Famco Arbor Press Questions

[hughfree]

I have been thinking about purchasing an arbor press for my shop. Recently ran across a CL ad for a Famco arbor press with stand. From the pictures it appears to be a Famco simple ratchet type model 3 1/2 R rated for 4 tons. The guy is asking $499.00. I have no experience with arbor presses...what is a fair offer to this unit?

 

[ndnchf]

Seems a bit high to me. I see a lot on ebay with big prices, but many don't sell. I have a Dake 3 ton I paid $80 for and it works great, but it didn't come with a stand. If that one has a factory stand, that makes it worth more. Maybe offer $300 and go from there.
BTW - there was one for sale on OWWM a few days ago.

 

[bobcatdan]

I'm looking for a ratcheting arbor press and really want the stand. So if it was me, I would take $500 in 20 and see how far I could beat him down. I kinda used the $1 per lbs formula for vice with arbor press. I would try to get it down to $300, but depending on how nice it is, I wouldn't leave without.

 

[Provincial]

Famco is a good brand. I used one in a machine shop years ago that also was a ratcheting model. It was very handy for running broaches through sprocket and gear hubs. The stand is a big plus, since it will cost big $$ in steel just to make one!

 

[hughfree]

Thanks for the response guys! The unit definitely has a factory base...it also has the larger crank wheel offered by Famco. I have not seen the unit yet....trying to set up a time to meet. I had been considering an offer of $300.00 with a top end of maybe $375.00.

NDNCHF - You got one heck of a deal on the Dake. I have been trolling CL for months and the only US made press that I have found listed is the Famco. Great score!

 

[ndnchf]

NDNCHF - You got one heck of a deal on the Dake. I have been trolling CL for months and the only US made press that I have found listed is the Famco. Great score!

I was quite happy to get it for the price, although it was missing the plate. I ordered a new one from Dake and it cost as much as the press. So I really have $160 in it, but still well worth it. Good luck on the Famco, sounds like a great press.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Stand and ratchet mechanism add quite a bit to the value. I think $300 is probably a better price, $400 for used is getting too high.

I bought a 3 ton Greenard for $150 but no ratchet mechanism or stand.

Charles

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I was quite happy to get it for the price, although it was missing the plate. I ordered a new one from Dake and it cost as much as the press. So I really have $160 in it, but still well worth it. Good luck on the Famco, sounds like a great press.

Dake thinks alot of their parts. I bought a 25 ton press that the front half of the legs had been cut off (to keep the floor in front of it clear, and it had been lagged to the floor). I called Dake and they wanted $60 plus shipping (several years ago) for each one of the legs. I bought some angle iron of the proper length, width and thickness, and drilled the holes and painted them up. They cost me about a quarter of what Dake wanted for the exact same thing.

Charles