Shoutout to the guy who told me to try a fly press for collaring

I broke my second floor-standing swage block last Tuesday trying to collar a 1 inch thick ring for a gate. The cast iron just cracked right down the middle. Called up an old timer I know near Springfield and he said stop beating yourself up and get a fly press. Took me a day to bolt one down but I finished that same ring in 10 minutes this morning with zero issues. Anyone else switched from drop hammers to fly presses for collaring work?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadeyoung4d ago

Nah wait, a whole damn swage block split down the middle? That's unreal, I've never seen one actually crack like that.

cameron_chen4d ago

That cracking sound when cast iron lets go is something else, I still remember the first time it happened to me. Took me a few days to work up the nerve to even try a fly press after that. Glad you stuck with it and found what works.