strayz
(Strayz)
13
This is the difference between hydraulic press and mechanical. One you trip the leaver and it hits with all the centrifugal energy it has built up. The other one uses pumps and leverage, that can be controlled and set to drop as fast or as slow as one wants.
I grew up using one that would drop at about an inch per second at high speed but as soon as you were at the last inch of press it slowed down. We never had an accident with that machine. It was a small press only 8 ft wide and 390 tons.
Now the 10 Ft. 1/4 in Mechanical Plate shear built in 1943 and worked in the Pittsburgh steel mills, yeah a lot of pinched fingers, and hands. Thank fully nothing worse than that due to good people in the shop and well place guards. THAT thing was terrifying. Just turning it on would dim the lights for 3-4 city blocks around.
(edit to add a missing word and spelling.)