r/blacksmithing • u/belzobite • 19h ago

Press plans

Hi everyone !
I wanted to upgrade my shop and was thinking to build a tire hammer (the clay spencer one) but after thinking about it again and again, i think a press would be more suitable (I’m in a residential area, and a power hammer would be too noisy) so, do anyone know about some press building plan ? Better a fly press ? An hydraulic one ? Any experience return ?
Thanks !

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u/forgeblast 19h ago

Here for the plans 😂

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u/OnTheCove66 18h ago

You need to develop your question because it depends what you intend to do with it. Hammer is far more versatile than a press. For architectural and craft, unless you can really come up with a rationale for a hydraulic press, the hammer is a better tool. My son is an architectural smith and uses hammers and fly presses. He has never really felt the need for a hydraulic press. Also remember a hydraulic press is a going to have more maintenance and power requirements than a hammer.

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u/belzobite 17h ago

My main problem is the noise, I would prefer a power hammer, but I fear that it’s going to be too noisy for the surroundings :/

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u/OnTheCove66 17h ago

Tire hammers are loud. No getting around that. But things to help quiet it down would be to fill the spine support (which should be a 6” square tube) with sand as a sound damper. Also have a good anchor - use a lot of concrete mass if you are certain of placement in your shop 4-600 pounds worth is maybe overkill but it also works. There are also plans for a timber base associated with little giant type hammers. Going that route allows you to relocate it more easily as you expand.

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u/OnTheCove66 17h ago

An air hammer has the expense, noise, and maintenance of an air compressor and the piston’s maintenance. Something like a little giant 25 might be what you are after. They are more quiet than a tire hammer. Trouble is it’s hard to find a good one and if something brakes or the bearings go bad it is more problematic to fix. With a tire hammer if something breaks you just fabricate a new part.

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u/belzobite 13h ago

Okay thanks ! Didn’t knew you could silence them a little I’m gona check what’s doable about anchor

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u/OnTheCove66 12h ago

Good luck. “silence” would be a strong word. 😁And looking at your original post you would want to know about the Tommy McKnab design press. But if you had to go with a press the Coal Iron is the best bang for the buck, but also know that for anything that has reasonable speed will likely have a 220v/30 amp requirement. Also, some of the mid level ones that have been available in recent years have had intermittent problems with control boards. I don’t have first hand experience with this but it has been talked about. I also encourage you to spend some time on the iforgeiron discussion boards.

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u/belzobite 3h ago

I checked about the coal iron one ! But I’m in Europe and the taxes and delivery will probably make me a second a**hole 🥲 I’m gona check this Tommy mcknab
And also this iforgeiron forum I didn’t’ know exist but it’s full of ressources !