Press Modifications.....and Uses!

[bczygan]

I just picked up the Harbor Freight 20 Ton Hydraulic Press.

What modifications have you made or thought of, for your press?

And what do you use it for?

This can be for any press, not just the HF ones.

Bill

 

[454ragtop]

I added a winch to raise and lower the table, a knurled knob on the jack release, an adjustable ram I made from a junk bottle jack, and better press plates.

 

[PelicanPines]

I'm in to know... because you never know when you're pressed to know... about a press.

Press on then...

 

[bczygan]

I added a winch to raise and lower the table, a knurled knob on the jack release, an adjustable ram I made from a junk bottle jack, and better press plates.

I would love to see some of those...


Bill

 

[theoldwizard1]

The big step up for those who are fabricators is turning it into a press brake. You can bend some serious metal with that for heavy duty brackets. Swag Off Road sells a nice kit. Welding required.

 

[454ragtop]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278853&highlight=winch
Bill if you go to "advanced search" at the top of this forum, use keyword winch and threads with my username a bunch of press mod threads will come up.

 

[shanny19]

For my HF press, only two mods. I brazed the two piece handle together and then to the jack permanently, and I threw out the cast plates and bought real ones on eBay. Absolutely didn't trust the cast plates to not grenade my eyes out.

 

[Provincial]

I have seen comments here on GJ that the newer HF presses have rolled steel plates, not cast ones. bczygan, are yours rolled or cast?


And what is the model number of your press?

 

[bczygan]

I have seen comments here on GJ that the newer HF presses have rolled steel plates, not cast ones. bczygan, are yours rolled or cast?


And what is the model number of your press?

How do you tell?

My model number is 60603. It's the bolted together one.

Bill

 

[ndnchf]

I've done quite a few mods to my HF 60603, 20 ton press. A few of them are:
Winch
Castors
Handle clips
Air/Hydraulic jack
Knob of jack valve
Press brake

Do a search of the archives, there is a lot of good info.

 

[kkroger]

AOH jack, Press Brake attachment, better press Plates, I got a winged knob from SWAG with the Press Brake, a pedal to run the AOH jack instead of the stupid handle, I like the Winch to raise and lower the table... I'll have to work it out and see if I can adapt the little Harbor Freight Electric Winch to do that.... Adding wheels to the frame is another option. Some tooling and spacers for pressing bearings and the like, bearing splitters, etc etc etc....

 

[bczygan]

I have seen comments here on GJ that the newer HF presses have rolled steel plates, not cast ones. bczygan, are yours rolled or cast?


And what is the model number of your press?

Just looked at the plates. They are pretty flat, but coated with a black paint. So I can't tell the material or construction method.

Bill

 

[ndnchf]

The 60603 comes with cut steel plates, not cast. You should be able to see the edges appear to be plasma cut.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Bill; Your Wife was wondering if that press was bought for cracking Her hard boiled eggs.
It should also work great for crushing beer cans; whether empty or full... I am certain that You will try this; now that it has been mentioned?

Mount the press on casters so it can be moved easier.

 

[bczygan]

Bill; Your Wife was wondering if that press was bought for cracking Her hard boiled eggs.
It should also work great for crushing beer cans; whether empty or full... I am certain that You will try this; now that it has been mentioned?

Mount the press on casters so it can be moved easier.

She has already made note that my fat head will easily fit in there.

She spends all her free time watching murder, mayhem and ****** scary movies on Netflix.

Luckily, she is undecided which gruesome method, will be my end.

Bill

Note that the above things are true!!! And you forgot that it could also be used for cracking nuts.....ouch!

 

[bczygan]

The 60603 comes with cut steel plates, not cast. You should be able to see the edges appear to be plasma cut.

They do appear to be that...I'm happy!

Bill

 

[E.Marquez]

Just looked at the plates. They are pretty flat, but coated with a black paint. So I can't tell the material or construction method.

Bill

If they have a rough texture i'd bet on cast...
I just looked at the press plates being sold with a 20 ton at our local HB store today, they are cast for sure.

Perhaps this one is new old stock and others are getting hot rolled plasma cut plates,,, but not at the Killeen Texas Store.

Swag Off Road has some nice plates at decent prices http://www.swagoffroad.com/ARBOR-PRESS-PLATES_p_7.html

I bought mine on sale and free shipping deal they had.

Added a knurled knob to the jack, pedal operated 12vdc hyd power pack to a 20ton hyd jack (power pack scavenged from a tommy lift gate that was damaged and scrapped )

 

[ndnchf]

If they have a rough texture i'd bet on cast...
I just looked at the press plates being sold with a 20 ton at our local HB store today, they are cast for sure.

Perhaps this one is new old stock and others are getting hot rolled plasma cut plates,,, but not at the Killeen Texas Store.

Swag Off Road has some nice plates at decent prices http://www.swagoffroad.com/ARBOR-PRESS-PLATES_p_7.html

I bought mine on sale and free shipping deal they had.

Added a knurled knob to the jack, pedal operated 12vdc hyd power pack to a 20ton hyd jack (power pack scavenged from a tommy lift gate that was damaged and scrapped )

Which one did you look at? The 60603 or the 32879? They look very similar but come from different sources. All the 60603s I've seen on display (and the one I bought) have the cut steel plates. But I'm not sure about the 32879. Those may still come with cast plates. Both versions are the same price. That's why I always encourage people to insist on the 60603 version.

 

[ndnchf]

Here is what the cut steel plate looks like. It's smooth on the faces and the edges are plasma cut. As mentioned, the cast plates are rough, almost a fine pebble grain on all surfaces. Hope this helps with identification.

 

[bczygan]

It IS a 60603!

I went out of my way to get that one. Manager said they didn't have one so I went to another store and took one in a damaged box. Turned out they did have one but he didn't know.

Just finished putting it together..........except for the one nut that escaped by scampering under the roller.

The plates ARE plasma cut. I just went down and checked.

Was going to take photos, but with bad short term memory I forgot the camera/phone.

Now I'm looking for things to crush. Don't say beer cans. There's a 10 cent deposit, and I drink so little, that there are full ones, but no empties. And yes, I do know the solution to that...

Bill

 

[bczygan]

Photos:

Bill

 

[bczygan]

Possible modifications?

Locking swivel casters
Air over hydraulic jack
Table lift
Mill plates?
Parts storage
Shim moving table
Welds?
Use hydraulic lift table to lift table?
Winch?
Grade 8 hardware?

Bill

 

[jeffmoss26]

making lists.

 

[apollo11]

Casters and a holder for the handle are the minimum mods for me.

 

[danbuff]

Lexan or steel screen for safety shield

 

[bczygan]

Lexan or steel screen for safety shield

Added.

Casters and a holder for the handle are the minimum mods for me.

Added

making lists.

Have to. Otherwise I can't remember.

Possible modifications?

Locking swivel casters
Air over hydraulic jack
Table lift
Mill plates?
Parts storage
Shim moving table
Welds?
Use hydraulic lift table to lift table?
Winch?
Grade 8 hardware?
Lexan or steel screen for safety shield
holder for the handle
Bill

 

[ndnchf]

To hold my handle, I found these broom clips at the True Value hardware store. They work perfectly.

 

[bczygan]

To hold my handle, I found these broom clips at the True Value hardware store. They work perfectly.

Nice solution!

 

[txvwnut]

I keep a closed cardboard box under mine to catch what ever falls that I cant catch. Keeps stuff from crashing onto the floor.

 

[bczygan]

Today's new addition to the mix:

20 ton Air Hydraulic Bottle Jack

https://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-air-over-hydraulic-jack-95553.html

Bill

 

[NitroShark]

Unless your doing the same over (repetitive work) you wont get the real feel you get with the standard rod handle.

When using a press for odd jobs you never really know when the press will "pop" and start to move the parts. Sometimes this real feel separation point is critical to doing the job at hand.

I mostly use my press to rebuild roller bearing crankshafts and bearings or repair work.



Simple is good sometimes.

 

[bczygan]

Unless your doing the same over (repetitive work) you wont get the real feel you get with the standard rod handle.

When using a press for odd jobs you never really know when the press will "pop" and start to move the parts. Sometimes this real feel separation point is critical to doing the job at hand.

I mostly use my press to rebuild roller bearing crankshafts and bearings or repair work.



Simple is good sometimes.

The air over bottle jack still can use the handle, but it comes with a crappy 2 piece one. I'll trade handles.

It does operate it much faster and easier, plus gives me a jack for elsewhere.

Bill

 

[PelicanPines]

To hold my handle, I found these broom clips at the True Value hardware store. They work perfectly.

Nice solution!

I used those clips for so many things... buy 2 dozen.

 

[454ragtop]

Unless your doing the same over (repetitive work) you wont get the real feel you get with the standard rod handle.

When using a press for odd jobs you never really know when the press will "pop" and start to move the parts. Sometimes this real feel separation point is critical to doing the job at hand.

I mostly use my press to rebuild roller bearing crankshafts and bearings or repair work.



Simple is good sometimes.

X2, I've never felt the need for an air over hydraulic jack. You might use the press for a little while before deciding that's the way to go.

 

[bczygan]

X2, I've never felt the need for an air over hydraulic jack. You might use the press for a little while before deciding that's the way to go.

Too late.

YouTube videos convinced me.

Bill

 

[astroracer]

Here is the link to my press mods.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238768&highlight=hydraulic+press
Casters, storage, handle storage, tool box, press brake, etc.
Next on the list is an AOH jack.
Mark

 

[ndnchf]

The air/hydraulic jack does everything the standard jack does. But it also saves a lot of hand pumping and time bringing the ram into position to start the actual pressing. Certainly not a necessity, but a very nice convenience. I saw the air/hyd jack was on sale last week, a great time to pick one up. It makes splitting a couple of pieces of firewood a lot quicker too!

Measure carefully before drilling the mounting screw holes in the bottom of the jack.

 

[ndnchf]

For the benefit of future lurkers, there are two different air/hydraulic 20 ton jacks. The #95553 that Bill showed above is the correct jack to use. The other one is a little different and doesn't fit the same way.

 

[bczygan]

For the benefit of future lurkers, there are two different air/hydraulic 20 ton jacks. The #95553 that Bill showed above is the correct jack to use. The other one is a little different and doesn't fit the same way.

A lot of good info in this thread.

Thanks!

I also note that in the bottle jack instructions for both the one that comes with it, and the AOH one, that purging air is a good idea. They tell how.

Now I just need some things to press!

Bill

 

[ndnchf]

Once you start playing with it, I think you'll find lots of uses.

Here's something I did last summer. I was resurrecting a 90+ year old Ford model T pickup bed. There was suppose to be a kicked out area on the front of the bed to allow access to the battery. On this bed it had been cut and modified. So I had to make new pieces and weld them in to restore the kickout section. Using the press and a brake I made the 2 angled pieces and welded them in place. A simple, fun project.