Shop Press

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

For the past year or so I have been searching for a 40 ton shop press at what I consider an affordable (--at least to me) price which that budget has been around $1k. I have made a couple of short trips to look at units however those units have been abused (leaking cylinders, bent bars or oblonged holes) or double what my budget has been.

I have seen these 50 ton Hydraulic Presses on eBay which meet my budget, and appears to be air over hydraulic too. The maximum amount of pressure I will likely need is about an honest 30 tons used to swage lug studs. Everything else is pressing in bronze bushings or pressing off bearings which would happen a couple times a month.

I will be the first to agree that their rated 50 tons is probably more like 40 tons but does anyone have any actual first-hand experience with these units to know where their shortcomings are?

 

[Iroc-Z]

I am in the same boat as you. I have been shopping for a good solid shop press. I found this company that states built in the USA and looks to be a solid press.
Company
http://www.tuckerhydraulics.com/

Place that sells them.
http://www.directequipmentsupply.co...h7RGLfsoVgtm6J5Bdxhq94DXvUV3xQ-UjhxoCkj3w_wcB

 

[zkling]

That place is just up the road from me. I'd spend the money on the steel and a good hydraulics unit as most of their stuff is just re badged, higher priced off shore units.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Thanks guys, so what do we give-up with these off-shore units? Does the hydraulics fail after a short period? Does the frame's metal bend when pressing 1/2 the rated load?? Thoughts???

 

[echerbst]

There are no real good american presses anymore, it's sad. I have a monster 100 ton dake that I scored on craigslist for 1000 bucks. It was not perfect but after 500 bucks and paint its like new. Worth 4k now. I would try and find a used one.
Dake, older american OTC those are both great.

I have used the new Arcan's some are still USA made, but think over 1k.
Balieigh is another good company that makes a decent product.

 

[zkling]

For general shop work the HF20ton is hard to beat for the price.

There are no real good american presses anymore, it's sad. I have a monster 100 ton dake that I scored on craigslist for 1000 bucks. It was not perfect but after 500 bucks and paint its like new. Worth 4k now. I would try and find a used one.
Dake, older american OTC those are both great.

I have used the new Arcan's some are still USA made, but think over 1k.
Balieigh is another good company that makes a decent product.

There's always Enerpac.

 

[Shadowdog500]

HF sells that same press for the same price. With a 20% or 25% coupon you could really save some money. From what I've read, they are a good press for the money.http://t.harborfreight.com/50-ton-h...188.html?utm_referrer=https://www.google.com/

A year or two ago there was some shester slapping Crafstman stickers on that press and selling them for $5000 on E-bay. One of our members spotted it and started a thread on it. it got ugly enough that crafstman legal got involved and even contacted Ryan(I assume to get a copy of the thread). Here is the thread. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227094&highlight=Crafstman+shop+press

Chris

 

[E.Marquez]

The HF 20 ton press is junk, I know, I've had it for 9 years and been making it work. it is a low price buy in, and you get what you pay for.
The ram will push, but it is not straight all the time, the ram guides by way of a loose fit to the press side it does often travel off alignment.... more so if your assembly is not dead nuts square to the ram and you press adapters if used are not flat and square
I had to get and return three units till i got one that was close to having the table squar.
The "free" Press plates are junk, not flat, not square, spend a bit and get a new set.
The bottle jack finally died last week.. I always wanted an Air over Hyd, so I finally did that.
Moving the press table is not horrible if it's empty, but a pain if you have a assembly loaded, set up... and then as part of the press need to move up or down.. If I don't find a good used Hyd press one day soon I'll build a crank lift for the table.

All that said, I bought mine in 2005, and have pressed a LOT of bearings, bushings, studs and shafts with this little piece of chinese junk.. It works, but it's not great.

 

[Iroc-Z]

Thanks guys, so what do we give-up with these off-shore units? Does the hydraulics fail after a short period? Does the frame's metal bend when pressing 1/2 the rated load?? Thoughts???

The 50 ton one you posted looks like the same one grizzly tools sells. The actually sell all replacement parts for it so if something fails you won't be out of luck. Honestly I think the one you posted would work just fine.

 

[Bib Overalls]

The HF 20 ton press is junk, I know, I've had it for 9 years and been making it work. it is a low price buy in, and you get what you pay for.

On Harbor Freight 20 ton presses. They sell two versions. One is junk and one is actually pretty good. They sell them interchangeably and for the same price. The junky press comes in three boxes. The better one comes in two boxes. The version you want has stock number 60603 I think. Got mine last month when they were on sale. About $150 out the door.

 

[oldmxracer]

I bought this China made 20 ton press 11 years ago on Ebay it was immediately repowered with a China made 35 ton air over hydraulic jack also purchased on Ebay . Bought it to rebuild motocross crankshafts and 20 ton will not get it done! Did purchase new quality plates ! The only repair done has been to beef up around the pin under the jack. This thing has seen lots of heavy use and has no problems, actually bought two of the jacks because I thought one would **** out right in the middle of a job and it is still setting in the original unopened box !

Did just have a friend pick up a Harbor Freight 20 ton that I have not seen in person but He said that it was built a lot lighter than this one.

 

[junkman104]

For overseas manufactured items the items they handle are pretty good.

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Shop-EA#!&ea_q=shop%20presses

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Arcan Hydraulic Press

Northern Tools handles them

I like my 40 tonner