Need more height on hydro press - HF check please

[R-mm]

I've had this bench top type HF press for years, its lost its sticker and I no longer recall the details on it. I never run out of hydraulic power but often run out of depth or have to put it up on tires / blocks (see pic) to let something hang below the table.

So this looks like the next one up. https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-shop-press-33497.html

I forgot do these hydraulic things go on sale? HF still doing the 20%? Checking just now I only see 20% on select items.

I'm not opposed to spending more for something better but every last HF hydraulic tool I've bought I have beat to hell and back and gotten perfect service from.

 

[BD1]

The 20 ton can usually be found for $150.00. I had mine for over 15 years.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/go.harborfreight.com/coupons/2020/02/32879-39713109/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sz0k30]

Lots of posts of good reviews of, and modifications/upgrades to the HF 20 ton press. If you get one, don't bother with the 12. For not much more get the 20 ton.

 

[R-mm]

The cost is a no brainer but the floor space gives me some pause. The 12t is more or less identical to what I have now just taller.

 

[R-mm]

Anyone know if the 12t goes on sale or 20%can be used ?

 

[whateg01]

I've never liked those with the cross beam that floats. It kind of goes where it wants to on the ones I have used like that. I would look for a used press with an enerpac style cylinder and pump. I have owned a few of those, upgrading each time to a bigger model, and recouping my cost in the process.

 

[R-mm]

To be honest I’m not really sure what you’re referring to can you give me a make and model or example? thanks

 

[whateg01]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083LC3KHC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I am not necessarily recommending that one, but that is the style I mean. I bought a used frame for $25 and the 10T pump and ram from Northern Tool for my first one. Found a good deal on a 20T, don't recall the name, for my second one. I had another come up locally for peanuts that I picked up just to flip. All for less money that the HF one there. I don't really have anything against it coming from HF, just don't like the imprecise feel of the ram floating around. When pressing something tall and narrow, it needs to stay where I put it.

edit: added a pic in case the link goes dead in the future.

 

[R-mm]

got it, thanks for pointing that out.

 

[joey1320]

Could you make/add adjustable legs to the frame with some 2x4 or square steel?
You can always paint it red to match.

 

[whateg01]

My very first press was built like it's, except I had never seen one like it. Just wanted to duplicate the rigidity of dad's 50T and that was the way that came to mind. Didn't see a commercially available one like that for many years. That first one used a 20t bottle jack and served me well for probably 15 years. I build it from 4" channel and some rectangular tubing. I've never regretting going that route. Steel was cheap back then and I had the time to cut it so with my angle grinder and hand-held drill. Times we sure simpler back then.

 

[R-mm]

Strangely that amazon link now says unavailable. My friend Jon pointed out this seems to be a generic chinese style that gets branded by various people incl Northern Tool. Does anyone have experience with a particular reseller?

Here is a good price he found https://www.vevor.com/products/hydr...d10447d4cfdea0d39f626&utm_content=Ad group #1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083LC3KHC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I am not necessarily recommending that one, but that is the style I mean. I bought a used frame for $25 and the 10T pump and ram from Northern Tool for my first one. Found a good deal on a 20T, don't recall the name, for my second one. I had another come up locally for peanuts that I picked up just to flip. All for less money that the HF one there. I don't really have anything against it coming from HF, just don't like the imprecise feel of the ram floating around. When pressing something tall and narrow, it needs to stay where I put it.

edit: added a pic in case the link goes dead in the future.

 

[R-mm]

Looks like this is the active version of the amazon item:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084MBLHXM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[whateg01]

I would agree that most of those and similar are probably the same or clones of one another. I've seen varying degrees of quality, much like anything produced overseas, or anywhere for that matter. Brands like enerpac are going to be more reliable but at a price. that said, I would rather spend money on something that more closely resembles and behaves like a high quality unit than the bottle jack style of press, new or used.

Just for reference, here's a similar Dake.
https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnpla/39931993

 

[MoonRise]

Way back when (probably 10+ years ago), I went looking for a hydraulic press at HF.

They had a bench-top A-frame rickety 12 ton. Pretty small, rickety as all get out until there was 'load' on the ram. Nope.

Then there was the 12 ton floor-standing unit. Not horrible, but the work support table/beam visibly deflected when I mildly cranked on the ram on the floor/display model. Nope.

Then there was the 20 ton floor-standing unit. A little bigger than the 12 ton floor-standing unit, but not huge. Definitely beefier than the 12 ton unit. The work support table/beam did NOT visibly deflect when I used the hydraulic ram to apply some load to the table/beam. Figured if I used that unit and didn't max out the hydraulic ram it should be OK.

It was/is still OK.

HF seems to be changing their coupon strategy, but last time I saw some coupon flyer/email with the 20 ton, it still went on sale at about $150 or so. Current 'sale' price is $159.99, per hfqpdb.com.

http://www.hfqpdb.com/best_coupon/20+TON+SHOP+PRESS

You could put casters on it and wheel it into a corner or up against a wall when not in use, then just wheel it out when you need to use it. I just put mine near a wall, works for me so far.

Trying to work down on the floor or hauling that 'small' bench-top unit around would get mighty annoying to me pretty quickly. YMMV and all that.

It's just a frame with a hydraulic jack. If you don't break the frame, about the only other thing is the jack. If that goes, just replace it.

Is it 'perfect'? Nope. Adequate for a lot of uses? Yup. Again, YMMV.

 

[R-mm]

I'm going to give the amazon/prc top-ram style 20t a try.

Since I'm Uppgrayyd'ing I wonder if its time to graduate from using sockets as mandrels. I have a 10x30 lathe and can turn up some of these things from stock but a good kit may come in handy.

 

[SeisMec]

This $159.99 coupon for the HF 20 ton press - which expires a week from next monday - amounts to 20% off $199.99.

FWIW I like the design that WhategO1 pointed out better than HF's, but the current HF design is much improved over your old model.

 

[R-mm]

Received the amazon 'bestauto' press. It came in three boxes on three separate days. Overall feels pretty much identical to what you may expect of a HF item. Some burrs on stamped holes, one stamping had to be punched out and filed down. The pressure gauge was cracked - I may angle for a partial refund to buy something nicer than this, which I presume would be a very generic and easy to find part. M20x1.5 thread.

 

[R-mm]

This product came with no assembly instructions at all which is mostly OK the only thing I am questioning is which side of the top beam the thicker plate goes on. The product photos - which may be a product assembled for the sole purpose of photographing it - show the opposite of what the diagram shows. The diagram makes more sense to me: put the thicker plate on the bottom since the force is being transmitted up, so to speak. Does that make sense?