Planishing presses

Years ago a friend starting out had a planishing press, my thought being why would you need such a thing when you have a mallet and a steel block.
I’ve now become really feeble not helped at all by Cookson sending out long lengths of 4mm wire coiled. When it's square wire it’s really time consuming to straighten and flatten but I digress .
I don’t have room for a hydraulic press but I might have room for a planishing press. The only one anywhere on Google is the Durston at £400 on offer today at Cookson for quite a bit less.
Any thoughts or do I just still need a big hammer and a lie down?

The underside of a ring stretcher will do all the planishing most people require Caroline. I'm hoping you have one.

However the easiest way to straighten wires is to stretch them, and for that you really need a draw bench, or a strong assistant. You will only loose a little of the thickness.

When collecting personally of course you can persuade the conterhand to leave it as it comes off the coil, which is only gently curved

My friend Karen in QLD has one, it just sits on a shelf looking smart, she never uses it finding a hammer and block just as quick and easy, the press weighs 25kg so unless you have a permanent place on your bench, I could see it becoming a bother to move it each time you want to use it.

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Originally Posted by Dennis

The underside of a ring stretcher will do all the planishing most people require Caroline. I'm hoping you have one.

However the easiest way to straighten wires is to stretch them, and for that you really need a draw bench, or a strong assistant. You will only loose a little of the thickness.

When collecting personally of course you can persuade the conterhand to leave it as it comes off the coil, which is only gently curved

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Thanks Dennis I don’t have a ring stretcher as I rarely make rings and not a draw bench either. My workshop is only 8ft x 6 and most of that is bunches so I’ve run out of floor space or bench tbh. I need a bit of rejigging to find a corner

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Originally Posted by china

My friend Karen in QLD has one, it just sits on a shelf looking smart, she never uses it finding a hammer and block just as quick and easy, the press weighs 25kg so unless you have a permanent place on your bench, I could see it becoming a bother to move it each time you want to use it.

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It definitely looks lovely but that’s what I thought. Having told myself that I’d never buy anything Durston again given the constant challenges they are the only product now. M not so well now and having not made anything for a year I’m obviously needing to get hammer fit again!

If you really want, there are alternatives to Durston

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Originally Posted by china

If you really want, there are alternatives to Durston

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That’s what I was asking as their price is as usual eye watering. I couldn’t find anything similar when I did a search and I’ll probably just stick with what I’m doing and scale down in the end. Just wondering if I was missing anything I didn’t know I needed!

Hi Caroline,

Sorry to hear you are struggling - this getting old business is no fun is it :( Cookies did the same to me years ago and I complained, so they sent me another one straight in a very sturdy envelope.

I have a suggestion though, I know a man who sells top quality used equipment in the quarter. PM/email me your requirements and I'll see if he has one. xxx

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Originally Posted by Petal

Hi Caroline,

Sorry to hear you are struggling - this getting old business is no fun is it :( Cookies did the same to me years ago and I complained, so they sent me another one straight in a very sturdy envelope.

I have a suggestion though, I know a man who sells top quality used equipment in the quarter. PM/email me your requirements and I'll see if he has one. xxx

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Thanks Jules, I’ll email you. I think the moment has passed though and finding the right light to work in is more of a challenge

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Originally Posted by Dennis

The underside of a ring stretcher will do all the planishing most people require Caroline.

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Why has that never occurred to me.....#-o