This hydraulic press impression die features a Crying Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty design is 21mm tall X 12.5mm wide.
The measurement of the die is 2" wide X 2" long X 1/4" thick.
There is a tutorial that you can follow for pressing this hydraulic press die.
This impression die is made with heat-treated tool steel and is for hydraulic press use only. It will work best with a press that is at least 20-tons. For best results, lightly oil your die before each use, always use dead soft metals, and use about 15-20 tons of pressure.
Metal Maven used 16, 18, and 20 gauge dead soft copper, Fine Silver, and Sterling Silver when testing this die. She did not need to anneal, but annealing might help if you are not sure if your metal is dead soft. She also tested cutting out this die pressing using a 25mm X 18mm Pepe oval disc cutter, but you may use whatever size and shape disc cutter you would like. You will need to adjust the width of your metal if you plan to use larger sized disc cutters. Find the disc cutter she used here if you need to order one.
If you plan to use a 25mm X 18mm disc cutter, use a piece of metal that is about 1-1/2" long by about 3/4" wide. Allow the extra 1/8" to hang over the edge of the die. This extra 1/8" provides a tab that aids in removing the pressing from the die after it has been pressed.
When pressing copper, cut a piece of 2mm craft foam the same size as the piece of copper used and place it on top of the metal before pressing. After the first pressing, use a new piece of craft foam that is the same size as the metal and rotate the die 180 degrees before pressing a second time.
When pressing Fine or Sterling Silver, cut a piece of 2mm craft foam the same size as the piece of silver used and place it on top of the metal before pressing. After the first pressing, add another piece of craft foam on top of the first piece that you already pressed and rotate the die 180 degrees before pressing a second time. If you have pre-used craft foam on hand from use with rolling mill dies, two layers of used craft foam work well when pressing silver with our dies.
After pressing you may add patina like Liver of Sulfur for copper pressings or Gosiba for silver pressings following the instructions on the labels.
We recommend using 240 grit Nail Salon Buffing Blocks after patina is applied to remove patina from the high areas on your pressing. You can find the brand of Buffing Blocks we use here.
After buffing the surface with a buffing block, an easy way to shine the surface is to use a Sunshine polishing cloth. Lay the cloth on a flat surface, place your pressing face down on the cloth, and slide your piece back and forth across the surface for a nice hand polished finish.
Crying Statue of Liberty Hydraulic Impression Die
Usage
Metal Maven Shallow Hydraulic Press Impression Die Usage Guidelines
These Hydraulic Press Impression Dies are for hydraulic press use only. We tested it with an electric 20-ton hydraulic press and it performed extremely well.
This impression die is made with heat-treated tool steel and is for hydraulic press use only. It will work best with a press that is at least 20-tons.
Your die will arrive lightly oiled with a lubricant called CorrosionX. It can be found at most auto supply stores. We highly recommend you use it or some kind of machine oil to protect your investment, especially if you live in a humid climate. We use it to keep rust from forming on our steel pieces, dies, rolling mill rollers and other tools. It also helps your silver or copper release from the die.
Return and Refund Policy
Please check the sizes carefully when ordering, as we do not accept returns or exchanges.
Please note that we check the quality of each die carefully before we send them out.
Shipping Info
We offer shipping via USPS. Your shipping options will appear in your shopping cart. Shipping Insurance is included on all orders.