Thread: Shop Press Purchase Advice Needed

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I am looking for a shop press. Mostly for suspension work - bushings, fwd wheel bearings, that type of thing.

Home garage, nothing needed daily usage and abuseage.

What size do i need? I am used to 20 ton units at work, but have been told 3 tons is enough. Harbor reight has this
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2457
- 4 ton benchtop unit for $63.

The last bushings i did i used a large (6" but massive metal) vice for the work. My last vice i killed doing bushings, so i got the bigger one. I'd like the right tool!

Any thoughts or experience on this?

thanks,
chris

Originally posted by screamer63_1979
What size do i need? I am used to 20 ton units at work, but have been told 3 tons is enough. Harbor reight has this
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2457
- 4 ton benchtop unit for $63.

The only thing that comes to mind about that one would be if you were pressing axle bearings it would be to short...... Also did you notice that price does not include the pump..... Thats where they'll get ya

Just my 2 cents
MM64

COPY THE BUGGER ! 10x6 I beams for the uprights and same for
the horizontals,should be good for thirty ton,do some scruonging
Im sure you can find the materials for under 50 bucks,then all you need is a fried end with a drill press to complete the packa ge get to work you lazy

My 4 ton bench press is ok for the machine shop but most of the time I need to use my son's 20 ton floor model for automotive work. If you're thinking of building one you can get the hydraulic cylinder, pump and control valve from an old snow plow. I was going to build one till my son bought his. Now I'm thinking of useing the hydraulics to make a louver press.

When I opened my shop one of the "special tools" I purchased was a press, what I chose was a 12 ton floor model. Although the main use it gets is rear axle bearings, you'd be amased how many other things come along that it's handy for.

It normally sits next to one of the wall and dosn't take up much space. It's light enough to be moved out to work on larger/bulkier items if I need to.

I'd prefer a floor model, and the axle bearings does remind me of one of the main uses for a press.

I have thought of building one before - the design is simple, and a large bottle jack should work for the 'press' part.

Not looking forward to drilling all those big nasty holes though.

chris

Went to Carlisle yesterday. Great weather - mid 60s and sunny, except about 6 pm an hour of rain and drizzle.

Saw maybe 1/2 of what was there. Forgot how big the show was!

Got a press - a 20 ton floor model from one of the tool dealers - $100. A better deal I don't think exists! I got the last boxed one and that was about 11 am Friday. Saw no others. Must be a rare item - heavy as a bare small block block too. No fun to tote and carry it a mile to the car.

Got an air nibbler too. A few rolox and other $1 items. Looked at lots of the 'for sale' cars - nothing exciting except a 66 Mustang ragtop from europe (i suppose - german labeling on dash, mirros set way out on fenders like they do in Japan). $9500, 289 and 4 spd. all there and in good shape.

The 'new' parts (carbs, intakes, cams, etc) were about the same price as Summit and Jegs, but those places offer easier returns if something is wrong and Summit is 45 minutes from here...

Good trip and day out without 'adult supervision' (the wife)