Building a table hydraulic press

[Theredcar1955]

Hello to all,,,This is my first post here and hoping for some hints and advise. I am in process of building a table top size hydraulic press cause I just don't like using a BFH any more to beat things in or out,,!!
I have checked out YouTube and there are as many of one kind as there are the others.
If I could get my dang IPhone 8 to transfer pics to my PC, I would do so, but this sob just does not want to transfer pics.
I have the main "H" frame built and am trying to decide which style is better. Some are built with the bottle jack bolted on the bottom and pushing UP on the work and others have the jack on top and pushing DOWN on to the work.
I kinda like the jack on the bottom as it puts the work right at eye level VS the other style putting the work at below eye level.
Is either style better than the other?
I did see another member's project where he mounted the jack "Upside down" from top crosspiece,,,,what a novel idea,!!,,that jack don't know if it is up or down,,, THAT idea would also put the work right at eye level,,,,
Your comments please.
Many thanks for any info.

 

[A**holes Garage]

I built one a couple years ago, works great. Used the SWAG finger brake kit.

 

[Slowboat]

I got the harbor freight 20 ton for $130. I later added an air over hydraulic jack and the swag brake kit. Love my press! Not sure it is worth building your own with prices that low

 

[Theredcar1955]

I built one a couple years ago, works great. Used the SWAG finger brake kit.



OK,,a couple of questions. Are those return springs a speciality item or,,? Where did you purchase? I checked out Lowes but they didn't have anything I thought might work.
I was gonna ask about the SWAG finger brake but when I scrolled down I got a full sized pic and see better detail. Great addition but think my press is not big enough for one. That will be great for bending like strap or,,??

 

[A**holes Garage]

I built one a couple years ago, works great. Used the SWAG finger brake kit.



OK,,a couple of questions. Are those return springs a speciality item or,,? Where did you purchase? I checked out Lowes but they didn't have anything I thought might work.
I was gonna ask about the SWAG finger brake but when I scrolled down I got a full sized pic and see better detail. Great addition but think my press is not big enough for one. That will be great for bending like strap or,,??

I preferred to build my own. The Harbor Freight versions seems a little light duty for me. Plus I modified mine for swapping out press fixtures.

I bought the springs on Ebay.

This is the smallest brake SWAG makes, specifically sized for the 12 ton Harbor Freight press.

Will bend 3/8" plate. flatten angle, etc.

I also fabricated a quick change upper plate to swap pin punches, larger press blocks, etc.

I also bought the arbor press plates from SWAG.

https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Press-Brake-Kits_c_53.html

 

[Falcon67]

I've been using a HF 12 ton for years without any particular problems. Way, way cheaper than trying to source metal around here.

 

[lilscorpion]

I've been using a HF 12 ton for years without any particular problems. Way, way cheaper than trying to source metal around here.

Went and looked at them a few weeks ago while they were on sale. They're really really cheaply built now. Even more cheaply built than they were have a dozen years ago. Seemed that maybe I was better off spending more to build one so I can have a nice one.

More and more HF doesn't have a place in my shop. There was a day but that day is behind me. I'd rather have one like pictured above personally.

 

[Innovate1]

For smaller press operations an arbor press is very handy.

Some jacks (most?) won't work upside down. Or they need some modification for the pump to pick up fluid when inverted.

 

[akdiesel]

I built this one after my I built a 20 ton press. This one was built mainly for bending larger sheets of metal. I can bend a 12" x 1/4" sheet of mild steel 90 deg. It originally had one Enerpac 25 ton 6" stroke ram and I have recently installed another 25 ton Enerpac ram. it has a 38" wide capacity.
I had a coworker thread two 1" plates to hold the rams in place upside down. These rams have an internal spring return which makes perfect for any mounting direction and are easy to rebuild if needed.
The fingers were made from two different cutting edges from a caterpillar dozer and cut them down in different sizes to accommodate different needs and thickness. They were finished off on a bridgport to make them even and the main thickness is just under 1", making them fit perfect in a 1" push plate with 1/2" sides holding the bolts. The bolts are spaced 2" apart. One set has a tighter bend for thinner material.
So two rams give me, in theory, 50 ton capacity but the C channels are not rated for that so more like a 35 ton finger break.
Total cost with parts I all ready had is about $300. This is for the steel material and the extra inerpac ram. I already had one ram and the pump.

 

[Theredcar1955]

wow,,AK,,that right there IS a monster press,,,,sure glad I don't need one that big,,LOL.
I've about decided that it does not matter whether the placement of the jack is pushing up or pushing down,,it dosen't know the difference, right?
For sake of sight, I'm gonna place my jack at bottom of press and let it push UP.
For the heck of it,,does anybody have a method of posting pics from an IPhone to their PC,?? My IPhone 8 just will not transfer pics to my desktop so I can post pics. GRrrrr

 

[bullnerd]

I made a bench press when I was high school. First thing I made with my new harbor frieght uno-mig! I used to go to a local metal supply place and grab scrap from the dumpster. It was small and used the smallest bottle jack made, but it worked great. Used the hood springs from my 67 camaro for the return springs, they were too strong for the fiberglass hood anyway! lol!

 

[Falcon67]

Went and looked at them a few weeks ago while they were on sale. They're really really cheaply built now. Even more cheaply built than they were have a dozen years ago. Seemed that maybe I was better off spending more to build one so I can have a nice one.

More and more HF doesn't have a place in my shop. There was a day but that day is behind me. I'd rather have one like pictured above personally.

Probably good then that I bought mine around 1999! We have a Northern Tool here now and they do seem to have similar items but somewhat higher quality. I have not specifically looked at their 12 ton or 20 press units. The 12 here has done everything I have needed.

We have metal suppliers here, but it's hard for a DIY guy to make a case for several sticks of 24' joints for a project like that.

 

[Theredcar1955]

Yeah, Falcon,,that's the problem most home DIY's have with the metal suppliers. Here, they will sell you half of a 20 stick of whatever but will also charge you a "Cutting Fee" if all you want is a 10' piece. Most times I only need a couple of feet and sure hard to justify paying for 8 feet that is going to sit in the corner for years,,,

 

[metalmagpie]

I have seen the upside-down mod done for simple bottle jacks. The key is a short piece of 1/4" hydraulic tubing. Here is the procedure:

1) remove the fill plug from the side of the jack
2) invert the jack and drain most of the oil out of the fill plug
3) unscrew the bottle from the base
4) wipe up the oil you didn't get from before
5) with the intake and return ports exposed, work the handle
6) figure out which port is intake (might have to put a
little oil there first)
7) carefully tap that port to 1/4-28
8) take some 1/4" hydraulic tube and thread it 1/4-28 on one end
9) figure out how long the tube needs to be to go to the bottom of the bottle
10) cut the tube to length
11) thread the tube into the intake port
12) carefully thread the bottle back on
13) refill the jack with oil, standing up the original way
14) replace the fill plug from the side of the jack
15) invert and test, should work fine upside down now

Be careful to get all the swarf out when tapping the intake port.

This will work for many small bottle jacks. If your jack is too large, you need larger tube.

metalmagpie

 

[Vahispd]

What you intend to use the press for may determine whether placing the jack top or bottom is best. Certain parts may be easier to fit or stabilize on the bed/table and line up your pressing attachments from above with a top mounted jack. Really comes down to how your press is designed and the size & shape of what you work with.

 

[BillK]

I cant imagine having the press on the bottom. That would mean the parts you are pressing on would be moving up as you try to press them together ???? I have two different presses at the shop and both have a fixed table to sit the parts on and the press comes down from the top.

 

[John in OH]

wow,,AK,,that right there IS a monster press,,,,sure glad I don't need one that big,,LOL.
I've about decided that it does not matter whether the placement of the jack is pushing up or pushing down,,it dosen't know the difference, right?
For sake of sight, I'm gonna place my jack at bottom of press and let it push UP.
For the heck of it,,does anybody have a method of posting pics from an IPhone to their PC,?? My IPhone 8 just will not transfer pics to my desktop so I can post pics. GRrrrr

I'm not sure this will work with an Iphone 8, but it works with older Iphones (like 5s) ... you should be able to create a Google Photo sharing file from your Iphone (or laptop) and then share the photos between the two devices via the shared file. I've exchanged photos in both directions with no issues.

 

[John in OH]

I built one a couple years ago, works great. Used the SWAG finger brake kit.

Nice looking press!!

 

[John in OH]

....... I've about decided that it does not matter whether the placement of the jack is pushing up or pushing down,,it dosen't know the difference, right?

For sake of sight, I'm gonna place my jack at bottom of press and let it push UP. .........

You are correct ... a jack's force is equally applied up and down simultaneously.

Thanks to metalmagpie for the procedure for adapting a jack for inverted service!! I've never before seen a write-up for the steps required. However, I'm not sure all the work is really worth the effort.

Lastly, the problem I foresee with putting the jack on the bottom is the difficulty with holding press plates in position against the top header (gravity is a bi**h!!). It would also be far more difficult to hold the workpiece in position against the press plates while you also try to keep everything aligned and also work the jack.

 

[Theredcar1955]

Hey BillK and John in OH,,you both brought up something I had not thought of and that is that the "work" is always moving "up" and away from your eyes when press is built with bottle jack in btm mount position. I got antsy and went ahead and welded everything up with the jack in btm position as I had to replace a bushing on lower control arm on the Wife's car. There are not too many times I have needed a press so maybe this one will do what I need going forward. IF NOT, I have an almost new 20 ton hydraulic jack I took in on a job bout a year ago and it will be a top mounted jack type press.

Hey MetalMagpie, (like your handle) Lots of Thanks for posting the procedure on the mods for an upside down jack,,You're OK Guy,,,,

Also, John in OH,,I'ma gonna try your hints on posting pics with my IPhione8,,,I've tried everything else,,,LOL.
You gots a great thread on your new Shop,,read the whole thing ,,,dreaming as I went along. And here I thought only New Mexico had swealtering heat days that you talk about,,,LOL,,,We got plenty of them,,,!!

 

[Theredcar1955]

OH,,and something for any future hydraulic Press builders,,,I looked at several stores for the right size and material springs,,,and Lo and Behold I just happened to have a few springs from an old "trampoline" that are made with plenty of the right spring back and the length was perfect for my press,,,,,

 

[Bottlecapdigger]

I have seen the upside-down mod done for simple bottle jacks. The key is a short piece of 1/4" hydraulic tubing. Here is the procedure:

1) remove the fill plug from the side of the jack
2) invert the jack and drain most of the oil out of the fill plug
3) unscrew the bottle from the base
4) wipe up the oil you didn't get from before
5) with the intake and return ports exposed, work the handle
6) figure out which port is intake (might have to put a
little oil there first)
7) carefully tap that port to 1/4-28
8) take some 1/4" hydraulic tube and thread it 1/4-28 on one end
9) figure out how long the tube needs to be to go to the bottom of the bottle
10) cut the tube to length
11) thread the tube into the intake port
12) carefully thread the bottle back on
13) refill the jack with oil, standing up the original way
14) replace the fill plug from the side of the jack
15) invert and test, should work fine upside down now

Be careful to get all the swarf out when tapping the intake port.

This will work for many small bottle jacks. If your jack is too large, you need larger tube.


Do you have any pictures of one of you jacks you done this too? It would help me to go along with your step instructions. Thanks. BCD.

 

[CraigStu]

A friend had an HF table top press. We were trying to remove the front wheel bearing from his Subaru. Kept moving that jack handle until BANG. I thought the bearing had started to move and thinking great....until I see that some of the cross pieces of the press are not at a 90 deg angle any more. We had sheared off several of the bolts holding the press frame together.

 

[Showkey]

Let’s see some picture of these bolts.............

 

[Theredcar1955]

I hear Ya,,Showkey,,,My first thought when I looked at the HF press's with all the bolts holding them together,,was that if I bought one of them,,,I would be throwing lots of weld metal at the whole thing soon as I got it home, then a nice repaint. I figured the bolts were prolly grade 3 or lower,,,LOL.