Hey everyone. Great place, and I appreciate what everyone has contributed to this forum This is my first post, and I am starting to build a press, I hope sooner than later.
I've been looking at I beams for the last year or so waiting for a cheapo deal to build the frame of my press. I notice most people use 8,10, 12 inch I beams. I thought this might be way more strength than needed.
I came across some 2.25"X4" beams that are 1/8" thick and 99 inches long. I thought I could lay these in a series as the top and bottom sections to make a snowboard press.
With a pneumatic press I am concerned that they might not hold up to the pressure created; called deflection if I am right. I've selected these beams because they are super cheap. Whats the consensus?
Thanks for the help. I'm looking forward to helping out too!
I'm using 310mm high (12" or thereabouts) I beams at 46.2kg/m. I've calculated I should see a deflection around 1.6mm in the centre from memory at maximum pressure.
You could probably build a Mongo style press out of those beams, if it was properly supported through the middle, but there's no way they'd hold if it was simply supported at either end.
It all depends on how you build your press. If you used enough 1"x1" tubing you could make it strong enough. Upload a sketch of your design on here so we can evaluate how the stresses will interact with the members. Also, if you want, I could probably do a quick engineering analysis with my CAD program to see where the stresses will concentrate. PM me if your interested in going that far.
Good info guys. What I want is, I think it is called an H style cavity press, so I'm going to dig up some bigger beams. I'm going to start really hunting construction sites and craigslist.
Jekul, I jumped on your website. Your setup is pretty sweet. I don't want to pry and rob you idea here, but your beams seem like they are lighter weight, almost industrial shelving. Am I right?
I dig the pallet racking system. Seeing your posts, you have pressed skis from this. Would you be willing to give some details on the weight ratings the beams have and how you connected the 4 or 5 frames for the press frame?
I used 5" C-channel beams, know either as seismic or structural pallet racking. I used four pairs of uprights and cross-members, forming a really wide a-shape (flip this symbol sideways for a visual [[ ). I then used some 2"x3" CRS to connect the top cross-members and the bottom cross-members. I believe the load rating was between 12k to 15k lbs. per shelf. However, I took the dimensions and modeled them in a 3d program, and then performed a stress analysis. I'm pretty good up to 50-60psi. I've also designed (but not yet implemented) additional supports to go to 100psi if I ever feel the need.
