Shop press

[RNeumann]

Do you own a logsplitter? I use mine for pressing things all the time. Got a piece made to slip over the wedge and protect its edge (and to not cut into the steel Im pressing)

Smart!

 

[Dftodd]

The style of my first picture is a death trap when it comes to press design. This design is also fixing to be outlawed in the shop's for the company I work for.

The support tubes next to the springs are a week link. Which I can attest to since I killed ours with a torch after it tried to kill me. Thankfully when the arms bent and it spit the shaft out, it went the opposite direction And tried putting the shaft through the wall instead. It dented the siding and shook the building when it hit the wall. Not to mention the bang, which got everyone inside the building into the shop to find out what happened

Second pic shows what we switched too. Granted it's $100 more, but money well spent. Actually getting spoiled since it's air over hydraulic. Nicest feature is you can stand off to the side if you have something being really stubborn. :thumbsup:

 

[Dftodd]

Do you own a logsplitter? I use mine for pressing things all the time. Got a piece made to slip over the wedge and protect its edge (and to not cut into the steel Im pressing)

I might have to fab something up and give it a try. Wife's been after me to replace the frame on one of our metal frame benches that has started to disintegrate.

 

[kenmac]

I have the 20 ton HF press. One of the cast plates broke in half. I went to a fab shop and had some cut out of steel instead of the HF cast ones

ARBOR PRESS PLATES I didn't pay near this much for having mine made from local shop

 

[flingwing1969]

Do you own a logsplitter? I use mine for pressing things all the time. Got a piece made to slip over the wedge and protect its edge (and to not cut into the steel Im pressing)

I do the same thing - I haven't had the need for a dedicated press so I built a slip over for my splitter and it works okay for some gross work - kind of tricky to do delicate pressing though.

 

[sd455dan]

I do the same thing - I haven't had the need for a dedicated press so I built a slip over for my splitter and it works okay for some gross work - kind of tricky to do delicate pressing though.

Still use my splitter for pressing- in addition to the new press.

about a week ago decided to straighten a bumper pull utility trailer's axle that I built out of an old boat trailer.

It was much easier to use the log splitter with add on push plate and a rail road rail for the axle to sit against for pressing the bend out of it caused by PO using the axle as a (jack) point.

The log splitters work great -but a deft hand is needed due to the hydraulics being under engine power.

It can be easy to (overdue) it in just a second -even feathering the spool valve

 

[Dftodd]

Still use my splitter for pressing- in addition to the new press.

about a week ago decided to straighten a bumper pull utility trailer's axle that I built out of an old boat trailer.

It was much easier to use the log splitter with add on push plate and a rail road rail for the axle to sit against for pressing the bend out of it caused by PO using the axle as a (jack) point.

The log splitters work great -but a deft hand is needed due to the hydraulics being under engine power.

It can be easy to (overdue) it in just a second -even feathering the spool valve

Here is a pic of the press plate I made for mine, if I were to do it over a larger area for the flat surface would probably have been a good idea but used what was around at the time.

View attachment 547855 View attachment 547856

Sure some of the other posters have some great ideas for a pusher plate to for Dftodd

Actually I like your set up. I do agree with you that the plate needs to have more flat surface.

I probably got enough scrap pieces in the garage to make one up. Plug one with a V to make my bends. Either way, I got some ideas on a new project :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

When working on old equipment like backhoes.....a logsplitter with adapter plates is a good tool to have for pins and bushings. And its already oriented the right direction:thumbsup:

 

[jmc]

The style of my first picture is a death trap when it comes to press design. This design is also fixing to be outlawed in the shop's for the company I work for.

The support tubes next to the springs are a week link. Which I can attest to since I killed ours with a torch after it tried to kill me. Thankfully when the arms bent and it spit the shaft out, it went the opposite direction And tried putting the shaft through the wall instead. It dented the siding and shook the building when it hit the wall. Not to mention the bang, which got everyone inside the building into the shop to find out what happened

Good post.

 

[dfkrug]

The support tubes next to the springs are a week link. Which I can attest to since I killed ours with a torch after it tried to kill me. Thankfully when the arms bent and it spit the shaft out, it went the opposite direction And tried putting the shaft through the wall instead.

How did the guide tubes fail?

My HF 20T press has served me well, tho I do not have the air-over-hyd setup. I bought it over 10y ago for
less than $200, and I have maxxed it out numerous times. It is orange and the guides are nothing like
in your left photo. Sometimes I wish I bought the 35T or 50T unit.

I do like my standalone 20T jack with air control, also from HF, so it makes sense that air control
on the press is a good thing.