Pimped My HF 20 Ton Shop Press

Sorry about the ebay #not sure why it doesn't show up. The knobs are made by a little shop in Florida, Hartco Engineering inc. The owner's name is Cary Harwood. I emailed with him first, he was very helpful. His email is cary@hartco-eng.com

It's a beefy press. I like to do metal fab projects, so for me it will be used with a press brake for bending steel. I'll also use it for occasional bearings and bushings.
 
Chip, a twenty ton press will probably do 90% of what I require in the shop. Which consists mostly of pressing bearings and shafts on and off, bending metal, and straightening shafts, generally for automotive work. I've had a few items over the years that have required an 80 ton unit. Had a water pump from my backhoe with a leaking seal pack. A new one was $400 and the rebuild kit was $18. It required every bit of the 80 tons along with the use of a torch. I thought the cast iron housing would give up before it came apart. Sounded like a shotgun going off when it finally let go. 8-12 ton would probably be the next step up from an arbor press. Mike





Chip Hacket said:
20 tons. Well that is a lot of muscle. May I ask what kind of projects you guys are doing that require such power. Would this be the next step up from an arbor press?
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I also have a #1-1/2 Dake arbor press (3 ton) that I use frequently for lightweight jobs. It's quick and easy to use. But if it wasn't enough, I'd go to my HF 12 ton press. But since buying the 20 ton, I gave the 12 ton to a buddy. A good arbor press is a very handy tool to have.
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The reason I needed the press is the size of the items I was putting in it, The Arbor press would not be any where close to letting me put my head stock for my lathe in it. Prob do not need 20 tons, but the size was right. In addition, I was also thinking that I could make a metal brake etc.
 
Chip Hacket said:
20 tons. Well that is a lot of muscle. May I ask what kind of projects you guys are doing that require such power. Would this be the next step up from an arbor press?


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I don't think pressing carrier bearings on a arbor press would work. I mostly use the 20T for automotive projects.
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Thanks guys.


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ndnchf said:
Just a clarification. The bolt above the winch that guides the cable is not just a bolt. Its a 3/8" bolt that has a steel roller on it. I bought a piece of 1/2" steel tube with a 3/8" hole. Cut it to fit between the uprights. Then drilled a little oil hole and then polished it. So it really is like a pulley, but wide enough to allow for the cable to wind on the drum however it wants to lay.

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I like the route you went with bolting the top frame to the channel. It sounds like you ran into the same problem I did with the top frame being squeezed together to tighten down on the channel and the channel crushing some. I went the more labor intensive rout and welded plates in the web of the channel and made shims so that the top frame and channel fit correctly and of course used g8 bolts....tightened 'til the paint started flying off plus half a turn. I like your way better!

I also like your release knob better. I just modified the stock release by shortening it some and tig welding a bit of threaded rod onto it. I loc-tited a knob from the hardware store to the threadsd rod.

You mentioned a press brake......very useful add, along with the air/hyd cylinder. If you go with the Swag, I would recommend NOT going with the standard 20t press brake kit! Just opinion here...it's chinsey and I coulda made the same thing myself. It curls up like a Frito when you weld it out which is expected to some degree but holy crap! After more toil than it was worth, I got it pressed flat. Thank goodness I took my time and used my little mig to weld it out and left my big iron sit idle. Had I put the spray to it, the thing woulda came out U shaped!
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Ironken said:
I like the route you went with bolting the top frame to the channel. It sounds like you ran into the same problem I did with the top frame being squeezed together to tighten down on the channel and the channel crushing some. I went the more labor intensive rout and welded plates in the web of the channel and made shims so that the top frame and channel fit correctly and of course used g8 bolts....tightened 'til the paint started flying off plus half a turn. I like your way better!

I also like your release knob better. I just modified the stock release by shortening it some and tig welding a bit of threaded rod onto it. I loc-tited a knob from the hardware store to the threadsd rod.

You mentioned a press brake......very useful add, along with the air/hyd cylinder. If you go with the Swag, I would recommend NOT going with the standard 20t press brake kit! Just opinion here...it's chinsey and I coulda made the same thing myself. It curls up like a Frito when you weld it out which is expected to some degree but holy crap! After more toil than it was worth, I got it pressed flat. Thank goodness I took my time and used my little mig to weld it out and left my big iron sit idle. Had I put the spray to it, the thing woulda came out U shaped!View attachment 224644 View attachment 224645
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Yes, the top is easily pinched by those long bolts, individual bolts cost a little more, but resolves that issues and is a but stronger. I needed to make room for the pulley and cable so it was a needed change. Thanks for the heads-up on the press brake. Ive been looking at the different SWAG versions. I also found this one, which comes fully welded and ready to use and its a bit more affordable. I'd just use it for home projects, not serious industrial use. I think this would serve my needs. What do you think of it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/112253837443?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
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