Show us your arbor press!

[PureLeaf]

Saw this on craigslist for 65 bucks. Think its worth it? Cant see any manufacturer ID... but going through this thread it looks pretty much identical to a lot of the presses... Appreciate anyone's expertise!

 

[454ragtop]

Little high for an import, and note the daisy wheel is broken. Negotiate it down some so you have some cash to order a new one off Ebay. Not sure how much one that size is form say HF?
Jim

 

[bluebolt]

In my opinion that's high. It appears to be an import, the press plate is broken. Hard to tell what size too.

A Harbor Freight 1 ton is cheaper. On sale for $49.99

 

[PureLeaf]

Thanks guys, I'll pass. Hold out for a better quality USA one

 

[iajonesy]

No pics 'cause I'm too stupid to post them. Just before I retired this year, a coworker said he had an arbor press he wanted to sell for $100. I asked him what it was and he said a Dake and that was all he knew about it. I said yes without seeing it and, man I'm glad I did. It was a Dake 2 1/2 B model with a heavy duty stand and he said the press had only been used once,it still had the handle wrapped in cardboard. I felt bad about the price but he said no problem, it was just in his way.

Mike

 

[bluebolt]

No pics 'cause I'm too stupid to post them. Just before I retired this year, a coworker said he had an arbor press he wanted to sell for $100. I asked him what it was and he said a Dake and that was all he knew about it. I said yes without seeing it and, man I'm glad I did. It was a Dake 2 1/2 B model with a heavy duty stand and he said the press had only been used once,it still had the handle wrapped in cardboard. I felt bad about the price but he said no problem, it was just in his way.

Mike

One of these 315 pound, 6 ton capacity ones? If so you ****!

 

[topop101]

Back in service !

 

[Alamedasam]

Found this old Manly in a shop that was closing. It had been in the same place for over 75 years, bolted to the wall & its concrete base. The shop was originally a Studebaker Dealership. I made a stand from some scrap steel & a truck wheel.
It still works real good. Dont use it often, but when I need it, its there!

 

[ez-duzit]

Mine's imported, picked up on oBoy. It's sitting just to the right of my mill's rotary table.

 

[metalmagpie]

Hard to believe 5 pages of responses and nobody's yet posted a compound arbor press. This one is a Famco 3-1/2C compound ratcheting arbor press on factory stand. In direct mode it's a 6 ton press; in compound mode it's an 8 ton press. 19" from ram to platen; 22" from ram to table. Just barely fits under the 7-1/2' ceiling in my shop on the lowboy rolling base I made for it.

There are two horizontal pins near the top. Push them one way and it's a direct-acting press. Push it the other way and it's a compound press. Mine came out of the new version of Boeing Surplus and I was happy to get it for $425. Around here nobody's giving these away.

If you've never owned one of these, they are very handy to have around and don't take up much floor space. They are ancient, relics of the late 1800s when it was very desirable to get useful amounts of power from a human arm.

metalmagpie

 

[ez-duzit]

MM--I like that compound.

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

I'm supposed to pick this thing up in two day's. It's a Janson brand press which I know nothing about but it looks like a western brand quality press. It's missing the handle and plate but for 30 bucks it should be well worth it.

I'm looking forward to getting this home.

View media item 55675View media item 55674

 

[lilredex]

Live in Longueuil. You know it's true because noone who doesn't live here can spell it

If we cant spell it how in the world do you pronounce it ? Longueuil ?

If you are an Anglo...a passable pronunciation is Long- gay with the first "G" being a bit softer than the second.

More than you wanted to know......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longueuil

 

[zkling]

Found this old Manly in a shop that was closing. It had been in the same place for over 75 years, bolted to the wall & its concrete base. The shop was originally a Studebaker Dealership. I made a stand from some scrap steel & a truck wheel.
It still works real good. Dont use it often, but when I need it, its there!

That has to be the most art-deco arbor press I have ever seen.

I'm supposed to pick this thing up in two day's. It's a Janson brand press which I know nothing about but it looks like a western brand quality press. It's missing the handle and plate but for 30 bucks it should be well worth it.

I'm looking forward to getting this home.

Interesting, I can't recall ever seeing a press maker that used a key on the front of the ram.

Hard to believe 5 pages of responses and nobody's yet posted a compound arbor press. This one is a Famco 4C compound ratcheting arbor press on factory stand. In direct mode it's a 6 ton press; in compound mode it's a 12 ton press. 19" from ram to platen; 22" from ram to table. Just barely fits under the 7-1/2' ceiling in my shop on the lowboy rolling base I made for it.

That is a very nice setup!!!

 

[Sask dude]

Made mine in Millwright school

 

[Sask dude]

Another pic

 

[zkling]

Interesting press Sask. Approx what is the max force you are getting at the ram?

 

[Jim Pelosi]

And one press to rule them all


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[Sask dude]

Interesting press Sask. Approx what is the max force you are getting at the ram?

2 ton jack I believe it's a 5-1 mech advantage so about 10 max.

 

[lilredex]

That's a version of the Ashley press (1972)....from post #9 above, with more info here.



https://books.google.ca/books?id=R9...&oi=book_result&ct=result#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[My Old Tools]

Famco #3

Greenerd #3 3/4

 

[alfagarage]

Just found this thread!

I have an old Famco #3 that i bought awhile ago that needed restored.

Got it home and stripped it down and found that a few pinion teeth were cracked. That's were it sits now, apart on the bench. Would love to get it back together.

Does anybody have a spare pinion to help me out?

I will post some pics when I can.

Thanks.

 

[snowpro90]

I acquired this press from a friends father years ago,who ran a company called perfection pad in buffalo NY as they were going out of business. It is a Handy Button machine co. No 11. This thread inspired me to restore it. I'll update the final product.


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[snowpro90]

Complete.


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[Techie1961]

I have followed this thread from a while ago and wanted to post my Dake but it was too sad looking. I'm happy to say that it is presentable now.

Before:

After:

 

[Bobioz1]

Nice job on the press and those stone walls are bad ***.

 

[djdaredevil]

I have followed this thread from a while ago and wanted to post my Dake but it was too sad looking. I'm happy to say that it is presentable now.

Nice work. I love seeing these things when they get brought back to their glory because they are made in my home town about 10 mins from my house.

 

[Techie1961]

Nice job on the press and those stone walls are bad ***.

Thanks Bob!

Nice work. I love seeing these things when they get brought back to their glory because they are made in my home town about 10 mins from my house.

That's cool and thanks for the compliment. They're an amazing press and so nice to work with. I find a surprising number of things to use it for. This one is a fairly early model I think, since there aren't any casting names on it like they do now. I'd be curious to know its vintage.

 

[djdaredevil]

Thanks Bob!



That's cool and thanks for the compliment. They're an amazing press and so nice to work with. I find a surprising number of things to use it for. This one is a fairly early model I think, since there aren't any casting names on it like they do now. I'd be curious to know its vintage.

I cant really tell you much about it other than the tag looks old maybe one of the real early ones, and they still make that press

 

[Roberts210]

I found this one for $100 in an outdoor machinery yard in Missouri in 2010. Poor old Famco had been left out in the weather for many years and passed over by many a potential owner. But once I saw him I couldn't resist, and I dragged him home.

Lots of parts were missing. The ratcheting arm, brake, daisy wheel, and pawl were gone--and while Famco would happily sell these parts to me I shied away from paying the $1,500 they wanted for them.

I don't remember why the hood was off my Farmall H. But the H sure comes in handy when lifting heavy stuff.

Close up:

Ok, that's enough gore. I'll cut to the finish. The paint is tractor enamel in Ford Gray.

Here's how I mounted it on my workbench, bolting it down securely to a doug fir beam. That beam sits on a built-up 4X6 which is pinned to the top of several hundred pounds of concrete "foundation".

Then I started fabricating. First I made the ratchet arm out of 2 pieces of 3/4" steel welded together. Then I cut a relief for the end of the pawl to sit in while being forced downward, and welded some ears onto the side of the relief to keep the pawl from slipping out. The holes I had drilled at a local machine shop--I wanted them perfect, and my drill press wasn't up to it. The daisy wheel was given to me for postage by a guy who couldn't use it.

I found an old meat hook and decided since it once held 300 pound sides of beef, it would probably support my weight if I used it as an extension on the ratchet arm.

I cut the end off with my saw. The meat hook put up quite a fight, but in the end it surrendered. I cooled in water it in between saw attacks so the end wouldn't lose temper.

Next was the brake. I used an old bronze doorknob, drilled a hole in it and squared the hole so I could set a carriage bolt into the end. When turned CW or CCW it tightens the brake or loosens it.

I took a 1" grade 5 bolt and made the pawl by a bit of judicious grinding. Sitting next to it is my rough wooden pattern.

Here's the pawl and ratcheting arm in position:

Making a spare short-shaft water pump for my 261.

 

[Techie1961]

Nice job on the old Famco Robert. It was fortunate that the important bits like rack, pinion shaft, etc. were there.

 

[Roberts210]

Thanks Techie. Yes, had the rack or pinion shaft been gone, or even damaged, it would have been a different story all together. I was fortunate in that the critical parts, including the ship's wheel, were there.

Does anyone have an idea on how I can restore/fix/replace the 2 missing handles on the ship's wheel?

 

[454ragtop]

Thanks Techie. Yes, had the rack or pinion shaft been gone, or even damaged, it would have been a different story all together. I was fortunate in that the critical parts, including the ship's wheel, were there.

Does anyone have an idea on how I can restore/fix/replace the 2 missing handles on the ship's wheel?

Drill and tap the boss where the broken handles were. Then you could fab some bolt on handles out of aluminum maybe and attach with a counter sunk bolt. Could also weld or braze some handles on, if your up to it, can be tricky on cast iron.
HTH, Jim

 

[Techie1961]

Thanks Techie. Yes, had the rack or pinion shaft been gone, or even damaged, it would have been a different story all together. I was fortunate in that the critical parts, including the ship's wheel, were there.

Does anyone have an idea on how I can restore/fix/replace the 2 missing handles on the ship's wheel?

Do like 454 says or if a real restore isn't important to you, just cut off the others and grind it smooth. I doubt you have to have them.

 

[danstead]

FAMCO # 2 Arbor Press

Finally found a small USA arbor press, 2 ton. The teeth on the Ram seem to be in very good shape but the Gib plates seem like second hand replacements that are undersized. Any thoughts on what material the gib plates should be made out of?

Thanks

 

[bobcatdan]

I thought I posted before, but couldn't find it. I got this 3 ton dayton from a buddy. He picked this up after the teeth gave out on his Atlas. Not long after buying it, he came across a bigger Famco for cheap. Having inquired about his old one, he asked if I wanted this one. Gave him what he paid for it. As much as I'd like a Dake or Famco, the quailty of this one is very good and other then not a compound, leaves nothing to be desired.

 

[77Mini]

I would love to have a nice arbor press. I have a 20ton hydraulic press but you have so much better feel with an arbor press

 

[Outlander]

I should probably start a new thread, but seeing all these great presses I was wondering what sort of implements are being used (dies etc) on the business end?

 

[bluebolt]

This one is a fairly early model I think, since there aren't any casting names on it like they do now. I'd be curious to know its vintage.

1955 or later since the tag says Dake Corporation. From Practical Machinist:

"The Dake Engine Company, founded 1887, became the Dake Corporation in 1955. Dake shipped the last Dake square-piston steam engine in 1988"

 

[atari]

I haven't been on here for some time, nice to see this thread is still active.