HF shop press

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
Good or bad idea.
I am finding I need a press occasionally for things like replacing wheel bearings (just dropped a hub off at a local shop), replacing studs etc.
Frankly I'd only expect to use it a couple times/year - unless there are some fun out-of-the-box tricks to do with them.

It's a simple device, and my experience w/ HF simple devices that don't require precision has been OK.
However 20 tons of force is a lot if something fails...
 
It will do the job just fine. Go for it. I've owned HF, Northern, and good name brand presses. There's a difference in the quality of the finishing and controls, but they all squish stuff just the same.
 
But it!


1463165708888-103180051.jpg


And here's a 20% off code if you need it.

IMG_20160425_173619549_HDR.jpg
 
So it literally is just a 20 ton bottle jack bolted into the frame, right?

Seems I could come up w/ some other uses for that jack too.
 
Buy it. I bought my HF 20 ton press 11 years ago. You will use it for more things than you can think of and realize right now.
 
Depends what you wanna bend I just welded a piece of angle onto the press part that sticks below the jack and since there is an opening already between the two bottom pieces it had no problem doing a single 90 degree bend
 
I had one. Bought it well used about 4 years ago and put it into service for a while. Sold it to an off-road shop and they're still using it to this day. Worth it.
 
I added a 2" round knob on valve so I can open and close with one hand and pump with handle with other hand. Works great for rearching bent leaf springs. Next I want to make louvers . No jokes about switching hands and not missing a beat. Please!
 
tknopp said:
Wait till it goes on sale for $149.99.
Click to expand...

i JUST bought mine last week for that price, been carrying around a $159.99 coupon the truck for the time I got close to HF and had the cash, then the $149 coupon came across, $10 is $10

I had possession of the Orange model for several years, its rightful owner took possession and I now have the newer Gray version, some slight differences, but appears to be a little beefier.

the arbor plates on the newer version appear to be flame cut plate, but I can't verify this yet. the old versions were obvious cast plates and were certainly a concern.

I missed not having one, once it got gone, never really realized how much i actually used it.
 
I waffled around for years, but finally broke down and bought the gray HF 20 ton. Of course waited til it was cheapest and used the best percentage coupon I could find. Sometimes ya just gotta pull the trigger and make the purchase.
 
I built a press frame to use the cylinder off of my tube bender... No bottle jack pumping for me!...

I get enough of that since I used all my money on a tube bender rather than taking girls to the movies.

(Let me know if you want more details)

Edit: about the press frame, not the bottle jack pumping.
 
Falko said:
No bottle jack pumping for me!...
Click to expand...
What you do or don't do on your "alone time" is your own business, I don't need to hear any more! ;-)
 
Back
Top