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Hydraulic Power Unit Runs On Small Electric Motor
Gene Luoma has been an inventor all of his life. He recently developed a hydraulic power unit to run any tools that need a hydraulic power source.
“One day I figured out it would be nice to have hydraulic power without having to start up a tractor,” Luoma says, so he designed and built a portable hydraulic unit that’s powered by a 1 hp single phase motor. Its output is 1/2 gpm at 3,000 psi. The oil reservoir is made of heavy gauge steel and holds 9 gal. of hydraulic fluid. Luoma installed a suction filter to remove any impurities in the oil. The filter also protects the pump from contamination.
Luoma can run any small tool or implement with the power unit. He can regulate flow control with a valve located on top of the tank. A gauge on the pump outlet displays operating pressure. A flexible metal coupling connects the motor to the pump, which works smoothly, pumping the no. 10 grade oil that has an anti-foaming agent.
  “It’s like a small tractor without wheels,” says Luoma, who uses his rig to run several tools in his shop. He says it’s ideal for running power shop equipment like punch presses, sheet metal rollers, metal brakes and more. It’s mounted on swivel casters so it’s easy to move around his shop.
  The hydraulic control valve has quick disconnect hoses so any device is easy to attach or detach.
  Luoma says after he built the power unit and showed it to friends and neighbors they wanted to either borrow his or build one themselves. “I didn’t really plan on that much interest for the machine,” Luoma says, “but that got me to thinking maybe other people want to build something like this too.” That thought spurred him to draw up plans for his design, which are now available on the website www.GizmoPlans.com. “I don’t think there’s a market large enough to warrant building a rig like this for store inventory,” Luoma says, “but I do think there are people who like to have a power unit available and would put their own rig together.” Luoma’s plan sells for $14.95 and includes a complete parts list plus instructions on how to build the machine.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Gene Luoma, 4423 Normanna Rd., Duluth, Minn. 55803 (ph 218 591-4382; www.GizmoPlans.com).


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2012 - Volume #36, Issue #5