This is a Pressing Matter!!!

[John_Alba]

Hello All

I'm John Alba I'm 48 years old, I have been involved in cutting, bending, shrinking, stretching, and welding metal for over 3 decades. I'm from the Cali but reside in Dallas.

At one time I owned and used, an E-wheel, 36/12" cp, handheld cp, P-9, T-3, beater bags, shrinkers/stretchers and tons of other equipment... I gave most of that up years ago when I switched over from hand-making parts to pressing/stamping parts.

Currently, I use 1000 ton, 400 T and a 70T press to do most everything at the shop.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tCl...w?usp=drivesdk

John A.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Welcome Back John. Interesting stuff. I had not realized you moved from California. Do you still make the many window VW roofs?

[rustreapers]

Your are a nice addition to this forum. Would you show the top-bottom die. Perhaps a light explanation as to how each fits to the other, Top smaller ect..?

[Dougg]

I remember you were buying a plastic injection machine years back. Sure would like to see more on you Pressing Situation and what you all squishin out.

[John_Alba]

Yes Doug,

I did buy the injection molding machine.i cut the hydraulic press off and scraped the rest..re plumbed it and made part. Once I realized what I needed I started buying old hydraulic rubber presses.


I will show more of what I'm doing as I take photos and time permits

Kerry, I developed a process for stamping the roof of the bus

https://youtu.be/rboWrh9bmlA

But I've passed this work onto someone else that shop in Huntington Beach CA does buses and bugs but I've moved out of California

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Really interesting video John and vastly better production than most.

[James Bowler]

Wow John ,
That 21 window is impressive . I remember years ago you where telling me you wanted to make front floors for buses .

James

[John_Alba]

Lol... James, I did make the front floors but another company beat me to market and I got discouraged. (So I changed directions)


I also make the sunroof opening to be welded in for bug

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LLHyM3fTfZWkKCQbA

Stamping and pressing has been good to me

[red baron]

Hi John, you probably won't remember me, but I went to your shop back in the day when you were hosting a meet to build the porsche kit car. I helped make patterns of of the fiberglass body you had.

I just wanted to day thank you for setting that up, you and a couple other guys (Tony, Mark, Peter T, Kent etc) definitely fostered/mentored me into continuing working with metal.

[John_Alba]

Awesome Mike, that's great.

I'm glad to hear you stuck with it! I looked at your album, looks like great work.

John