Wood press....

[NEngineer]

Hi Guys,
I started looking into making a pneumatic press using I-beams. The press I need will have to be around 15" wide to accomodate snowboards.
The cost using I-beams is around $300. Part of the problem is that the beams that I use have to be light enough for 2 people to carry. I don't have access to a fork lift.

I'm looking at other alternatives and recycling yards but in the meantime I was wondering if anyone has tried to make a press using wood. I was thinking of just using 4*4. The design would be similar the pneumatic press http://www.skibuilders.com/howto/equip/pneumatic.shtml but only with 4*4 beams.

thanks

[Jordan]

I wouldnt reccomend using wood, if you are planning on making the press similar to the one shown then why not use steel tubeing, its not heavy in seperate pieces and all you need is a cut off saw, or a chop saw with a cut off blade... or a hacksaw and alot of time.

[NEngineer]

yeah. Wood press is out. It'll either be tubing or i-beams. Just have to wait a couple of pay checks.

[Buuk]

Wood press may be out, but it's a lot cheaper than steel.
I can buy most materials at university, but steel is still quite expensive.
And since the wood replaces a lot of steel the entire press will be a lot cheaper. And because I'm just a student I can't affort an expensive press...
I'm soon going to build my press like te screenshot below. I'll keep you informed about how te wood will hold.


Press dimensions: length = 2300 mm, width of wooden beams = 250 mm, height between wooden beams = 258 mm

[Jordan]

well that would be fine, with all those cross pieces it will hold up fantasicly.

[NEngineer]

Buuk,
Keep us posted on how that design works and what PSI/bar you were able to press the skis at.
I'm at least a few weeks from building the press and if your's works, I might copy it.

thanks
-neeraj

[*ARMADA*]

[NEngineer]

Thanks armada.
Also, what psi did you press the skis at?

[NEngineer]

Armada, what PSI did you press your skis at?

Buuk, did you try your design? did it work? what PSI are you pressing at?

thanks guys.

[hafte]

You might check out these guys too. I don’t think it would be cheap but easy to move around. Looks like they used it now too, so they know how it stood up to the pressure.

http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=491


Hafte

[Wheezer]

Armada and I have started pressing at 60psi figuring if a little bit was good then alot must be better.
I think 60 is way over board. I still have the indent from the 2 sided tape embossed into my ski.
Plus the press frame had noticeable distortion.
We now use 45psi but I suspect 30psi would be sufficient.

[Chicagoskier11]

I have 9 of these to use in the fashion Buuk posted. Best part was, it was all free from my friend's grandfather's factory. He had the steel sitting around for about 20 years. It is 1/4" steel with 1/2" 11" long bolts

Is it neccessary to use all that extra wood as pictured in the pic Armada posted? I have a very similar mold to the one in the pic and am also using angle iron but wasnt planning on any wood in between the mold and angle iiron since there is not room with my short bolts. Is this going to damage my mold (alternating MDF and pine on top/ all MDF on bottom)? I plan on 30psi.

Thanks.