View Single Post
  #15  
Old 10-04-2017, 11:01 AM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
MetalShaper of the Month October '14 , April '16, July 2020, Jan 2023
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Western Sierra Nevadas, Badger Hill, CA
Posts: 4,388
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmcglynn View Post
Hmm, I know this is an old thread but wanted to comment here.

The comments about shimming and time required for changing dies seem off to me. If a machine is set up properly with a matched set of dies (all at the same working height) then the die change should be very quick I'd think. Less than a minute, just as long as it takes to drive the wedge out and back in, with a check to make sure the dies are aligned.

If they dies have slightly different working heights, then shimming or even changing the height of the anvil block would be necessary. If the arms or die travel isn't exactly square then you have a problem getting a clean contact patch (and yeah, that would be a big pain in the butt to change dies then).

FWIW, at Fay's class he changes dies just that quickly. Yeah, he's Fay, but I'd bet he has his machines dialed in to make that possible.

I'd just guess that if a craftsman were changing his dies all the time in the same machine he'd Have to get pretty fast at it.

Otherwise, if the dies get changed once every 6 months or every year, then it Might take him longer .... (Quinn Epperle)

Also, if the ways are nice and tight, die-change might be quicker than if the ways are loose (Red Tweit).
__________________
Kent

http://www.tinmantech.com

"All it takes is a little practical experience to blow the he!! out of a perfectly good theory." --- Lloyd Rosenquist, charter member AWS, 1919.
Reply With Quote