Restoring a 1500-ton hydraulic press - GIF and photos

Restoring a 1500-ton hydraulic press. By supernova. Large gallery of images and videos here: https://imgur.com/gallery/F7avvFZ

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Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...1_fullsize.jpg
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...storation1.jpg

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...2_fullsize.jpg
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More: https://imgur.com/gallery/F7avvFZ

Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...224#post130648
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...576#post123136
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...3110#post98089
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...556#post143105
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...365#post146470
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...658#post147668

What in the world is that press used for...

Cracking macadamia nuts.

That’s actually a small one. They go up to 50,000 tons in the US and bigger in Europe and Asia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Press_Program

I installed one at the beginning of my millwright career in the 70's, It was a little more compact, to be used for forming bus frame parts from 3/8" steel sheet I was told.

I worked 3rd shift in "Heavy Metal' at CAT's Aurora plant in 89 and 90. We had a 1400 ton CNC hydraulic press brake. There was only one job that needed that big of a press, but LOTs of parts for the undercarriage of the 235 and 245 excavators was bent up on it. The whole 'department' consisted of a double table CHC plasma burner That could cut up to 35 mm stock at a 45 degree angle, the press brake, a rail burner for cutting weldment bevels and a small radial drill.