Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[dragoneggs]

Yep, the gray one. I just wish they were about 12" taller. As I previously posted, I plan to build up a base, to raise the press, with some 6-8" casters to make it more mobile.

My plates are steel.

I put mine on 3in casters... agreed could even be a little higher. I'm 6'2". I've been paranoid about my plates that came with it hearing horror stories. So far no failures but I haven't pushed it. SWAG has some apparently great plates but hard to justify the expense. Arbor plates $162.95... 20T press $159. Go figure. I did modify the press swapping out for a HF pneumatic jack and that is a dream compared to the hand jacking method.

 

[5030]

HF has a fantastic profit margin anyway. All Chinese sweatshop products with an over-the-top markup. I get a charge out of the rice paper cardboard boxes their stuff comes in.....

 

[lostcreekranch]

I put mine on 3in casters... agreed could even be a little higher. I'm 6'2". I've been paranoid about my plates that came with it hearing horror stories. So far no failures but I haven't pushed it. SWAG has some apparently great plates but hard to justify the expense. Arbor plates $162.95... 20T press $159. Go figure. I did modify the press swapping out for a HF pneumatic jack and that is a dream compared to the hand jacking method.

DE, I wonder if HF would sell some of the new steel plates?

Here's some for $60 on eBay.

2 Ton Steel Shop Press Bed Plates H Frame Arbor 4 Notch 5"x 5" Set | eBay

 

[IslandTractor]

DE, I wonder if HF would sell some of the new steel plates? Here's some for $60 on eBay.

I don't know how good the eBay version would be. Swag sells high strength steel plates for the HF 20 ton press but they cost over $150 a pair.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I don't know how good the eBay version would be. Swag sells high strength steel plates for the HF 20 ton press but they cost over $150 a pair.

I just sent a message to eBay seller to see what steel he uses. At least they're made in USA?

The HF steel arbor plates still come from China so, how do we know what they are?

SWAG has good products but, not sure they are from $60 to $160 better?

 

[IslandTractor]

I just sent a message to eBay seller to see what steel he uses. At least they're made in USA?

The HF steel arbor plates still come from China so, how do we know what they are?

SWAG has good products but, not sure they are from $60 to $160 better?

If you look at the dimensions of the $60-100 eBay plates you will see that they are considerably smaller in both size and thickness than the ?8x10x1.5 SWAG version. They are also probably mild steel compared to high strength steel from SWAG. I'm not sure that everyone really needs the full blown SWAG version but I do think they are bigger, beefier etc. SWAG makes only good stuff and prices it accordingly.

 

[5030]

hate to act dense but what is SWAG?

 

[Clint S]

Arbor Press Plates

 

[IslandTractor]

hate to act dense but what is SWAG?

Swagoffroad.com manufactures "upgrades" for several HF metal working tools. Allows crappy HF tools to produce precision bends Etc.

I think they got started selling Jeep customizing items but a lot of their business now is tooling. They also make the bandsaw benches we've been discussing.

 

[lostcreekranch]

If you look at the dimensions of the $60-100 eBay plates you will see that they are considerably smaller in both size and thickness than the ?8x10x1.5 SWAG version. They are also probably mild steel compared to high strength steel from SWAG. I'm not sure that everyone really needs the full blown SWAG version but I do think they are bigger, beefier etc. SWAG makes only good stuff and prices it accordingly.

I looked at the plates, I referenced on eBay, as a suitable replacement for the cast iron arbor plates that came with the older 20 ton presses.

The ones, from SWAG, are indeed larger and for higher than 20 ton capacity presses so, not really germane to the conversation about the cast HF plates.

Kinda like putting load range E tires on a 1000 lb. HF trailer?