Will I need an arbor press for my bridgeport top end rebuild?

[expressline99]

So I'm inches away from tearing down my top end on as it needs a rebuild. I built a quick and dirty table mount the remove the head today(thanks mrpete for the video). Every video I have watched shows someone using an arbor press on the various bearings. I don't think I will be doing the spindle bearings anytime soon. But it is possible later on. ...

I don't own any type of press at this point. Everything I've done I've managed awkwardly with a large bench vise. But from what I've seen if I'm going to bother getting one it should be a 3 ton ratcheting type. Dake, famco, greenard, palmgren...or Jet. Basically in that order of my desire.

Broaching wise it seems less than 3 ton won't do. Any opinions on that? Plenty of projects I will need to do this on. But when is in question. Right now I'm just wanting to rebuild the top end. What did you guys use on your mill rebuild?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Rick_B]

Hey Paul - I can't help but am watching closely as a head rebuild is likely in my future as well. Hopefully you wil be documenting your processas you proceed

Rick

 

[seanb]

An arbor press big enough to do bearing in the head is going to be $$$$$
My vote is for a shop press U can by one at harbor freight for $150 if u find a 20% coupon

 

[expressline99]

Hey Paul - I can't help but am watching closely as a head rebuild is likely in my future as well. Hopefully you wil be documenting your processas you proceed

Rick

Hey Rick, Well I will appreciate any good thoughts. lol I'll probably take quite a few pictures. My wife bought me a go pro for Christmas so I should probably get that out and play with it. Probably at least record the nice head noise before I take it apart. Plus there is a relatively horrible amount of backlash. Bad enough I might have to change the screws....and the oiler is clogged. I've got enough to do for the next 6 months I think!

Paul

 

[expressline99]

An arbor press big enough to do bearing in the head is going to be $$$$$
My vote is for a shop press U can by one at harbor freight for $150 if u find a 20% coupon

Thanks Sean. I'm trying hard to do "lifetime" tool purchases if possible. Aside from harbor freight... new prices are really high. A new Dake is over $1000 so that isn't going to happen. Looks like I could get a Jet 3 ton new and shipped for $300 . Not terrible. Or $150 roughly for HF model. I guess I'm on the fence.

Anyone use the Jet models?

 

[seanb]

Jets stuff is made in China, Honestly the Harbor freight shop press is pretty well built and not alot of precision needs to go into a press.

You can keep an eye out for a used american made press on craigs list. That's what I was going to do but the guy never emailed me back so i bought the HF one.


http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-h-frame-industrial-heavy-duty-floor-shop-press-60603.html


I understand not wanting low quality import stuff.

 

[expressline99]

That is really tempting. Craigslist is terrible for getting people to respond. That happens almost every time I try by email. Sometimes I have them respond once...then never again...yet the ad stays up. Very odd.

 

[Quattroclick]

Waiting can be good. I made a deal to get a 3 ton Jet with a stand for $150, but the deal fell through because the press was stolen before I could get it. A few weeks later, a clean Northern Tool (I think) popped up on Craigslist for $25, and I got it. 6 months later, a Greenerd (needing minor work) became mine at a flea market for $5. I had to carry it a half mile to my car, which really took the edge off of any potential gloating.

 

[expressline99]

Waiting can be good. I made a deal to get a 3 ton Jet with a stand for $150, but the deal fell through because the press was stolen before I could get it. A few weeks later, a clean Northern Tool (I think) popped up on Craigslist for $25, and I got it. 6 months later, a Greenerd (needing minor work) became mine at a flea market for $5. I had to carry it a half mile to my car, which really took the edge off of any potential gloating.

$5.00 what a deal. The carrying it part... totally what would happen to also. Seems like you got several deals. Did you end up keeping the first one? Or just the Greenerd?
I may just fight my way through it without. Since there aren't any deals on CL for anything big enough. Even the shop presses are high on there.

I did however get a card for my gopro today. So I'll try to figure that out over the weekend. Since I hacked together a table mounted stand...kinda like mrpete it's just waiting for the t slot clamps to show up tomorrow. (I hope) I'll have to start another thread on that. Hopefully the sound will be clear enough on the camera to pick out where I'm almost certain it is., Apparently I need the motor pully off to tell which rebuild kit I need. So at a minimum I should get that done.

Paul

 

[Quattroclick]

I still have both presses. I built a stand for the Northern. Sometime after I get a few projects under control, I will get the Greenerd in shape. I've only had it for 6 months or so, and it still needs some work. Before the arbor press, I got by with a 12 ton hydraulic bench press I made from scrap box tubing and channel. It's an A frame type press with an old pickup truck axle for the ram. I still use the hydraulic more often than the arbor FWIW.....

Good luck on the mill.