Advice on purchasing a press?

[shadowpatterns]

I have been scanning through the threads and am coming up short: I am looking for a basic one-ton press for different projects that call for 'pressing' instead of 'ramming'. I'm looking for a work bench-size press. Something like an Arbor press. I get very reliable information on this forum and need some recommendations. Also what kind of modifications will I need to prepare to do? I will be making basic projects. ANY info is hugely appreciated! Thanks! Craig.

[TheArchitect23]

Try The 1 Ton Press From Harbor Freight... Just A Press, Can't Really Go Wrong.

Grind Off The Last 3 Teeth On The Arbor, And You Can Go In Reverse.

Bolt It On Some 4X4's ( Oak Is Nice ) Then To The Work Bench.

Presses 4 Oz And 1 Lb Rockets Nicely.

[WonderBoy]

Are you going to be pressing rockets or smaller things like comets? If you will be pressing rockets you'll want to extend the throat length. There are several pictures out there of this done with metal, or you can use wood. There is a picture of mine in my gallery. I tried embedding it, but it is huge and refuses to stay small when I resize it.

 

 

WB

Edited December 8, 2012 by WonderBoy

[Bobosan]

Here is an article from the Skylighter site for the 1 ton arbor press setup;

 

http://www.skylighter.com/fireworks/Rocket-Press-Arbor.html

[nater]

I didn't have very good results using wood to make a standoff for my arbor press. While pressing the first increment of a 3/4" BP rocket, the bolts holding the press to the wood stand ripped right out. These small presses will work for 3/4" devices, but are not ideal. I am not sure how hard you intend to press things, but one pyro I know started to chew up the gears in the press with medium to high pressures. For me, it is ideal for pressing small things like spollettes, bottle rockets, sealed bearings, holes in discs, ect... When I get to it, I'll be making a metal standoff and only using the arbor press for anything 1/2" and under. I really like the press I built from a bottle jack using the plans Ned wrote for Skylighter. It wasn't cheap, but it is portable enough and works great.

[dagabu]

The problem with 1 ton arbor presses is the severe limitations in pressing items. I have a 1 ton, 2 ton arbor press and have relegated the 1 ton to punching time fuse due to the small throat and lack of pressure for anything above 1/2" ID.

 

The three ton press can easily press anything under 3/4" ID and the hydraulic press can take care of anything 3/4" ID and up. The Northern Tool 2 ton press (HERE) is less than $200.00, has a ratchet and wheel which makes operation much easier.

 

-dag

[MrB]

I've been using a relative to this one:

http://www.biltema.se/ProductImages/15/large/15-846_l.jpg

 

Mine doesn't have the pump assembly on the side, but rather uses a inverted carjack design, where the pump is a part of the pressing hydraulic it self, but this design is (a lot) better, so i think i'm going to get mine replaced. A bit of tubing, and one of these can be used from a safe distance as well. I never was a fan of these small arbor presses, they just didn't make sense to me.

B!

[brimstoned]

I use a 12 ton benchtop A-frame, Home Depot has them for about $170.00. I cut a much shorter handle for mine, the one it ships with provides far more leverage than I need for 1/2 and 3/4 inch projects.