have a bigger shop press.. homemade by someone. it uses large hanging cylindrical counterweights to lighten the movable table in order to move it up or down depending on what your pressing… anyhow i'd like to change it to a hand winch system (boat winch) and remove the large hanging weights... hoping a few of you can show how the winch system is set up on your press's the biggest problem with the counterbalance system is that the weight on the table is forever changing depending on what jigs or plates are sitting on it. and after sitting in one spot for too long the cables get stuck in one spot where the weights don't want to move them... a winch will allow a lot more control
shop press lift
- Thread starter RAMBIN
- Start date
ndnchf
Well-known member
Check out my video on the mods I made to my press. It includes a winch system.
matt_i
Well-known member
I feel certain it is not cheap. But enerpac has a "hydra lift" long stroke hydraulic pulling jack which raises and lowers the table.
Assembled...(there's a roller inside and outside (?) the H-frame which helps the cantilevered table to roll on the upright flat bars)
https://www.enerpac.com/en-us/h-frame-presses/h-frame-press/IPH3080
The hydra-lift by itself.
https://www.enerpac.com/en-us/press-hydralift/press-hydra-lift/IPL100
The chain can require a couple of "bites" with the pin put back in the center, in order to traverse the max daylight distance of the press.
Assembled...(there's a roller inside and outside (?) the H-frame which helps the cantilevered table to roll on the upright flat bars)
https://www.enerpac.com/en-us/h-frame-presses/h-frame-press/IPH3080
The hydra-lift by itself.
https://www.enerpac.com/en-us/press-hydralift/press-hydra-lift/IPL100
The chain can require a couple of "bites" with the pin put back in the center, in order to traverse the max daylight distance of the press.
Here is what I did. You do have to be carefull on going down since the winch is free spooling in that direction. You may be able to get one that does not do that?
The handle has a full broach socket bolted to it. I thought I needed the eye bolts to adjust the cable lengths but the cable does not spool onto the drum on each side perfectly so sometimes the table does not raise level but that has not been an issue.
Also, a shot of the wheels. Thanks to who ever on here I got that idea from
Kevin
The handle has a full broach socket bolted to it. I thought I needed the eye bolts to adjust the cable lengths but the cable does not spool onto the drum on each side perfectly so sometimes the table does not raise level but that has not been an issue.
Also, a shot of the wheels. Thanks to who ever on here I got that idea from
Kevin
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Worm gear yes; electric not necessarily. Depends on whether it's classified as a Winch or a Hoist. A hoist will stay put; a winch not if there's too much load.
I use an HF winch as a hoist and it doesn't have any tendency to unwind, but then all I'm lifting is one end of a garden tractor, less than 10% of the winch's rated load. The table of a 20T press would weigh even less... maybe we're on to something!
I think mine's the Badland 2500..$69. Downside of that one is it runs on 12VDC. I power mine with a big battery charger, but for shop use 120VAC would be more convenient. They do have a similar one that's 120VAC, but it's more $$.
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Here is what I did. You do have to be carefull on going down since the winch is free spooling in that direction. You may be able to get one that does not do that?
The handle has a full broach socket bolted to it. I thought I needed the eye bolts to adjust the cable lengths but the cable does not spool onto the drum on each side perfectly so sometimes the table does not raise level but that has not been an issue.
Also, a shot of the wheels. Thanks to who ever on here I got that idea from
Kevin
and since the winch is behind the frame how do you get your finger on the reversing lever?
ndnchf
Well-known member
The winch system in my video works very well. It is easy to control and you can lock it by flipping the lock tab. It is a a simple and effective solution.
Just reach up and grap it. I lift up to take pressure off the lock lever and move it. You do have to feel around for it but after the first time its easy.
Looks like a worm gear winch from McMaster is about $83 but that would be the best way to control the up and down, thats for that suggestion.
Kevin
McMaster probably buys these
https://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-capacity-geared-winch-5798.html
that'd still give 'em the 150% markup they seem to go by
Seriously, I have a couple of the HF ones, work fine - my "policy" is anything from HF gets its "rating" cut in half, if it's still noticeably higher than I need, it'll usually work well enough. Since that worm gear is "rated" at 1 ton, should be fine for anything under 1000 lbs.
'Nuther thing to watch if going electric - I wouldn't if you have a press whose table support pins go thru holes in the table, rather than UNDER the table - I haven't seen one, but who knows what gets cobbled up.
Point is, it's too easy for an electric lift to "overshoot", which could cause problems with a "mating thru hole" type support... Steve
https://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-capacity-geared-winch-5798.html
that'd still give 'em the 150% markup they seem to go by
Seriously, I have a couple of the HF ones, work fine - my "policy" is anything from HF gets its "rating" cut in half, if it's still noticeably higher than I need, it'll usually work well enough. Since that worm gear is "rated" at 1 ton, should be fine for anything under 1000 lbs.
'Nuther thing to watch if going electric - I wouldn't if you have a press whose table support pins go thru holes in the table, rather than UNDER the table - I haven't seen one, but who knows what gets cobbled up.
Point is, it's too easy for an electric lift to "overshoot", which could cause problems with a "mating thru hole" type support... Steve
I picked up the cheap harbor freight winch... mine will have to go on the right side of the press.. the top is too high and the cylinder is right there... so basicly I have to figure out the best way to run the cable so that both sides of the table go up equally... ive seen a few different methods on google.. having 2 cables come off the spool.... or splitting once cable to a tee so that its pulling 2 cables with one...