# Screw Press testing with 2x2 x 1/4" wall tubing

**URL:** <https://fireball.discourse.group/t/screw-press-testing-with-2x2-x-1-4-wall-tubing/4110>\
**Category:** Vises\
**Tags:** vise\
**Created:** [January 12, 2026, 4:46am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/screw-press-testing-with-2x2-x-1-4-wall-tubing/4110 "2026-01-12T04:46:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BCDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BCDC](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/BCDC)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 4:46am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/screw-press-testing-with-2x2-x-1-4-wall-tubing/4110/1 "2026-01-12T04:46:58Z")

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Hey Guys,

First time posting here on the Fireball Forum. Awhile back Jason posted a youtube short / instagram video on a way to test vise tonnage. He had different thickness 2x2 x 1/4” wall square tube, 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”, 3/4” 1”.. He tested these against his load cell to see how much force it would take to deform the sections of tubing. I recently finished re-building a screw press and figured it would be the perfect test to see how much tonnage it was producing, considering I don’t have a load cell. The screw press is essentially a giant vise just turned vertically. Check out the youtube video on the testing these coupons. After all said and done my press will comfortably do 12,000lbs. I also added one of Jason’s 18x24 x 5/8” fixture plates to the press so I can use indexable tooling when bending / straightening parts. Utilizing the same versatility of a fixture table, just on the press instead.

[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/0/0f31d3a3c5b7625e249c443ead56ffa3be33b466.jpeg "Shop made screw press crushing 2x2 1/4” wall square tube coupons ") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0LYlwJSp-4)

[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/5/5fdda63db9513170d3569c161f74899a540a2de4.jpeg "No Load Cell? No Problem. Test Your Vise Like This!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58GLB54Qht8)

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**Author:** ![Fireball\_Jason](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/fireball_jason/32/52_2.png) [@Fireball\_Jason](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Fireball_Jason)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/screw-press-testing-with-2x2-x-1-4-wall-tubing/4110/2 "2026-01-13T15:49:51Z")

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Very cool. Can you see if it makes a difference to not directly push on the tube? Maybe a thick piece of steel to spread the load to the sides of the tube like the jaws of the vise.

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**Author:** ![Tony-b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@Tony-b](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Tony-b)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/screw-press-testing-with-2x2-x-1-4-wall-tubing/4110/3 "2026-01-13T19:30:47Z")

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Great video, I would love to try it on the vise i made but i have a gut feeling I will end up breaking it!! Lol