Jump to content
APC Forum

Hydraulic Hand Press?


pycharm

Recommended Posts

Looking at moving into making strobe rockets, but as you all know, it requires a press with a blast guard. I found a pneumatic press for around 600, but there are cheaper hand pump 15t presses for about 300. In your experience, is a hand pump press suitable? I'm thinking of putting the blast guard so it covers around the handle. Wasn't sure if hand pumping (which takes longer) might cause more friction than the air operated. Edited by pycharm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other than the extra effort involved, a hand press is just fine. I made my own press for around $40 with steel from a scrap yard, a bottle jack, some large diameter threaded rod and 1/2" polycarbonate. The bottle jack and poly made up most of the price.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other than the extra effort involved, a hand press is just fine. I made my own press for around $40 with steel from a scrap yard, a bottle jack, some large diameter threaded rod and 1/2" polycarbonate. The bottle jack and poly made up most of the price.

Awesome! I saw some even cheaper that I may look into getting just to start out with. What's the minimum pressure press you'd recommend?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The minimum pressure required depends solely on what you plan to use your press for. In my case, I primarily use it for corning BP. My "rig" for pressing the BP pucks is a piece of three inch PVC pipe and two 3" fiberglass reinforced polyester pistons, cast to fit snugly inside the pvc pipe. For this I chose an 8 ton bottle jack. Yes it is small, but it has performed adequately for everything I have ever used it for and that includes pressing a few, experimental 1lb. BP rockets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a 5t I can get for free, is why I ask. Maybe it will suffice. Thanks for the help!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 tons of force should be sufficient for all but the largest rockets. You're probably okay up to around 4lb (1.25" ID), but 6lb (1.5" ID) might be pushing it. For other items, 5 ton is probably sufficient for comets up to around 3".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 tons of force should be sufficient for all but the largest rockets. You're probably okay up to around 4lb (1.25" ID), but 6lb (1.5" ID) might be pushing it. For other items, 5 ton is probably sufficient for comets up to around 3".

I'm thinking 1lb 3/4" should be perfect. So I'm happy to hear that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Opps!! I need to make a correction... the bottle jack in my press is actually a 5 ton! I have shop jack that is 8 ton and I guess I got them mixed up... so yeah I can back up what Mumbles said with real world experience

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Opps!! I need to make a correction... the bottle jack in my press is actually a 5 ton! I have shop jack that is 8 ton and I guess I got them mixed up... so yeah I can back up what Mumbles said with real world experience

Great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...