My HF 12 Ton Hydraulic Press Modifications
- Thread starter Spike1957
- Start date
looks like some great mod's. I'd be concerned with the casters tho, it might become less stable?
Raised approx. 4”…..2 of the casters have locks. It is fine though.
lbhsbz
Well-known member
If you have a milling machine...the best thing I did to my press was re-make all the ram pump linkage out of aluminum with polished stainless pins that that fit perfectly in reamed holes, and made a new handle that fits in the "block" with almost no slop. There is so much wasted movement with the bottle jack as delivered...it's painful really. The press is a pleasure to use now without everything slopping around.
danielbuck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2014
- Messages
- 925
lolaetype
Well-known member
Here is what I did to mine.
First of all I ditched the long through bolts and put individual bolts and nuts holding the top beam. The through bolts just deformed the C-channels and wouldn't provide adequate clamping. Also note the clip holding the jack handle, convenient and out of the way.
I added a knob to the jack valve, as you did.
I added cross bracing to the bottom of the press, That and the new bolts at the top eliminate any racking of the frame. I give up some of the lower press points, but I've never had a need to use the press for anything that requires that much room. I also secured the press to the floor.
I used thick, stiff adhesive backed felt pads to take up the slop between the movable part of the press and the side frames. Hard to see in this picture, but the stabilize the moving piece and don't interfere with it's movement.
First of all I ditched the long through bolts and put individual bolts and nuts holding the top beam. The through bolts just deformed the C-channels and wouldn't provide adequate clamping. Also note the clip holding the jack handle, convenient and out of the way.
I added a knob to the jack valve, as you did.
I added cross bracing to the bottom of the press, That and the new bolts at the top eliminate any racking of the frame. I give up some of the lower press points, but I've never had a need to use the press for anything that requires that much room. I also secured the press to the floor.
I used thick, stiff adhesive backed felt pads to take up the slop between the movable part of the press and the side frames. Hard to see in this picture, but the stabilize the moving piece and don't interfere with it's movement.
I know right, will those casters hold when you get the press up to 12 tons?
Joking right?I know right, will those casters hold when you get the press up to 12 tons?
danielbuck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2014
- Messages
- 925
yes, I am.
Hey, just checking. LMAO…… . There is probably some dude scratching his head over this one. Thank you for your post. It has made my day. Bravo.yes, I am.
Cool mods.Here is what I did to mine.
First of all I ditched the long through bolts and put individual bolts and nuts holding the top beam. The through bolts just deformed the C-channels and wouldn't provide adequate clamping. Also note the clip holding the jack handle, convenient and out of the way.
I added a knob to the jack valve, as you did.
I added cross bracing to the bottom of the press, That and the new bolts at the top eliminate any racking of the frame. I give up some of the lower press points, but I've never had a need to use the press for anything that requires that much room. I also secured the press to the floor.
I used thick, stiff adhesive backed felt pads to take up the slop between the movable part of the press and the side frames. Hard to see in this picture, but the stabilize the moving piece and don't interfere with it's movement.
I've never had or used a press before so I have questions: I got the HF 12ton in Dec w a coupon, the jack failed 3/4 way through a wheel-bearing job. I had hoped to just replace the jack without disassembling the whole thing, but the jack and the method of keeping it in place in the frame have changed. Had to exchange the whole apparatus. Different manufacturer? IDK - the instruction flyer was nearly unchanged. The gray paint is slightly less "metallic". There are no thumb screws to fix the bottom plate/flange of the jack to the top side of the press-plate (or ram-plate), it now relies on a small metal circular trim on the underside of the top crossbeam/header to seat the upward extending jack ram. Seems a bit dodgy. The jack has no "adjustment" screw unlike the first one, but that screw was labelled as "Do Not Adjust" anyway. Also, despite the pic on the insert showing the older style, there are no small cross braces (or holes to attach any) at the bottom verticals-to-footpieces connection, instead relying on just the 2 cross-member bolts to keep it squared up. That also seems to be cutting corners, (literally). If you look at the pics of OP's set-up and Lolaetype's you can see they have exactly the same two slightly different manufacturer builds that I encountered.
Any comment on whether the newer version is actually less sturdy? Mine seems overall sloppier. But again, I have zero experience. I mostly buy HF bc I don't expect to really use their tools enough to the point of failure. The newer 2-piece jack handle absolutely ***** for sure.
Any comment on whether the newer version is actually less sturdy? Mine seems overall sloppier. But again, I have zero experience. I mostly buy HF bc I don't expect to really use their tools enough to the point of failure. The newer 2-piece jack handle absolutely ***** for sure.