Arbor Press

[D45]

Who has one......how often do you use it?

What do use it for?

I found one locally, a very old Dake.....and bought it for $40

 

[zkling]

I do, a few....very often

Delicate and lighter pressing

Good for you. Tonnage?

Tip:Best arbor press accessory? A drill chuck IMHO.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Usually the bigger the better. I use my 3 ton more often than my 2 ton, mostly due to clearance issues.

 

[justanengineer]

I've got a lil 1/2 tonner, I use it fairly regularly to press in arbors and other light-duty pressing matters, even pressed a drill chuck apart a week or so ago with it.

 

[toolchaser]

I have one, use more than my 20 T hyd. press. If you can, get the ratcheting handle model. Much easier for fine control when you can get the handle parrallel with the deck...

 

[Ign]

Usually the bigger the better. I use my 3 ton more often than my 2 ton, mostly due to clearance issues.

This. More Z-space is good. I use mine for light pressing and broaching of small keyways.

 

[bobcatdan]

I have a 3 ton ratcheting one and find it very handy. I use it mostly for straighting stuff, but I always find it my first choice for pressing chores. Only when I see it can't do what I want, then do I switch to the hydraulic press.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

I've got a 1-1/2 ton, use it for arbors, bearing work, etc. I use it maybe once a month..in my hobby workshop..


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[930dreamer]

I have an import one, still need to bolt it down.

 

[dodge610]

I have one it came mounted to the side of my 30 ton Manley press that I bought a few years back. Pretty handy having it mounted right on the side of the press.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Who has one......how often do you use it?

What do use it for?

I found one locally, a very old Dake.....and bought it for $40

Dake is the brand you want!

Let's see some photos.

One of these years I'm going to get a 3 or 4 ton one for my shop. Bigger ones are great for doing u joints, cutting key ways, and any other pressing job that requires finess.

Chris

 

[joe.striper]

I just restored this arbor press. Obviously an old one based on the brass inventory tag, can anyone identify it? i've had Greenerd arbor presses in the past, I know those, I'm thinking this is a Dake. I also think it was used for cutting chain. I'm going to sell it but I want to be accurate in my description. No markings of any kind.

Color is Hammerite green and bare metal is boiled linseed oil baked.

 

[jakemac]

I don't think it's a Dake, but I'm not sure what it is.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Who has one......how often do you use it?

What do use it for?

I found one locally, a very old Dake.....and bought it for $40

I have a Famco (I believe) that I saved from my old company when they closed down the machine shop. The maintenance personnel put it aside for me. It was too nice and solid of a piece to become scrap iron.

 

[454ragtop]

I don't know Joe, just like vises, that chrome screams import to me.

I have a Greenerd #3-3/4 5 ton ratchet type on the factory cast iron stand, use it all the time. Much better "feel" than the hydraulic press.
Jim

 

[joe.striper]

I don't know Joe, just like vises, that chrome screams import to me.

I have a Greenerd #3-3/4 5 ton ratchet type on the factory cast iron stand, use it all the time. Much better "feel" than the hydraulic press.
Jim

454, no chrome, just polished by me. Also all bolts are sae not metric.

 

[D45]

I will get some pics up soon

I was debating getting a large floor mounted hydraulic press......but I don't want it to take up floor space and thun an arbor press would suit my needs better

 

[bczygan]

Greenerd 3 1/2 5 ton ratcheting with stand.

Haven't used it yet. Bigger is better.

 

[D45]

I sold the smaller Dake for $100 and bought this MONSTER today

Can anyone tell me more about it.........rating, value, etc?

The base is 3" thick, the square press is 1-1/2", over 26" tall, nearly 9" wide and around 20" deep

I can only find "201" being the marking on the bottom

The teeth are in great shape and the lever handle moves freely and very smooth

Oh yeah, VERY VERY HEAVY!!

I need to clean it up and use it

 

[1982fxr]

Someone will be along who knows the fake number system and what 201 means if it's not on their site?

Wondering what goes on top where that mount thing is?

 

[Roberts210]

Looks like it's missing a fair amount of things. The brake for one, and I think a ratcheting arm. Here's a picture of an Atlas/Dake press--this one has the compound ratcheting arm, which your's might have originally had.

I restored a similar sized Famco press that had been stripped.
I used an old brass doorknob and a 5/16ths bolt for a brake.
A new ratcheting arm from Famco was in the $700 range, so I fabricated a non-ratcheting lever arm.

Here's a write-up on the above Atlas/Dake:

http://aafradio.org/garajmahal/arbor_press.htm

Don't give up. My Famco was in bad shape when I got it too:

And yes, I use mine a lot. Very handy.

 

[1982fxr]

That's what I was thinking.

That ships wheel rocks!

 

[Bellaireroad]

I have a 3 ton Cannedy Otto. Used it last week to replace bearings on a dotco die grinder.

 

[Outlander]

I have a cheapo one from Princess Auto which I bought when I used my drill press for some light pressing in plastic. Haven't used it much but it looks nice on my bench

 

[PelicanPines]

It's a 1 ton... modified cheapo... swapped hardware for better stuff... longer stuff... needed to bottom tap some holes... cleaned the alignments. Cleaned burrs and surfaces till they are nice and smooth.

Best $9 I could have spent... I added $20 in parts (including the Honda shift knob on the speed handle)

 

[Roberts210]

Thanks 1982fxr. I agree. I'd been looking for one for a long time and found the ships-wheel Famco in an outdoor machinery storage yard. It had had lots of parts taken off it, and it had fallen over at some point and broke off some handles on the wheel. But it works really great, and the ram was not mushroomed.

 

[bdelmar2]

I have a 3 ton old Famco I bought off Craigslist for $200.

Its in good shape with no wear to speak of, came with the arbor plate and an adapter I can put on the end to hold round things - haven't used it, but its in my tool box waiting. Its just the basic one arm model.

I use mine daily for compressing transmission clutch piston springs for removal and reinstalling. I also use it to press in transmission bushings, plus the other odd things around a shop its handy to have a quick press for.

I modified mine by removing the front bottom set screw and replacing it with a regular short bolt with a wrench welded on it. Probably not the greatest for the slides, but its a godsend for trans break down and assembly. Can compress the spring, lock it down with the wrench and then have both hands free to remove/install the snap ring.

Way better than a foot or hand press, and a lot safer besides. Especially on clutches with heavy springs like a Honda.

 

[PelicanPines]

I modified mine by removing the front bottom set screw and replacing it with a regular short bolt with a wrench welded on it. Probably not the greatest for the slides, but its a godsend for trans break down and assembly. Can compress the spring, lock it down with the wrench and then have both hands free to remove/install the snap ring.

One of the things I modified on mine was to clean the set screws (4 of them) so they had better contact. HOWEVER. I love your idea... I may swap out one of the set screws on the side and do something similar with a hex wrench stuck in it. Or fab a knob... yea that's it... I'm gonna knob one set screw.

Will add a photo when I'm done.

 

[jakemac]

Forget the knob, replace the set screw with a thumb screw.

 

[PelicanPines]

Forget the knob, replace the set screw with a thumb screw.

Well... then I don't have to buy or build anything ... where is the fun in that.

 

[bdelmar2]

If you use the press for building transmissions and do ones with the heavy spring like the Hondas I mentioned, or the mopar overdrive units you will want something you can tighten pretty good.

The lighter springs are no problem, just touching the wrench to tighten it works fine, but on the heavy springs like the ones in the overdrive units you will want to be able to tighten it down pretty good before sticking your fingers in there - even with a pick or snap ring pliers.

That's a big spring, easily big enough to break a finger or knock out teeth, so I go ahead and lock it down hard for those.

 

[LXCam]

It's a 1 ton... modified cheapo... swapped hardware for better stuff... longer stuff... needed to bottom tap some holes... cleaned the alignments. Cleaned burrs and surfaces till they are nice and smooth.

Best $9 I could have spent... I added $20 in parts (including the Honda shift knob on the speed handle)

I got that same exact one. Cute ain't it?

But I use it more than I care to admit. One of these days i hope I'll come across a smoking deal on a big brother to keep the wittle guy company.

 

[PelicanPines]

I was going to buy the HF 20 ton... I may still do that... but so many times I found myself hammering something that could have been done a tad more professionally with this thing... so I got it... fixed it... as shipped it had some issues.

That said... I LOVE THIS LITTLE THING

I have already straightened out some strap to make a double wide washer (for securing my garage doors)... I fixed a pocket knife that has been around for 40 years... did grommets for the overhang over my grill... punched holes in some aluminum T bar to make a support for the above overhang...

I need to find some rivet dies that I could fabricate into use with this thing.

I don't repair cars but I do make things and fix things and make things better...

 

[Showkey]

I was going to buy the HF 20 ton... I may still do that...

I have yet to find any project where the 20T hydraulic press can't do and arbor press can......but there are limits to the arbor presss ........so no need to have both, even if the arbor press is free.

 

[DavidB]

I sold the smaller Dake for $100 and bought this MONSTER today

Can anyone tell me more about it.........rating, value, etc?

The base is 3" thick, the square press is 1-1/2", over 26" tall, nearly 9" wide and around 20" deep

I can only find "201" being the marking on the bottom

The teeth are in great shape and the lever handle moves freely and very smooth

Oh yeah, VERY VERY HEAVY!!

I need to clean it up and use it

The Dake 201 is a 6 Ton model. Yours is missing the ratcheting attachment. Oddly, Grainger has them for sell with more info if you're curious: https://www.grainger.com/product/DAKE-CORPORATION-Arbor-Press-40F031

Not sure how much a new one would cost but I doubt it's the value shown on the site.

Enjoy! I love my 3 Ton Dake.
David

 

[Roberts210]

Nice catch DavidB. The Grainger one is a compound Dake--which is the one I think you can adjust from being a straight rack and pinion press to one with vastly increased leverage. The one on Grainger says it's good for 24,000 lbs. I be you can still buy just the ratcheting lever arm from Dake.

 

[D45]

Thanks for all the info

A 6 ton will be perfect

Even though it's missing the ratchet assembly and parts, it still works very well

Question of the day......degrease it and clean it up a tad or completely redo the finish?

 

[jakemac]

I'd wait on a decision on paint until you decide if you're going to use as-is, or if you're going to buy parts to restore it. New parts may change how you want to finish it.

 

[Bellaireroad]

I have yet to find any project where the 20T hydraulic press can't do and arbor press can......but there are limits to the arbor presss ........so no need to have both, even if the arbor press is free.

Sure, the 20 ton will do anything the arbor press will. But you lose the feel you get with the arbor press, and that comes in handy on jobs where you don't need to nuke it


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[My Old Tools]

I don't know Joe, just like vises, that chrome screams import to me.

I have a Greenerd #3-3/4 5 ton ratchet type on the factory cast iron stand, use it all the time. Much better "feel" than the hydraulic press.
Jim

I love my big Greenerd too. The little Famco 2 ton pouts about it.