Anybody here make their own? I need to do some regearing and I'm getting sick of hammering on bearings. I'm thinking that some scrap 2x2 .120 wall tube, some angle, some .188 plate, a cheap 12 ton bottle jack, and some return springs would make a simple, yet quality shop press for occassional use. I can't justify shelling out the $110 plus shipping to harbor freight when it is so simple. Anybody have any examples?

A couple of us have thought about the same thing. The 12 ton HF version seems real rickety, but probably good enough for ocational use. I think we could make one for half that since I have the bottle jack from my bender to use as well.

Originally posted by Bones
A couple of us have thought about the same thing. The 12 ton HF version seems real rickety, but probably good enough for ocational use. I think we could make one for half that since I have the bottle jack from my bender to use as well.

basically the same as harbor frieght, ugly orange POS 12 ton, but I have done a bunch of gear swaps with it, it works just fine.

Only cost me $100 or so. By the time I spent $40 or so on parts and hardware to make it, no way it would have been worth my time.

I don't think the 2x2"x.120 wall tube would be strong enough.
And angle iron isn't very good for the press-base/table.

you could try some 2.5"x.250 sq tube for the frame, and some
3or 4" C-channel for the press table. any less than that would
just bend under pressure.

I made mine from 3" and 2.5" sq tube, and 6" C-channel for the
press table. this is under a 50-ton big bottle jack. It only
flexes a little bit and works great. it took along time to build
though, since it can be collapsed or raised to press axle tubes
out of housing, etc. it'll go from about 6" work envelope to
over 6 feet....

--Sherpa

Got Pics?

I think I have pics someplace, I'll have to look. I don't think
you'd want to re-create this monster, it took forever to drill
all the 1" holes for the collapse/raise features. I'll look around
for them though.

--Sherpa

Of course angle iron would suck as a press plate. I was only thinking of using the angle for some feet at the bottom so that it can stand up. I was thinking that .188 plate would be decent for the press plate, but I think you are right about some c channel being better.

I'm not planning on 50 tons by any means. I just want something small for the minor job of pressing on and off bearings.

this is all very interesting, i would love to see some good pics of this thing. i want a shop press something fierce, and i was never impressed, by anything i saw. and i love building things:D

thanks

Brent

The coolest press I have ever seen was built at school by an Agricultural Engineer as a senior project. The verticle posts were 6x6x.25? tube it had a 60 ton ram, air over hydraulic, but the best part was that you could adjust both the table and the top part the ram was mounted to up and down and they were both counter weighted by cables that went up from them over pulleys and down to weights inside of the 6x6 verticle posts. There were 3 sets of holes in the table spaced differently than on the posts so you could always get the table positioned at the correct height within 1/4 inch or so. No stacking spacers or jacking forever with that design. It also had a little bottle jack on it for pressing lighter things where you wanted to have some feel. it was maybe a 12 ton bottle jack. The table could be moved up and down easily with 1 hand while the other hand put the pins in. I was amazed how well it worked. If I ever run out of projects maybe I will build something similar but smaller.

What U really need to do, is use a 6' ram like the last place I worked at. There was no need for adjusting the hight of the table, of course it took a two story building to house it!!!

I went down to one of the local tool places and got my ideas from the one they had for $300...very heavy duty with a 30 ton jack..cost me about $60 in steel...and made it to my working height.

Buddy of mine built a really nice one. 30ton On wheels. Can get about a 5ft opening if needed. Used a $20 crank winch like you see on the front of boat trailers to raise and lower the deck. Couple of big springs to retract the jack. Works great.

you jsut got to keep your eyes peeled for some old guy selling out his shop....My dad just snagged a 100,000 lb press from some old guy selling out. The original price sheet said 2,980 we got it for...... :flipoff2: $300.