6061 billet and a swage press

[rossrods]

Hey guys I've got a bunch of 1" 6061 bar stock lying around. Do you guys think it would hold up under the pressure of swaging caliber's less .30. I saw the thread let's build a swage press and just got curious if it's been attempted. And if so which areas other than the shadts, that needs to be steel, if any. This reason came to mind because some presses are cast alunimum, plus I have this scrape material. What do you think?

[GARD72977]

The 1" will not be think enough for the rods to hold the links. I think that aluminum would hold up if you had the right thicknes. It will require the use of a bronze bushing.

[rossrods]

Does anyone else have any inputs?

[runfiverun]

I think he is correct.
an O-frame and a swage type press are different.
the O-frames don't have the stresses placed on the frame so much except in a linear fashion.
swaging places stress on the different moving parts, the ram, where the dies go...

[sprinkintime]

I just don't think 6061 T6 will do it in 1", 1 1/2 it might, I think if I was going to build it out of Alum. I would use 7075 that will increase your yield at least 50% more. just my 2cents worth.
sprink

[anotherred]

Trade/sell the aluminum for steel? Wouldn't that be the easiest in the end? I'm not saying you can't make it work, but you have doubts also and the general consensus is what you have isn't the best choice of metals.

[ANeat]

Making an exact "copy" so to speak and just substituting steel for aluminum would probably be risky but I dont see any reason you couldnt make something similar using your aluminum.

I think a press made from billet aluminum would look great..... If I had the extra material laying around I would be tempted to try it

[rossrods]

Thanks guys. Im probably going to give it a try tomorrow. It could turn into a scrape pile. Anyways it will be a fun project to try and see. If it turns out okay, I will post some pics for show and tell. Or laugh and learn LOL. In any event I will have the program ready to run in either aluminum now or steel later. Might try down sizing to see if this will create less pressure's because of less leverage.

[257]

I think I would not like to put all that time in machining it and building it and then have it not hold up. just my 2 cents worth. you can get aluminum that's harder and stronger than steel but it's pricey.

[Jim_Fleming]

For what it's worth? Gents, I honestly don't think the aluminum material will hold up, if you do any sort of threading in it. You might get away with using aluminum if you can figure out how to use either thread inserts where you must have threads, and/or using clear holes and simple machine screws and bolts, where applicable.

[rossrods]

Yes sir, I agree. with the pressures applied at the weakest points, basically that's any place where steel meets alunimum. My work around was bronze bushings with lock tite at every hole. I forget the count of bushings but it's up there.? Most of the force would be the ram finishing its stoke into die. At this point there's considerable pressure at this point. There is threads there, alunimum to steel, this is the same point where the threaded adapter goes for knock out/punch holder.? Said force should travel vertically down thru ram into pivot points at the bottom. I have to agree steel is a no brainer, that's guaranteed. But I have all this 1"x8"x10' bar stock to use. Looks like the raw material for ram and connecting rods will be near $38.00 bushings is near $40.00. Alunimum is free. I think I've seen quotes on Aneats steel press material gets up towards $ 200.00. That's the main reason for using alunimum. Ya I know being cheap, retirement forces u to be frugal. I've got the cnc no problem. What's killing me now is the machinning or lathe work. Working on that now as we speak. Honestly I feel like it will work. Think about alunimum engines with the forces applied to these motors.