OK, so my garage has an empty corner and a shop press would fit right in. Not really, however, has anyone purchased the 20 ton from Harbor freight? This is in my price range and I have a few jobs that would be much easier if I had the press.Any suggestions? $300 is about the limit.I'm 63 years of youth and my knuckles don't grow the skin on as fast as it used to. No I do Not wear gloves, Thanks, Ken
Shop Press 20 Ton
- Thread starter Kenskip1
- Start date
I’ve had mine for a couple years. I’ve used it on several bushing replacements and a hub bearing. It’s worth the money. Just make sure to get the bolt together one so you can build it square. The older welded ones were often crooked. Anything actually better would be over your budget and overkill for DIY. Also make sure you get the plasma cut steel arbor plates not the widow maker old cast ones.
https://www.hfqpdb.com/best_coupon/20+TON+SHOP+PRESS
$139
https://www.hfqpdb.com/best_coupon/20+TON+SHOP+PRESS
$139
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Adk Mike
Well-known member
I’m the same age as your are and I just bought one . No turning back from straightening lawn mower blades to pressing the bearings out of my son in laws Honda. A must have tool. Love it !
BD1
Well-known member
HF had it on sale for $139.99 , haven't checked lately.
I had mine 12 years at least and it's great for the money. It was still $150.00 back then when I bought mine. I use mine for bending, forming , and straightening. I have a bunch of tooling I made for it as my projects warrant.
i do horseshoe artwork and it's great for spreading and closing a group of horseshoes clamped together so they're all the same . I love mine.
I had mine 12 years at least and it's great for the money. It was still $150.00 back then when I bought mine. I use mine for bending, forming , and straightening. I have a bunch of tooling I made for it as my projects warrant.
i do horseshoe artwork and it's great for spreading and closing a group of horseshoes clamped together so they're all the same . I love mine.
The general consensus the HF press gets the job done........there are a dozen threads on the use and modifications to make it better.
On the safety is for sissies it’s never too late even at 63 to wear gloves, hearing and eye protection.........especially witha press.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=419738&highlight=Press+harbor
On the safety is for sissies it’s never too late even at 63 to wear gloves, hearing and eye protection.........especially witha press.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=419738&highlight=Press+harbor
8man
Well-known member
I have one and like it, but I added some extras. I put a pneumatic 20T jack, and a boat trailer winch to raise and lower the cross bar (saw both mods on YouTube). I also picked up new plates from Swag that are flat and true and safer.
ndnchf
Well-known member
There are several threads discussing the press and many mods in detail. Do a search of the forum. Be aware that there are two part numbers. One is welded construction, the other is bolt together. The latter is #60603 and is preferred by many including me.
I've made many mods to mine to make it easier to use. It's a great press.
I've made many mods to mine to make it easier to use. It's a great press.
SGKent
Banned
I had a 12 ton one for many years. The hydraulics aren't the best. If it fails get a Norco one. one suggestion is that if the press has a gauge port, add a 20 ton gauge so you can see what pressure you are actually exerting. That will tell you if something is wrong or if the hydraulics are leaking internally.
Get a good set of arbor plates too and not that cast junk a lot of the presses come with.
View media item 30189
View media item 94344
Get a good set of arbor plates too and not that cast junk a lot of the presses come with.
View media item 30189
View media item 94344
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sz0k30
Well-known member
Yes! The #60603 is probably one of the best parts & deals you can get from HF! Lot of good posts, info, modifications & upgrades on this site. Just do a little searching. I bought mine on sale for about $170 a few years ago. Now I see them on sale for about $130-140. Just do it.
atikovi
Well-known member
Gloves no so much for safety as for convenience and comfort. Lot better after working on something greasy or gas soaked to toss the gloves in the trash instead to trying scrub the grime off your hands which isn't 100% effective, so you see and smell it for days after.
Safety .........
Ask those technicians with skin cancer and blood poisoning from over exposure on the skin. Both very real problems.......over the long haul.
ndnchf
Well-known member
Here is a video I put together describing my 20 ton press and the mods I've done.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaI37ff_Xx69Q3C5OK6qC0Vj9zxeQcRL_
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaI37ff_Xx69Q3C5OK6qC0Vj9zxeQcRL_
atikovi
Well-known member
That winch mod is cool.
toplessHO
Well-known member
I bought a good used Made in USA one for about the same price as the HF one,and I got lots of extra fixtures and plates.
Rule of thumb for safety is 10 # of weight on frame only for every ton of capacity.
a 20 ton should weigh 200lb+ not including the jack.
Rule of thumb for safety is 10 # of weight on frame only for every ton of capacity.
a 20 ton should weigh 200lb+ not including the jack.
duwem
Well-known member
I have the 20 ton press and rapid pump low profile steel rolling jack. Both in the gray. The orange colored stuff was crappier. Both have done everything I have wanted. With the bad rap of a lot of HF stuff the hydraulic jack/press stuff is actually really good!
toplessHO
Well-known member
how much does the frame of a 20HF one weigh without fixtures or jack?
Says total weight of 190 lbs. However that rule of thumb is not one I've heard of and frankly with the tens of thousands and more of these in use with no real failures to speak of is a moot point. It's a good press and a great value
atikovi
Well-known member
Is that for US steel or Chinese steel?
toplessHO
Well-known member
is that like,what weighs more a pound of lead or a pound of feathers?
Magnum440d100
Well-known member
I have had my 20 ton Harbor freight for just under a year. I mainly use it to separate rods/pistons, and an occasional wheel hub or bearing.
So far, it has worked excellently
So far, it has worked excellently
The plates are torch cut steel now. No need to buy new ones. I replaced all hardware with grade 8 and double nutted the nuts. Works great. Used 1/2” stem double lock 3” casters to make it easy to move around.
Have pressed apart a few Jacobs Super Chucks that were sticky. Couldn’t have done it without the press.
Have pressed apart a few Jacobs Super Chucks that were sticky. Couldn’t have done it without the press.
ndnchf
Well-known member
The problem with the HF press, besides typical HF poor build quality, is the inside bed gap is 4" and this really limits its ease of use. To press off FWD hubs, you have to stack 4" of steel plate on top. For home use it's ok to deal with this, but for a real shop, no way. Of course anything better is 4x as much.
Well the purchase has been made. Assembly will commence when the temperature gets below 80.I am looking forward to getting it ready to work.Pictures soon, Ken
The press is now fully assembled and I am sweating like a baptist in a brothel.Pictures will be later.
Update, As I have viewed videos on this press I made the removable pieces that came with the press. As someone stated that they are heavy and could cause possible injury.So with an abundance of angle iron laying around I cut 8 pieces an inch wide. The center of the base has a 4 inch gap.So with my 8 pieces formed into a 3 inch 7/8 gap I welded them onto the center in the outline of a square.All went well except for some of my welds.Anyone can rotate the pieces however,, dropping them through the 4 inch gap is virtually impossible.
The press is now fully assembled and I am sweating like a baptist in a brothel.Pictures will be later.
Update, As I have viewed videos on this press I made the removable pieces that came with the press. As someone stated that they are heavy and could cause possible injury.So with an abundance of angle iron laying around I cut 8 pieces an inch wide. The center of the base has a 4 inch gap.So with my 8 pieces formed into a 3 inch 7/8 gap I welded them onto the center in the outline of a square.All went well except for some of my welds.Anyone can rotate the pieces however,, dropping them through the 4 inch gap is virtually impossible.
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Update, As I have viewed videos on this press I made the removable pieces that came with the press. As someone stated that they are heavy and could cause possible injury.So with an abundance of angle iron laying around I cut 8 pieces an inch wide. The center of the base has a 4 inch gap.So with my 8 pieces formed into a 3 inch 7/8 gap I welded them onto the center in the outline of a square.All went well except for some of my welds.Anyone can rotate the pieces however,, dropping them through the 4 inch gap is virtually impossible.