Benchtop VS. Free Standing Hydraulic Press

[quilty]

I've been considering adding a small capacity hydraulic press to my garage. I found a Dake B10 in great condition on marketplace that I can pick up for $200.

I'm really just working on motorcycles & powersports where I would mostly be pressing bearings. Anyways, I never really consider a "benchtop" model until I found this listing. I'm thinking I'd either store this unit under my workbench until it's time to be used, which is when I'd bring it up to the work bench (pain in the *** but it won't be that often). I also thought about buying / building a small steel table (maybe even on casters?) for this unit to live on which would then effectively bring this unit up to about a normal floor standing units' height.

Do either of these options sound like a good idea, or should I just save up for a floor standing model?

Thank you

 

[racecougar]

Stack-up height of the part you're pressing something into/out of, the part that is being pressed in/out, drivers, plates, and the ram gets tall rather quickly. I've set my work bed lower than I would have expected more times than not. You'll limit what you're able to do with a short bench top press.

 

[quilty]

Stack-up height of the part you're pressing something into/out of, the part that is being pressed in/out, drivers, plates, and the ram gets tall rather quickly. I've set my work bed lower than I would have expected more times than not. You'll limit what you're able to do with a short bench top press.

Good point. I contacted Dake and they would sell me the parts needed to convert a B10 model to a (floor standing) F10 model.

 

[Smiles79]

If you've got somewhere to put a floor standing model, sounds like a better option. Racecougar makes a good point about the height of parts you could be working on, might as well give yourself as much capacity as possible.

At any rate, I'm confident this will be your most valuable tool. I bought the Harbor Freight 20T press and a press brake kit to bend metal with. Never hardly used the press brake but the press was invaluable when I rebuilt the rear end in my Firebird. Replacing carrier bearings and pinion bearings was a breeze. Made quick work of driveshaft u joints, too.

 

[anndel]

I have that Dake and yes it works well for wheel bearings and just clears the steering knuckle. Now I'm pressing in/ot bears on rear wheel axles and a free standing press is a must.

 

[cannuck]

I built a run of floor standing 20 ton presses about 40 years ago, and the promised order never materialized. I gave most of them to my friends, sold a few but the one in my shop, the one in my former resto business shop and the one at best bud's shop (with a full time mechanic) are used at least weekly, often many times a day and the number of times either the table is low or the part has a shaft that goes almost down to the floor makes these one of the indispensible tools in each place. Over the years the tooling has overlowed it's 4 shelf station, so you can guess how heavily dependent we are on it. BTW: while that is a nice looking press it does not appear to have ability to put a shaft across the middle. Straightening things in V blocks needs open framework and I find it is one of the more common jobs that most presses are severely limited in doing.

 

[Steve_P]

Floor standing all the way; I wouldn't consider anything but. I know you said powersports, and if that's all, then ok, maybe benchtop is ok. But it's tough to press the bearing off a 3' long truck axle otherwise.

 

[F-22]

As others said... For random uses you'll need the versatility of its height sooner or later. Shorter models are way more suited for when you know what you'll need it for.

 

[Sumboodie]

At any rate, I'm confident this will be your most valuable tool.

I rarely use mine. Maybe 3 or 4 times in the 10+ years I've had it.

 

[F-22]

I rarely use mine. Maybe 3 or 4 times in the 10+ years I've had it.

Me too, I have a very decent vise that does 70% of my press needs. In large part also cause I don't have a huge garage and my press is often a bit obstructed so it's easier to work in the vise.

But for when a vise is not enough, a press is awesome!

 

[cannuck]

I can understand those who don't use their press much, but I find that if you learn to make tooling you can do a LOT of things with a shop press that normally fall into realm of pillar or straight side presses. I have both press brake and multi-finger box and pan tooling as well as various C frames for punches for the 20 ton. I now have a 100 ton and it will consume a LOT of money for tooling as I want to make flanging tools for structural shear webs with it (also an open side, 4 column press frame). For horn frame duties I keep a 2 ton rack and pinion press on one bench and I have to admit that thing with "Wilton" written on it gets used for pressing duties once in a while. Also have a 20 ton hydraulic horn press I built just for some punching operations.

Presses can be extremely useful and adaptable tools if you set your mind to it.

 

[ez-duzit]

My 50-ton Carolina hydraulic press is used quite often since I created this accessory for it to bend metal. Picked up a drop off a 4-way die. Very useful. You need floor-standing for the throat range.

 

[GeoBruin]

Get a floor standing model and then store something on wheels under it (I have my O/A torch cart under mine.

The inconvenience of moving something to use it in when you have a tall part would be far outweighed by the inconvenience of not being able to fit a part at all.

 

[Smiles79]

I rarely use mine. Maybe 3 or 4 times in the 10+ years I've had it.

I don't use mine much either but when I do I wonder what I'd do without it

 

[Woods_Wanderer]

You'll find that benchtop model takes up nearly the same floor space at the end of the day, and Murphy's law dictates that sooner or later you'll need to press a longer shaft than it can clear. I'd hold out for a floor model unless it makes financial sense to buy the benchtop Dake and then buy longer uprights from them. Have you priced them out? It may cost more than the entire used unit.

 

[AldeanFan]

Get a floor model if you’ve got the room.
I have a “bench top” but it’s so heavy I would never lift it on and off the bench myself.

I usually use it on the floor and just crouch down.

I have had to use it laying down and once balanced on axle stands lol

 

[Sweetcorn]

Get a floor model if you’ve got the room.
I have a “bench top” but it’s so heavy I would never lift it on and off the bench myself.

I usually use it on the floor and just crouch down.

I have had to use it laying down and once balanced on axle stands lol

Well I guess at that point it is a floor model.