pneumatic HF jack help

[^&right]

Put a HF pneumatic jack on my shop press. I want to run it with a foot pedal to free up both hands. Ordered a foot pedal off Amazon but it is not tapped for 1/4x20 threads so I can put a barb on it and run hose off it. Which also brought up the thought even if it did, is it able to handle the volume of air needed?

Figured a few of you have done this before so I'm asking, what was your foot pedal set up? All I'm seeing online are pedals to sent a pneumatic signal, not to handle a larger volume. Went to TP tools knowing their pedals were made for volume but I don't want to spend $200+ either.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[oldmachinenut]

I am assuming you meant 1/4” pipe thread?

 

[BillK]

Exactly which HF Jack did you get ? I dont think you need a lot of volume. The HF Jacks I looked at had a small "trigger" valve on the hose. Any way you can just mount that on something and use it as the foot pedal ?

Is this what you bought ?

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/jacks-jack-stands/bottle-jacks/air-hydraulic/12-ton-airhydraulic-bottle-jack-59425.html

 

[racecougar]

I bought this pedal when I did this conversion back in '19. Looks like it's gone up two whole dollars since then.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P41RSG7/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It works perfectly.

 

[^&right]

@ BIIIK I bought the 20 ton jack

@racecouger - that is exactly the pedal I bought! as pictured, it came with the push quick connect fittings. The narrower orifice got me to thinking it would not provide enough volume.

Seeing your set up and recommendation, I'm going to just adapt as you did! Didn't expect anyone to say this worked perfectly, but I'm no engineer. Many thanks for chiming in!!

 

[racecougar]

Yep, just ditch the fittings that come with it and screw in 1/4" NPT fittings to connect your air lines. It operates just as it should.

 

[vwpieces]

I should install a pedal to mine. But very worthy press upgrade for getting the air/hyd jack. Every time I use mine, I say it's like cheating... I went 20 years of using the press without one.

The air requirements are minimal for the jack. So, even if you did use the push connectors and tubing it would not be an issue. With my hand trigger valve, I find myself trying to go light opening valve when close to hitting the part. Even using the hand pump again to get things right before going harder.

 

[racecougar]

The foot pedal is as much a game changer as switching to air-over-hyd is. Being able to keep two hands on the part(s) until the ram has made contact is very helpful, and feathering with the pedal is much easier than with the hand valve. I highly recommend it.