What presses are you using, air/hydro, brand, how many tons, what do you use yours for, special features, most important do you like it? Im looking for something that will be good for dimple dies, bearings, gears, u joints etc etc etc. Just trying to get some ideas.

Post'em up

ive stalled the pos 20t i have at work, its probably only a 12-15t frame witha 20t jack in it. the upper plate is 3/8-1/2" and it has a hefty bend in it and the 1/2 base plates are bent up to so it does pretty good.

i bought a napa specail 12t second hand and have yet to use it.

I have a 50 ton Carolina I bought 20 some years ago.

I know mine may have set unused for years but when you need it it is great to have . It has no frills which can start adding to the cost real quick

I've got a 30 ton Grizzly and it's done everything I've tried so far. If your in Southern Missouri then surely you've been to the Grizzly store in Springfield. That is where I picked up my 30 ton Press and a 12" disc sander and just recently got their 20" drill press since it was on sale with free shipping. Happy with everything so far.

I've got a 30 ton Grizzly and it's done everything I've tried so far. If your in Southern Missouri then surely you've been to the Grizzly store in Springfield. That is where I picked up my 30 ton Press and a 12" disc sander and just recently got their 20" drill press since it was on sale with free shipping. Happy with everything so far.


Yeah I live in springfield, about 10 minutes from them. I just looked at the 30 ton press and for around 200 bucks it doesn't seem too bad. I have their 14" drill press and its one of the best tools ive bought(150rpm lowest speed is nice:smokin:).

I found this one online, I like the air/hydro feature. anybody used it or heard of it?
http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/20-Ton-Air-Hydraulic-Shop-Press-p/ht0704.htm

I spoke with the guys that I bought my dimple dies from. They said that with a 20 ton press you could dimple 1/8" chromolloy, so I bought a 30 ton press just for the over kill
I bought this one http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/30-Ton-Air-Shop-Press-p/ht070808a.htm and I love it. I have used a lot of the HF presses and they just kinda scare me. I would looke around though I say a 50 ton press on craigslist not to long ago for under $500. A lot of people are dumping tools right now.

The the Greg Smith guys make good tools, have had zero problems with it. The guage is nice to for repeatablility of making parts. Like make sure all you dimples come out the same.

I built a frame that resembles a 50 t. Blackhawk that we used at the shop I used to work at. Then I used a 30 OTC ram in it, I've had it for about 20 years now and I've pushed it to the full 30tons a couple of times.

Gus

I have the fixed up HF one... more build on it soon :D
It has the 20T air over hydro pump on it too.

I also have a frame I got and modified slightly for my press-brake... it uses the same 20T air over hydro..

20T HF air over hydro = slow, but it works, and is faster and better than hand pumping!!!!!!!!!!!!

The the Greg Smith guys make good tools, have had zero problems with it.

You've got to be kidding. Greg Smith himself told me their failure rate for small hydraulic stuff is 70%. You got lucky. They don't make shit, it all comes from China.

I've got an H-F 20 ton and it does yeoman's duty. It's now a sheetmetal brake now that I built a die to do contours.

30+year old HF press. just recently installed a air over jack on it. have done dimple dies with it as well as pinion bearings and things.
if i actualy bought my own i would just make my own out of come C channel or rectangle tube.

So does anybody else have any experiences with the Greg smith presses? I got some gift certicicates to grizzleys for christmas so I might have to look into their presses more. I would like one with a gauge, I can see how that would be useful. What other brands are people using OTC? Ive checked my local CR and havent found any listings. Looking at a 20 ton press unless I can find a deal.

Thanks for the posts.

Edit: otc presses are expensive as shit.

So does anybody else have any experiences with the Greg smith presses? I got some gift certicicates to grizzleys for christmas so I might have to look into their presses more. I would like one with a gauge, I can see how that would be useful. What other brands are people using OTC? Ive checked my local CR and havent found any listings. Looking at a 20 ton press unless I can find a deal.

Thanks for the posts.

Edit: otc presses are expensive as shit.

uh read above

So does anybody else have any experiences with the Greg smith presses? I got some gift certicicates to grizzleys for christmas so I might have to look into their presses more. I would like one with a gauge, I can see how that would be useful. What other brands are people using OTC? Ive checked my local CR and havent found any listings. Looking at a 20 ton press unless I can find a deal.

Thanks for the posts.

Edit: otc presses are expensive as shit.

what will you be using the press for?
i would seriously look into making your own press. there's not much to them. if you buy one and its got a hand pump jack on it you will want to go to an air over soon, so your basicly throwing away 1/2 of what the press cost new.

what will you be using the press for?
i would seriously look into making your own press. there's not much to them. if you buy one and its got a hand pump jack on it you will want to go to an air over soon, so your basicly throwing away 1/2 of what the press cost new.

Do you by chance have a link or source to information on press design? I am starting to think about building one myself, but in the realm of 50-60 ton. Looking for something that references frame/material design, etc. Thanks.

what will you be using the press for?
i would seriously look into making your own press. there's not much to them. if you buy one and its got a hand pump jack on it you will want to go to an air over soon, so your basicly throwing away 1/2 of what the press cost new.



pinion bearings and other bearings, dimple dies, gears, ujoints, transmissions, fab work.

I bought a Greg Smith lift, rolling jacks, and among some other things, a transmission jack.

It did not work right out of the crate. To make a long story short, I spoke with Greg via e-mail and learned that 1:he will tell you straight up, the customer is not always right, 2: it doesn't matter if he sold you junk, it is your responsibility to pay to return the junk to him, and 3: when you do return it to his office, they will not replace said failed item as they said they would in the e-mails, they will give you a bag of O-rings. Now, I don't have what I bought and I have to put MY labor to fix his junk.

I bought one from Harbor Freight nad it is a much better piece of equipment, it works and I've used it to do several transmission swaps. The Greg (the customer is not always right) Smith jack is still in a back corner of the shop.

Oh yeah, when they were loading my trailer, they fucked up one of the fenders and refused to admit it, much less fix it. My driver had to bash it out of the tire so he could drive home.

There is much more to this, I'm making it quick for Christmas.

Do you by chance have a link or source to information on press design? I am starting to think about building one myself, but in the realm of 50-60 ton. Looking for something that references frame/material design, etc. Thanks.


This is one that I built at work since they wouldn't buy another one. It gets used for alot of things... bending solid rod, straightening bent shafts, bearings, etc., etc. Also built a brake for it.

Overall dimensions are 7' tall 3' wide.

The frame is all C8x13.75 channel and 1" plate. The bed is C9x13.4 channel with .25 x 8" spacers. Bottom cross braces are 2" x 2" x .375 angle. Feet are 3" x 3" .25 angle.

Pin holes are 1 1/32 on 6" centers. Pins are 1" 1018 crs. Plates are 9" x 9" x 1"
with a half round and three different size "V"'s.

The jack is a harbor freight 20 ton air/hyd. I plan on replacing this with a 50 ton in the near future.

In my opinion, if you are going to build one make it about twice as strong as you think it needs to be and you should be alright.

Do you by chance have a link or source to information on press design? I am starting to think about building one myself, but in the realm of 50-60 ton. Looking for something that references frame/material design, etc. Thanks.
thats a heavy press. check off road fabrication networks forum. i know theres a few guys making presses but not sure of the size.

I built a frame that resembles a 50 t. Blackhawk that we used at the shop I used to work at. Then I used a 30 OTC ram in it, I've had it for about 20 years now and I've pushed it to the full 30tons a couple of times.

Gus
My brother and I used to put that to good use....if you put a full unopened 12 oz can in it between 2 thick steel plates and start compressing it will make dimples? in the can...outward rings...they will just all of the sudden pop but the can wont explode until about 12 or 13 rings...once the can pops though it is under so much pressure it just sprays everywhere...coool as sh!t.

My brother and I used to put that to good use....if you put a full unopened 12 oz can in it between 2 thick steel plates and start compressing it will make dimples? in the can...outward rings...they will just all of the sudden pop but the can wont explode until about 12 or 13 rings...once the can pops though it is under so much pressure it just sprays everywhere...coool as sh!t.

Sounds like a good use. :shaking:



:laughing: