Hydraulic shop press.

[pro70z28]

What's a good size for a shop press? It will be used for pressing bearings on / off. Might make a die to bend metal strap for making tabs. also thinking of making dies on the CNC to do some small metal stamping or embossing in .024 steel or .032 aluminum. Might buy or make a louver die set. There will no doubt be other uses but right now I'm thinking mostly stuff like I listed above. 20 ton seems to be average, but if it won't handle what I have in mind I better plan for something bigger.
Thanks for your input.

[glh]

What's a good size for a shop press? It will be used for pressing bearings on / off. Might make a die to bend metal strap for making tabs. also thinking of making dies on the CNC to do some small metal stamping or embossing in .024 steel or .032 aluminum. Might buy or make a louver die set. There will no doubt be other uses but right now I'm thinking mostly stuff like I listed above. 20 ton seems to be average, but if it won't handle what I have in mind I better plan for something bigger.
Thanks for your input.

i have 20 ton and it has not let me down yet
making tabs is no problem stamps good i think you will be ok
mine is made with a 20 ton bottle jack so i think if i ever need more i would just need to put in a bigger jack
hope this helps
gary

[pro70z28]

Thanks Gary:
I just ordered a HF 20 ton. For $211.00 after shipping I couldn't hardly buy a bottle jack & materials let alone spend time building one.
Gary

[glh]

Thanks Gary:
I just ordered a HF 20 ton. For $211.00 after shipping I couldn't hardly buy a bottle jack & materials let alone spend time building one.
Gary

ya i think the hf 20 ton is made with a bottle jack and if its not enough u could just change it to a bigger jack
i dont think i will ever need something bigger tho

[Bodybagger]

It may become a project yet.

The HF presses are not very rigid. Not very tolerant of off center pressing - it will skew them into a bind if you keep pumping.

You may end up stiffening the frame and perhaps installing longer guide bars.

[pro70z28]

It's supposed to be here Thursday. I'll see what I have when it gets here. I had a guy offer me some angel iron & square tubing if I come get it. I'm not sure what he has. Maybe some of it will become part of the press.

[WyoRoy]

Do yourself a favor and head back to Harbor Freight and purchase the air/hydraulic 20 ton jack for your press. It is a simple slip in re-fit and will make your life much easier...unless you like toggling that jack half the morning to get it to run a couple of inches. You will still have the option of using the jack handle and manually operating the jack for "feel" once you have it near where you want it to be if you wish.

I swapped out the 20 ton on the press and the ram on the engine hoist with Harbor Freight air over hyd. jacks of similar size and ratings and they make using either unit a pleasure instead of a chore.

Also, forget the cheap base angles that come with the press as they barely get the job done. Find some square tube or heavy angle and give that press a firm footing.

[pro70z28]

Thanks for the suggestions WyoRoy. I did look at those Air/Hyd. jacks when I was planning to build my own. I may still do that. I'll know more tomorrow when it's delivered.