much easier in operation, if you make the possibility of adjusting the free stroke of the jack rod, which can significantly affect the permissible height of the workpiece. This requires:

• Place an additional plate in the upper part of the frame frame, freely moving along the guides by means of a screw-type drive with a handwheel. In this way the clearance can be easily varied to accommodate the part within the structure within a fairly wide range.
• As well as the manufacture of a removable stop, which is used as a movable platform. To fix the position of such a platform inside the frame you can use a bolted connection, for which you drill holes in the frame with the necessary pitch. The pitch of such fastening should not exceed the size of the free stroke of the jack piston.
• Manufacturing of changeable metal inserts of different thickness is also possible.
• In some constructions the simultaneous application of different methods is used.

Working part

After all the preparatory work and thinking about the drawing of your future construction, you can proceed to making the press. The first thing to do is to cut all the material to the size specified in the drawing.

Further, to make the base of the press, square pipes, which were cut beforehand, are welded together and a sheet metal material is welded on the formed rectangle. Then upper frame and lateral stands are welded together. Be sure to check the right angle between the parts of the structure. The whole structure is then welded to the base plate and the frame is ready.

The next stage of the device is making the sliding platform. For this purpose it is desirable to use a rectangular or square tube or a channel. In the center of the platform a piece of pipe is welded, which will be a socket for the head of the jack rod. The rails are made of two steel strips, whose length corresponds to the width of the frame on the outer contour.

The strips can be bolted to the sides of the mobile platform by pre-installing them in the inside of the frame. The same scheme is used for the device of the removable support, but holes are drilled in the guides symmetrically to the frame legs to strengthen it at the necessary height.

The complete press manufacturing process ends with the installation of the pulling springs and the pressing device itself. Such equipment is very convenient because it makes it possible to use the car jack for its intended purpose at any time.As you can see, the presence of a small number of tools (welder, electrodes, angle grinder, grinder) and simple consumables can in skillful hands become a necessary device for carrying out various works in the household.