Thanks to the help of a few very smart guys on here, the right parts have been ordered and delivered. The tandom spool solenoid, with matching junction block, flow control valve, pressure relief valve and I also picked up a 0-3000psi pressure gauge and a strainer for inside the tank. I will be working on it this weekend and hope to make some good progress. I'll keep you all updated.
These were from GT louver company from the 80's(no longer around) they used replacable cutter edges on both the die and punch to keep cost down and make them servicable
GTL good time louvers they were from Sacramento. I bought their plans for the press and the standard 3 inch die in 1984. Bought 4 inch and the mini die a year later, over the years had more dies mashined over here. I use my press at least once a week for more than 30 years now and there are not many tools that are that reliable and pleasing to use. I've been to Sacramento once to visit GTL if i remember right the name of the guy was Marc Sherman.
those dies look like the dies in my press, mine is a GM press made in the 50's, the good times press is a copy of my press but uses square pipe in stead of round. i sent the goodtime guy a copy of the instructions that came w/my press, he said he was going to use it w/his press??? i only have the 3'' flat top die that came with it, [3'' louver, take it or leave it] to much trouble to give tomanny choices. trying to get a die for my pulmax, WHY?? dunno, don't do many now. best way to ruin a hoby is to make a business out of it, been there done that.
Hey I hope that you are punching louvers we use urethane for the bottom die it not only keeps the metal from tearing as bad and helps strip the die or it lifts better does not hang up ! you can buy the urethane strip from msc or mcmastercar
I've not hardened my dies and punched approx. 1000 louvers in car hood steel. They can be sharpened easily.
TROG got in the way I think! ( and work, and stupid stuff like that) Like Arnold-He'll be Back! ( I hope; I want some louvers punched!)
Hey guys, sorry for the delay. Mike is right, building the 34 for TROG got in the way of the louver press build. I will be getting back on the press this winter. I did get the frame sandblasted. I'll keep you guys updated as I go.
That frame looks to be made out of cast iron, I don't think it will hold up being used as a louver press. It is surprising how much force is needed to punch the louver.
Very cool build . I’m thinking the band saw frame will hold up . The constant pull and bounce of the blade creates quite a strain. But I’m not a metallurgist.
was watching Bad Chad Customs today, on the Discovery Channel - built a race car looking creation that he put a v12 Packard into. did a lot of louvers in the hood with a very rudimentary tools to do these.
@'54Caddy was on here just yesterday so he should be seeing this and letting us know if it's finished.
I should have been more specific as to what metal I used to make the dies. I chose metal blanks that were as close to the finished die dimensions as possible and were hardened and ground. Probably McMaster-Carr. I cut them to size and ground them to close dimension and tested them in scrap metal. I ground them to the shape that produced the louver look I wanted. Wear on the dies happens primarily on the cutting edge of the die that slices or pierces the sheet metal. The amount of wear will depend on the type of metal, thickness and temper of the metal being louvered. It may sound crude but laying the die flat side down on a belt sander with fresh fine grit abrasive for about 5 seconds will likely tune up the cutting/slicing/piercing die edge. If the dies are nicked or pitted along that edge they will show in the finished louver. Does this help? John (Mike Obrien?)
The Jalopy Journal
