The Armour Archive

Don't know if you are still here. I just came across a note about a modified arbor press you were working on. Any progress?

Just wondering.

Pad

Greetings
Gaston is a good friend (we used to be squire brothers). Currently he doesn't have space for a shop and he is using mine. I have the arbor press and have been using it for years. It makes dishing, curving, and flute very easy. It is the quickest for the money way of forming metal.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Hope this helps
Jeffrey

Hi Jeffrey,

Thanks for the news. If you ever get pics of the setup, I am sure it would be interesting to many people here including me.

Say hi to Gaston for me.

Pad

Hi there!

Jeff called and told me I was being paged. Just finished final exams. I still browse AA ocasionally but mostly the combat area.

Sir Geoffery had a dishing press originally belonging to Wolf's Head armoury (now defunct?) and from that concept he made one for himself and then I made mine which is currently residing in Sit Cedric's backyard until I get shop space. In the meantime I have used Jeff's quite a bit and it is a joy. He made a video a long time ago about the press, maybe it's time to do an updated one and put it on HouseAsgard.com

Next time I go to Jeff's, I'll bring my camera.

Jeff is all about tools. Aside from the nifty dishing press he has a plasma cutter, mutliple welders, enough Whitney punches to never have to change bits, and tons of other nifty things that make basic armouring seem so easy (right up until you want to start doing really sophisticated shaping, then you have to actually pick up a hammer). A first-timer in the shop can make his first knee cops complete with polish in about 2.5 hours. My last ones took about an hour.

The press is very good for moving "stubborn" metal like thick T6 or stainless. He has two sizes of dish and two sizes of cylinder plus some specialty heads. The cylinders are THE best thing for stuff like cuises, greaves, and funky shields. It's just so easy to put a nice even bend in lage sheet and you have a lot more control than with something like a roller where you can't easily vary the curve.

The press is actually a fairly easy project. You start with a 2-ton arbor press from Harbor Freight. Then you add a handle, some weights on top, and make your various shaping heads. Jeff's basic head was made from the head of a sledgehammer--a little grinding and welding and it fits on the end of the press and is secured with a single screw. My heads were made by a machinist friend and look spiffy and professional, but they don't really work any better. Jef likes using concave metal pieces for the "anvil" part, but I have had a lot of success with just wood blocks and with lead. The shaping goes slower for sure but you also get more control for complex curves.

Gaston

Hi Gaston

Thanks for the explanation, the pics would be great. I was just looking at a 2T arbor press from BusyBee and this would give one more excuse to buy it. Like I need excuses.

Thanks again

Pad

PS: Forgot, thanks Jeff for the message service.

Greetings
Actually it is a 3 ton press about $100 from the import companies. I don't think that a 2 ton would work as well, I've broken one 3 ton.
The one I stored for wolfs head was a 5 ton about $400 not worth the added cost for the hobby, I believe that red falcon now has/had it.
We will work on pictures/video of the press in action
And I'm a tool junkie.
Jeffrey

I have been wanting to build a hydraulic press for some time. Some pics of the dies and stuff would be great.

Jeff W wrote:We will work on pictures/video of the press in action
And I'm a tool junkie.
Jeffrey

Aren't we all.

Thanks for sharing.

Pad