Arbor Presses and Similar - Post Yours Here

[MCMDave]

I don't attempt to make a living at it, but I like restoring furniture. Occasionally, an upholstered piece requires buttons made of the same upholstery fabric. While small hand operated gadgets can be had in the fabric department of department stores and shops, they are good only for thin fabrics. I have enough pieces of furniture now that need buttons, that I decided to look for a button press. I acquired this from a seller on eBay.

These operate a bit like a small arbor press. It requires two dies of the size button you want to make and that are sized either for light to medium fabrics or medium to heavy fabrics. The press can also be used for the fabric cutter. I had an old arbor press, but decided to use that one for the cutting operation, with a vintage button press to make the buttons. I didn't think to take a before shot of the press I already had. They both cleaned up nicely. When I find an old stand grinder I want to pay for, I'll buff the unpainted parts of these. What compound(s) do you recommend for steel?

What do you do with your arbor press?

 

[davethorik]

My Dake no. 1-1/2 ratcheting arbor press 3 ton, on homemade stand.

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[MCMDave]

That's a beauty. It looks like your ratcheting mechanism is original to the press? I've seen some videos of people who modify theirs to work like that using a socket handle. What do you use your press for?

 

[davethorik]

Yes, this is the smallest Dake model to come with the ratchet handle. I just got this recently so I haven't used it much.

 

[454ragtop]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57819

 

[Mike W.]

This ain't mine but I'd love to own it. $900 In VA

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[1982fxr]

Whoa dude that beast is sweet!

 

[ndnchf]

FYI - There is already a very similar thread on this topic.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57819&highlight=dake

 

[davethorik]

I think a lot of people in here dont post in other areas of the forum so sometimes there are similar posts in both areas. There is usually a post or 2 per day about a vintage vise. I'm guessing these people Google "vise", find GJ because of the HUGE vise thread in general tool discussion, and for some reason feel the need to then avoid the vise thread and come to vintage.

Technically the newbs are right, their vises usually qualify as vintage, but they get a much larger audience if they have questions about their vise, by posting in the vise thread.

But hey it's how the vintage section "is" I suppose.

 

[Maui]

Here's mine. It's a Greenerd No.3 with the ship's wheel.

 

[MCMDave]

That's quite a press! What do you do with it?

 

[4x4crewcab]

Dayton 4 ton

Was picking up truck parts for a project from a guy and he offered this up for $100.

 

[Mike W.]

Dayton 4 ton

Was picking up truck parts for a project from a guy and he offered this up for $100.

That's a serous You **** deal!

 

[MCMDave]

I'm guessing the truck bed is yours. You got a good deal.

 

[Maui]

MCMDave, to be honest I’ve barely used it. But for $40 I couldn’t pass it up.

 

[disston]

I own a hydraulic press but notice the difference with an arbor press. I can press bearings on and off shafts with my hydraulic press but I can't do that with an arbor press. They seem to be constructed and sized for one specific operation.

So tell me. What operations do you do with an arbor press?

I could see setting rivets in brake shoes maybe but you may also need tooling to hold the curved shoe.

I've been at this stuff for a long time. I have no idea what an arbor press is used for.

 

[ndnchf]

I picked my Dake 1-1/2, 3 ton arbor press 5 or 6 years ago. I didn't really think I'd use it much, but I was wrong. I actually use it quite a bit. I press in/out bronze bushings and bearings, for straighten and flattening metal and a variety of other things. I also took a 3' section of I-beam and made an extended anvil to set on the press for straightening long pieces. This adds to the presses utility. I also have an upgraded Harbor Freight 20 hydraulic press for heavy duty work. But for lighter work, the arbor press is quicker and easier to use.

 

[MCMDave]

You did a nice job fixing it up.

 

[ttpete]

I own a hydraulic press but notice the difference with an arbor press. I can press bearings on and off shafts with my hydraulic press but I can't do that with an arbor press. They seem to be constructed and sized for one specific operation.

So tell me. What operations do you do with an arbor press?

I could see setting rivets in brake shoes maybe but you may also need tooling to hold the curved shoe.

I've been at this stuff for a long time. I have no idea what an arbor press is used for.

Originally, arbors were used to make it possible to swing lathe work between centers. The arbors were slightly tapered with center holes on each end. The press was used to press the arbor into the center hole of the work which was then placed between centers and driven using a face plate and lathe dog. When done, the press was used to remove the arbor.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Here are a few of my small presses. The first one is a Weaver motor service press with a four station brake riveting attachment. The Weaver has a cast iron stand it came with. I use it mostly for making holes and setting solid rivets. I also have a Dake 1-1/2 that gets used mostly for straightening shafts and pressing small parts on and off of shafts. Also I use it with broaches to make internal keyways in bushings and gears. That last one is a little press by the Union tool company. It gets used for delicate operations like pressing dents out of tool badges and similar things. Ed.

 

[isb cornbinder]

This is my little MANLEY arbour press. I like the style. I use it for setting cable crimps.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I picked up this fairly obscure arbor type press made by Winona tool company aka WI-TO-CO at Steam up a couple weeks back. I found a post on PM where this press it is Identified as a Mcpherson strut type spring compressor. I don't think that is correct even though I can see where the misconception comes from. It is just what it says on the tag, a general purpose universal 1-1/2 ton arbor press. The attached add page is all I could find and resolution ***** but it mentions general shop tasks such as pressing bearings, pulleys, and other routine tasks. No attachments for springs included or available.

It has two through bolts on the backside of the press base for bolting to a bench and a few blind holes, I expect for accessories. The two support bars have pin holes for adjusting the arbor height above the table. The bottom end of the arbor is drilled and that round disk has a pin which slides up into it. Would also take other attachments. A little rusty but getting cleaned up now. Could come in handy. Ed.

 

[genog]

I replaced my cheap Harbor Fright arbor press with this one