What's new
What's new

New Tool - 100 ton Hydraulic press

kpotter

Diamond
Joined
Apr 30, 2001
Location
tucson arizona usa
I've always wanted a press for coining but could never afford one so i built one. It's 100 tons and uses an Enerpac cylinder and pump. The frame is a single piece of 1.5 inch steel burned out in the middle so there are no critical welds. Had it powder coated. I used my shaper to machine the lower platen this afternoon.
Here is a video:
100 ton Potter USA press - YouTube
 
Nice job Kevin!

I notice you went with the 10K PSI Enerpac ram on this press -- what are your thoughts compared to the low(er) pressure, high volume rams? Obviously the Enerpacs are a lot more compact (and a lot more expensive).
 
That's a good looking press.

You might want to reshoot that video as a horizontal, since it will then show "bigger" when people go to watch it.

I personally think an application video (where you actually make a coined part, maybe even, er, a coin...) would be interesting...

The enerpac allows various pumps, yes? But would your customers normally use hand or electric or?
 
I have been using the high pressure stuff because it is the only way to get to 100tons without a giant system. I dont like the lack of volume and the pumps are anemic but they get the job done and the people who buy my presses are not in a hurry. The presses in my shop are 100 tons and they use 10hp pumps with large cylinders and they work better but they are huge. I have never seen a table top 100ton press so I thought the world needed one. I was playing around with it today and it makes alot of tonnage it is kind of scary watching the pressure gauge go to 10 grand. The people who have bought my 50 ton versions have all been big companies like GM or eurocopter, they are buying top of the line enerpac systems and they dont worry about the cost. Most of what I sell is 20 ton presses with bottle jacks but I have sold a few with my new low pressure hydraulic system. there is a video on my sit demoing it.
 
Enerpac is not cheap, but it is good. Anyone buying a machine with Enerpac hydraulics instead of surplus store oddball stuff knows that they are getting a top quality machine. When I used to work at 3M, everyone told us that 3M products were expensive, bu that everything worked just like it was supposed to work. The other advantage is that parts or repairs for Enerpac are available everywhere.

Low pressure hydraulics can do the same job, but the size and weight difference can be major obstacles.
 
That is why I went enerpac, I have presses in venezuela and austrailia as well as south africa. They can buy the systems right in there own country and I dont have to do any warranty work or tech help on the hydraulic systems.
 
A perfect solution - Enerpac is world wide for parts, service, information, and in probably every language as well. You had to spend a bit more to use Enerpac, but you don't have warranty questions, you don't have to write manuals, and the systems can be modified with different pumps/gauges/etc by the users.
 
Great looking press
I think the Enerpac or Simplex (both owned by TK Simplex) is a great way to go. I use the high pressure in my products and have tried to use other brands of pumps. I personally like the air powered Enerpac XA series for in the shop usage.
 
Its a good looking press- but I would quibble that its not really a "coining" press.
I have run a real coining press a bit- and the difference is speed and controllability.
My buddy has a 150 ton Italian coining press- it hits so fast you dont even see it move. And it is adjustable for tonnage. Hence, you can set it for, say, 80 tons, or 120, and get predictable, repeatable coining every time.
With many materials, speed is essential.
I was doing some 16 gage stainless on his press, and it is completely different to run it cold on his press, versus hot or cold on my enerpac driven press that is just a bigger, but lower tonnage, version of yours, that I have at home.
Fast hits give real coining. Slow moving presses like your enerpac (and mine) mean detail is lost, and, if working hot, all the heat is gone by the time the press bottoms out.

His is a Cavalli, he got it at a jewelry company auction in LA a few years ago, and it is a horse of a different color.
 
I just call it that because that is what alot of people who buy them use them for. I have seen the difference and it is big, the speed gives the coin a shine at least that is what is seems like. My press is slow but it gets the job done for a good price. they have to watch the gauge or they will squish what ever they are doing into oblivion. Many of the people using these are guys who think the US currency is going to collapse and they are minting their own money from scrap silver. I have know idea how they found out about me.
 
The guy next to me had a hydraulic coining press,came from the Defense Department,and was ,supposedly for pressing detonating compound......any hoo,it worked beautifully,all polished steel etc,but it had both upper and lower rams moving slightly out of phase,which the new owner claimed produced the claimed force.He had planned to use it (bought for very cheap,I gather) for pressing vetinary medicines,but he fell foul (joke) of the vet medicine regs ,the building wasnt well enough sealed internally.
 








 
Back
Top