Catching stuff on a press?

[Hobby_Man22]

Im trying to press a shaft out on my mower spindles in my 20 ton hydraulic press. I feel like this whole thing is going to land on my foot lol what do you guys use typically to catch stuff after it gets pressed out so it doesnt just fall on the floor?

 

[Firebrick43]

The small 30 ton press at work we used a 4" piece of pipe with a flat plate welded to the bottom and rags inside to catch parts.

The big 100 tonner was over wood block floors and the table wasnt but 2' off the ground to be loaded by crane. We let those fall to the wood block

 

[My Old Tools]

rags or towels in a bucket...

 

[mikegt4]

rags or towels in a bucket...

This ^ if I can't catch it with my hand. A 5 gal bucket works just fine. A good use of all that bubble wrap that I seem to accumulate.

 

[MikeC55]

Maybe a block of wood..

 

[Sumboodie]

My hands, but I setup my press with a foot valve for the air over hydraulic pump.

 

[fourjeepin]

I caught a flywheel with my big toe once. It is best to let the floor catch them though.

 

[racecougar]

My hands, but I setup my press with a foot valve for the air over hydraulic pump.

Ditto. Switch to air-over-hydraulic and you'll have both hands free to position, catch, etc.

 

[txvwnut]

I used to stick a cardboard box under mine to catch the stuff I didn't want to hit the floor.

 

[CraigStu]

Yeah air over hydraulic is nice but jeez, he just wants to catch stuff and not injure himself or the part. The bucket w/ rags or bubble wrap or multiple layers of corrugated cardboard has my vote.

 

[LeeG]

I have a bucket with two layers of the thick rubber horse mat on the bottom. It handles even heavy things pretty well.

 

[Nick Rivers]

Milk crate with foam rubber.

 

[Imatk]

I have a couple rubber pads, but I basically just stand clear. Anything heavy-duty enough to need a press isn't going to break by falling a couple feet to the ground.

 

[bwringer]

Just forget all about it, then marvel as it whangs into the floor and bounces demonically around your shop and off your shin...

What, that's not what everyone else does?

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Just forget all about it, then marvel as it whangs into the floor and bounces demonically around your shop and off your shin...

What, that's not what everyone else does?

Idk, I worry about the whole press coming apart and landing on my foot. Let's say you press something the wrong way, something has to give. Kind of one of the things I hate about presses. I like to know what it looks like inside, to make sure I'm not pressing against a machined shoulder thats not going to come apart.

 

[Johnny chaos]

I just let whatever fall on top of the of other bearings and races piled up underneath the press in a milk crate

 

[Firebrick43]

Idk, I worry about the whole press coming apart and landing on my foot. Let's say you press something the wrong way, something has to give. Kind of one of the things I hate about presses. I like to know what it looks like inside, to make sure I'm not pressing against a machined shoulder thats not going to come apart.

If you don't stick your foot under it it wont hit your foot. You should be worried about your chest and face in those situations.

That is the nice thing about an air over hydraulic press with a longer hose or an electric over hydraulic press with a remote on a cord.

Several times in my career i have pressed things that were to rusted to get out but management wanted to try and save it. Put it up on the 100 tonner and let her rip while standing around the corner of a beam (and every one else clearing out as well). And a few times it came apart in spectacular fashion just like we thought it would. Shooting parts 20 feet or more in all directions.

Some better small presses come with a scatter shield, which could easily be fabricated for yours with expanded steel mesh

 

[CraigStu]

I once helped a friend do front wheel bearings on an old Sube w/ his new HF bench top press. Two of the chinese bolts sheared and sounded like shots from a .22. I don't know how far we both jumped but wow, what a surprise. We took quick notes and went to the local ACE for all new bolts. Then we replaced the bearings.

 

[BillK]

I have an old milk crate under mine with a couple of old bath towels wadded up in it. In case i cant hold onto whatever I am pressing by hand it will fall into the towels.

Ill add another hint . . . . if you are pressing something apart that is kind of shaky get some pressure on it and then wrap an old bath towel around it. That way if it flies apart the towel will catch the shrapnel

 

[cannuck]

I just throw a board down under the 20 ton but also have a 100 ton air over hydraulic. I like to finish all jobs on that one from behind the screens using hand lever to feel what is going on. There is a heck of a lot of energy released when a press fit lets go or worse yet something breaks. IMHO cheap presses are the work of the devil in this case because they usually store so much energy in large amplitude displacement of table and overhead beams in bending. Really good presses barely deflect at all at their rated load limits.

 

[zimman]

BB. Box and a Blanket. LOL
I've sent parts flying and the best you could do is just use common sense and safety. If it's struggling stop.
Zim