Hydraulic press help

[Frenchy]

I have a 4 post hydraulic laminating press that has a bunch of pneumatic stuff on it to hold pressure and heat whatever is being laminated. I want to get rid of the pneumatics and heaters just to use it as a regular press with a simple hand controlled spool valve. I'm just trying to figure out what all I need to keep and what I can eliminate in the hydraulic system and how all the plumbing is going to look. I know these pictures aren't the best but any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[john.k]

Strip it back to bare frame and use what parts you need.......incidentally,the large cylindrical thingy on the left is an "air motor"....or piston pump,and may power the hydraulics..(or it may just pump glue ,or something like).

 

[52 Ford]

Strip it back to bare frame and use what parts you need.......incidentally,the large cylindrical thingy on the left is an "air motor"....or piston pump,and may power the hydraulics..(or it may just pump glue ,or something like).

I agree. Start over. Take all of the existing stuff off and replumb it. Not very hard to do and in the end you'll have a good understanding of how it all works.

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[Frenchy]

That's what I'm planning on doing. I'm just wondering what's what as far as the components that are plumbed in. I'm definitely not the most knowledgeable about hydraulics so I'm wondering if anything on there now should be saved or if I can just run the line from the pump up to a valve and back down to the cylinder? Does it need any sort of pressure relief valve that dumps back to the tank while it's running and the valve is closed?

 

[Bill D]

I would think you have to have some flow control so each cylinder moves up and down equal amounts. otherwise the lightly loaded cylinder will move farther and cock/tilt the works possibly bending some stuff.
I know house movers have to keep their lifting jacks in unison some how.
Bill D.

 

[Frenchy]

I would think you have to have some flow control so each cylinder moves up and down equal amounts. otherwise the lightly loaded cylinder will move farther and cock/tilt the works possibly bending some stuff.
I know house movers have to keep their lifting jacks in unison some how.
Bill D.

This press just has one big cylinder in the center

 

[john.k]

Assuming the air motor does power the hydraulics,you dont need any kind of hydraulic relief....by simply regulating air pressure you automatically regulate hydraulic pressure.............however ,a big air motor like that is going to be very noisy ,and possibly need a lot of air..........anyhoo,you will learn how it works by pulling it to pieces.

 

[Frenchy]

I'm trying to figure out what these two pieces are. The one on the right looks like it could be a filter. I'm wondering if the one on the left is some sort of pressure relief valve but I don't understand how the circuit works if that is the case.

 

[DDoug]

I'm trying to figure out what these two pieces are. The one on the right looks like it could be a filter. I'm wondering if the one on the left is some sort of pressure relief valve but I don't understand how the circuit works if that is the case.View attachment 348658

It's all junk you don't need.
Now get out the torches and start cutting.

 

[Bill D]

This press just has one big cylinder in the center

I thought the four posts were the hydraulic cylinders. I missed? the single big cylinder. That is a big cylinder. I would hate to price seals for that size.
Bill D

 

[boslab]

It was hard to figure, it’s a jankey bit of plumbing, I can’t remember doing it either!, it looks single, 4 cylinders are a bloody nightmare to sync up, they never go up even without doing weird plumbing like throttling exhausts and stuff, better off with one I’ve found.
Work from the cylinder back if it’s air over hydraulic there’s obviously 2 distinct circuits, the heaters should be an easy bit to dissect, the fibre covered leads feed them from either a SSR or contractor removal should be straightforward.
Mark

 

[52 Ford]

I thought the four posts were the hydraulic cylinders. I missed? the single big cylinder. That is a big cylinder. I would hate to price seals for that size.
Bill D

I wouldn't mind pricing them. I just wouldn't want to be the one paying for them.

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[52 Ford]

By the way - whoever plumbed all of that made a mess of it.

Like... if you're going to be bending tubing, why not just make it go point A to B in one piece of tubing? I don't see why they added that 90 degree fitting in the middle of the tubing.

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[boslab]

Definately assembled by a plumber not a pipe fitter, I used to marvel at the pipe work in the hydraulic cellars in work, even the bends on a bunch of pipes were bent with increasing radius to make a set of pipe doing a flat bend even, clips in rows, beautiful work, then I wasn’t in a recently built power pack room, unistrut, tie wraps and won key pipe, if it was too difficult to bend then armoured flex pipe, no pride in their work at all, times change I suppose
I’d have a terrible ocd urge to sort it out properly myself.
Mark

 

[52 Ford]

Definately assembled by a plumber not a pipe fitter, I used to marvel at the pipe work in the hydraulic cellars in work, even the bends on a bunch of pipes were bent with increasing radius to make a set of pipe doing a flat bend even, clips in rows, beautiful work, then I wasn’t in a recently built power pack room, unistrut, tie wraps and won key pipe, if it was too difficult to bend then armoured flex pipe, no pride in their work at all, times change I suppose
I’d have a terrible ocd urge to sort it out properly myself.
Mark

I know whatcha mean.

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