12T Press vs 30T

[FMC1959]

I bought a 12T benchtop press about 6 months ago, still in the box, unused. Too late to return but could sell it on CL or similar if necessary. I was offered a 30T full size floor model. What it would cost me for the 30, minus what I could get for my 12, I would be $75-$100 out of pocket.

I am having trouble finding a good permanent spot for the benchtop 12T, so the floor standing 30T might be a better fit, but even floor space is tight. The 12T is very heavy, more than I expected, so I am a guessing the 30T is super heavy. I assume they can be moved with a good dolly if it is necessary to move around in my shop?

I don't use a press often, but definitely need one. My BIG question is how big a difference is the extra 18T capacity (12 vs 30). And by this I mean less the opening capacity, but more what kind of things can a 30T do that a 12 would not have the force to do (examples please)?

 

[Tonyuk]

I bought a 12T benchtop press about 6 months ago, still in the box, unused. Too late to return but could sell it on CL or similar if necessary. I was offered a 30T full size floor model. What it would cost me for the 30, minus what I could get for my 12, I would be $75-$100 out of pocket.

I am having trouble finding a good permanent spot for the benchtop 12T, so the floor standing 30T might be a better fit, but even floor space is tight. The 12T is very heavy, more than I expected, so I am a guessing the 30T is super heavy. I assume they can be moved with a good dolly if it is necessary to move around in my shop?

I don't use a press often, but definitely need one. My BIG question is how big a difference is the extra 18T capacity (12 vs 30). And by this I mean less the opening capacity, but more what kind of things can a 30T do that a 12 would not have the force to do (examples please)?

You'll find the extra force the 30t is able to apply very useful for stuff like press-on bearings etc.. Especially if the old one has been subject to corrosion.

Bushings also.

I'm sure our press at work is 20t, maybe even 30.

 

[rhandwor]

If your pressing bearings for cars you need a 20T press at least.

 

[bczygan]

Bigger is better!

Bill

 

[Mr_B]

30T all day long, 12T is better than nothing but it will be struggle work with and not up to a lot of tasks .
You can mount casters and adjustable feet to them making them shop portable but need be sure stable as a 30T very top heavy ...

 

[matt_i]

I have a 12T arbor press and I've come to a job where I was literally hanging off the handle and unable to loosen the stuck taper (spindle in a machine tool where I took off the headstock to press the arbor out).

I never tried the arbor press on this job but the ball joint replacements I've done on 1/2 ton trucks definitely needed the 30T capability. No way would the arbor press touch that.

If you setup a press brake or metal bending tooling the 30T would allow considerably thicker steel to be bent.

I put my 30T press on a pallet so I could move it with a pallet jack for rearrangement or cleaning behind it.

 

[Brand X]

I don't do it all the time, but I can push my Redline 30T press to 33-34 tons in a pinch. (more of a test to see what it would handle)That makes it kind of handy for bending most small thick brackets. I have a 65 ton Iron worker, and really don't use the 4 way die in it anymore.. 30T press does fine for most smaller type things..

 

[FMC1959]

From what I see in the responses, a 12T is better than nothing, but very limited. I guess I will look into getting the 30T

 

[bwringer]

If your pressing bearings for cars you need a 20T press at least.

Agreed. 20T or more opens up a lot more possibilities. My 20T press hasn't failed to remove any bearings yet, but there have been times where it's struggled noticeably. If a decent 30T popped up for that little extra money, I'd be all over it.

I've used my press a lot more than I thought I would. Once you have a way to apply controlled force slowly, you can replace a lot of undignified hammering and yanking. I put lockable wheels on mine, so although it takes up a goodly amount of scarce space, I can at least move it easily.

 

[FMC1959]

I am having second thoughts on the 30T press. The guy sent me photos and it is an "H" frame, which is good, but it is hydraulic vs pneumatic. It basically has a bottle jack with it's lever to pump it. Kind of looks like some of the things I was using to press things in the absence of having a dedicated press.

From my understanding;

• H frame are better than A frame

• Pneumatic are easier to use than Hydraulic

• The kind with a bottle jack, be it pneumatic or hydraulic, are not as good because they lack stability

Are these correct assumptions?

 

[toplessHO]

I was taught long ago that rule of thumb for a press(minus the jack and accessories) frame only, 10 pounds per ton. ie 12 ton should be min 120lbs,30 ton should be 300 pounds.
Of course this could be twisted around if the frame was improperly designed,may still weigh that much but have it in all the wrong places.
So If the 30 ton only weighs 150 pounds I say move on.

 

[matt_i]

I don't think you're going to find a true pneumatic press. Yes there are air powered shuttle-pumps for doing the same work as pumping the lever which increase speed. Enerpac probably has the most advanced one I've yet seen. Then you are onto electric-hydraulics which are motor + positive displacement pumps. The bottle jack is just fine, but it works more slowly taking minutes instead of seconds. But the result will be the same at the end.

The basic structure of the press is just to resist the tonnage. The nicer H-frames have a separate adjustment cylinder to aid in balancing the weight of the cross-beam as its adjusted. I've also seen boat-style cable winches to do the same task.

 

[FMC1959]

Here's a pic, does this look like a decent press?

 

[6PTsocket]

That 30 ton frame is identical to mine. They used to sell them with no brand name at car shows like Carlisle. The dealer would throw in whatever cheap bottle jack he chose. Mine came with a 20 ton Torin Big Red. I used to see them advertised as "20 ton press with 30 ton frame." I got solid press bars, not the tubing you are showing. We had a 12 ton at work. Get the big one.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Steve_P]

I have a 12T and if I could do it over I'd get a 20T. Sometimes the 12T isn't enough . I'll eventually get a 20T...

 

[chaosracing]

Here's a pic, does this look like a decent press?

I would grab that in a heart beat. Plus if you wanted to and spend a little more money, you can make it either pneumatic or use a electric hydraulic system to operate. I got this one out of a salvage yard last summer. Need to work on it to make it work right, but I am already contemplating converting from manual operation to a electric hydraulic system. Either that of get a pneumatic hydraulic foot operated pump for it.

Think of it this way, brand new HF 20 ton set ups are about $179 and people modify them all the time. That one looks better than a HF one.

 

[FMC1959]

Thanks everyone for the input, I might go for it this weekend

 

[anndel]

I've been using my 10T Dake benchtop press for a couple years now pressing out/in bearings and no trouble doing so. when I looked at the gauge, the most it went up to was about 5,000 psi to push out a wheel bearing on a rusted steering knuckle from a 2000 Toyota Corolla.

But yeah, if I were in your shoes I would grab it and sell the 12T.

 

[FMC1959]

I would grab that in a heart beat. Plus if you wanted to and spend a little more money, you can make it either pneumatic or use a electric hydraulic system to operate. I got this one out of a salvage yard last summer. Need to work on it to make it work right, but I am already contemplating converting from manual operation to a electric hydraulic system. Either that of get a pneumatic hydraulic foot operated pump for it.

Think of it this way, brand new HF 20 ton set ups are about $179 and people modify them all the time. That one looks better than a HF one.

I would be interested in either choice you mention above. How would you incorporate a pneumatic foot operated pump...as well as where you would purchasd one.

Or, how would you go about modifying it to an electric hydraulic system? I would prefer either suggestion versus using the manual bottle jack.

 

[chaosracing]

On his potential set up (the 30ton) you just replace the whole jack with a pneumatic controlled jack like this:
https://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-air-over-hydraulic-jack-95553.html

For my set up with a separate pump similar to this http://www.princehyd.com/Products/Accessories/Hydraulic-Hand-Pump I should be able to remove that pump and replace with either one of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/10000PSI-E...h=item41e176b564:g:NCQAAOSwabRb6PdI:rk:1:pf:0
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Air-Powere...h=item3d6e7ad17a:g:yp0AAOSwNDFbXoli:rk:3:pf:0

 

[MJD1]

A pretty good rule of thumb is, 10 tons for every inch in diameter of the shaft or sleeve your pressing.