FILENAMES: SPressA.JPG SPressA.JPG DESCRIPTION: These are pictures of a pull style shaft straightening press. Thanks to Matt Maguire . Matt provided the following description which includes information about construction materials: ============================================================================== SPressA.JPG is a picture of a 20 ton shaft straightening press I built a few years ago. I've seen similar presses (pull type) and tried to improve the design to suit my darn self! SPressB.JPG is a picture of the same press with a shaft I re-manufacture for railroad tamping machinery in the V-Blocks. The shaft is a medium carbon low alloy material, heat-treated to 36-39 Rockwell "C". To Re-man the shaft, various diameters from 2" to 65mm are overlayed, the material stress relieved, machined, ground and sometimes keyseated. This shaft is straightened to <.0005" TIR before shipping. The pull design allows for extreme control and minimum deflection when force is applied. All shafting and studs are made from 4140HT, the pulling yoke, cap, and acme adjustment screw (you can't see it under the yoke) are made from 4340AQ, the channels, jack base and strongback are made from A36 & hot rolled plate. The V-blocks are machined weldments made from cold rolled plate, and the pull block is a machined weldment of Maxell (because I had it) and hot rolled plates. All yoke and jack base shafting nuts are machined from Stressproof. Rollers on the strongback allow the pulling assembly to be quickly positioned anywhere along the frame and keys under the V-Blocks allow quick movement while keeping centered in the frame. The pull block has a full 7" of vertical travel within the channel. This press will straighten shafts with far less effort and fuss than my 50 Ton "H" frame will, and usually I get the job done in 3-4 pulls. BTW runout indication is done UNDER the shaft (not shown but should be obvious). If you look at the pictures for a bit you will see how it all works. Interested persons will quickly note this could be a nifty bushing puller, or small "H" type pulling press with little effort, but it does what I wanted my "DARN SELF" Matt Maguire maguire@misslink.net