Sleeves for press - where to get?

[Spike00513]

Went from working at a shop that had every sleeve ever, to one that has basically none.
First shop, had probably a whole wall of them hanging.
Next place isn't very big on spending money on necessary tools.

That being said, am looking to get my own to solve that.
Sleeves have all kinds of uses. Pressing bushings in and out, bearings, so on and so forth.
A hydraulic shop press doesn't really work if you don't have the right sleeve to press the part with. Otherwise, you'll just damage/ruin the part.

Where do you get your sleeves? What's the best way?
So far this is what I'm seeing on Amazon for $117, and, well, at least it's something...



Already ruined one $15 bushing trying to use a sleeve too large (whatever I could find at the time) that, while it technically "fit", was too wide, placing too much pressure on the outside of the bushing (it had a flared rim) resulting in simply bending the rim, due to force being applied too far outwards on the rim instead of more inside towards the bushing center to actually press it in

Never thought to ask shops (such as the one above) or any others that may have a good collection, how they actually got it.
I imagine machine shops, axle regearing shops, etc. have plenty

 

[Lucas Limski]

Hi

I use my socket sets often and have made adapters to conveniently hold 1/2" and 3/4".

No matter what you have or buy there will always be a day you need something else.

 

[gmcgeo]

I use left over pipe, bearing sleeves, sockets, but mostly through the years of extra pipe i cut what i want to make the dies and use that.

 

[tool_scrounge]

From my dads garage I found a generic import socket set with about ever socket size ever made. My plan is to use the lathe at work and face/bore them all for use with my arbor press.

 

[NORTON'S SHOP]

I make them as needed. More than likely, the purchased ones are never quite the correct size.

 

[BillK]

I have a whole drawer full of different stuff I have saved. Cant say I have ever purchased one. I find that a lot of fwd bearing inner and outer races are good to have. Also have some that I have made. And like others have said sockets work good too

 

[Honest Bob]

I use sockets and parts of old bearings/pipe that I have collected.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I take apart every bearing and save the parts for future use.

 

[dr_clyde]

I have a lathe and a material rack. If I need something I make it, then I have it.

 

[BarrelRoll]

Sleeves from a ball joint press kit would be a good start.

We have an SK bearing and race driver kit at work, it's plastic and works awesome with a hammer, not sure I'd trust it in a press

https://www.skf.com/us/products/mai...aring-fitting-tools/bearing-fitting-tool-kits

 

[HenryAZ]

I take an old bearing race and put it on the disc sander with a 40grit disc. Take off just enough from the outside so it is no longer a press fit, then use it to press in new races.

 

[bwringer]

What kind of shop are we talking, here, and how big is the stuff you need to press? Auto? Motorcycle? Heavy equipment? Manufacturing? Robots? Evil overlord doomsday machines? Metric or barleycorns?

Yep, that kit would be a good start. Those threaded rods are likely throwaway garbage, but the steel sleeves should prove handy.

And a kit of steel discs in assorted sizes is also very handy:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08954GW18/?tag=atomicindus08-20

As others have noted, over time you tend to build up a pretty good assortment of shop-made and salvaged tooling. With bearings especially, the strongest and most precise tool is often an old bearing shell, shaved a bit so it doesn't get stuck. And of course sockets are often quite workable as long as you're reasonable with the forces applied.

But you have to get started somewhere, and these kits are a good place to begin.

 

[cannuck]

I do just about one of everything above. Have collected tooling for 20 ton presses I built 40 years ago and can do most jobs from stuff on the shelf, but just bought a 100 ton press for farm shop, so here I am starting over from scratch.

 

[2oolhound]

I'm with everyone else, have a lot of variety of pipe plus old bearings and salvaged HD tubular things to draw from. and a lathe.

Plus the mind set that I'd rather spend a n hour making something than jump in the truck and run around trying to buy something for a task at hand.

 

[Mr_B]

Went from working at a shop that had every sleeve ever, to one that has basically none.
First shop, had probably a whole wall of them hanging.
Next place isn't very big on spending money on necessary tools.

That being said, am looking to get my own to solve that.
Sleeves have all kinds of uses. Pressing bushings in and out, bearings, so on and so forth.
A hydraulic shop press doesn't really work if you don't have the right sleeve to press the part with. Otherwise, you'll just damage/ruin the part.

Where do you get your sleeves? What's the best way?
So far this is what I'm seeing on Amazon for $117, and, well, at least it's something...



Already ruined one $15 bushing trying to use a sleeve too large (whatever I could find at the time) that, while it technically "fit", was too wide, placing too much pressure on the outside of the bushing (it had a flared rim) resulting in simply bending the rim, due to force being applied too far outwards on the rim instead of more inside towards the bushing center to actually press it in

Never thought to ask shops (such as the one above) or any others that may have a good collection, how they actually got it.
I imagine machine shops, axle regearing shops, etc. have plenty

Those style kits are pretty useful, cups are good, quality varies, I have one with stamped sizes and the bearings on the nuts held in place with metal ring clips, lot are o-rings that too big and pinch up in cup cap plates ... (can buy thinner o-rings cure that issue but poorlaser etched sizing *****) .
I got mine off eBay around 85 bucks and cups done lot of press work fine.
Threaded rod forcing screws okay used sensibly and good kits do have a acme style square thread .
If you doing fair bit of pressing work they pay for themselves real quick ...