1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

H F 20 Ton Shop Press Reviews?

Discussion in 'The Tool Shed' started by ITLKSEZ, Mar 29, 2018.

  1. Mar 31, 2018
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Veradale, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,759
    Apparently, the plates that came with the orange presses were cast iron, and the ones that now come with the silver units are cast steel. That's what it says on the internet, so it must be true. :)
     
  2. Mar 31, 2018
    jeep2003

    jeep2003 Well-Known Member

    Upstate NY
    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    1,978
    I have an old orange one that i abuse regularly maybe 5 years old. Recently the top beam got so bent I had to replace it. I welded in a bigass I beam thats not going anywhere. The bottom is still holding up but i may box in the C channels. Also the cast plates did shatter. Iv got about 7 plates now lol. I use an old stage weight to press on now but I should get some real ones. I wish hf sold them seperate. They are so expensive online. I havnt had any trouble with the ram besides leaky out the plunger i think i changed the O ring a couple times but doesnt help much. I also have some homemade benders that i do lots of work with. Its definatly one of the tools i wonder how i did anything without it. I make lots of reproduction minibike parts clutch covers and kickstands all done on the press so its paid for itself 50 times over.
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  3. Apr 1, 2018
    tomasinator

    tomasinator Member

    Greenacres, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2015
    Messages:
    425
    I bought a HF 12 ton press a year ago.

    [​IMG]

    I was rebuilding the rear axle on a '68 cj5. Unfortunately, I found one of the wheel studs was broken off. I can tell the previous owner tried to pound out the stud. I put a socket underneath the stud to support the drum and gave it a few good whacks with a sledge hammer. The stud didn't budge. Time for plan B. I took the drum down to Redmond to O'Reilly, then Napa, then Discount Tire. None of them had a press to push out the stud. I tried a few more unsuccessful hammer hits at home before heading to HF for a 12 ton press.

    [​IMG]

    That particular broken stud was a bear. After applying considerable pressure, the stud broke free with an explosive bang. I got my money's worth out of the press. I replaced all the studs in all four hubs and used the press to replace all the u-joints in the front and rear driveshafts. The top of the jack fits in a cheap cup in the top bar. That cup is bent. I'll probably have to doctor up the top bar at some point.
     
    47v6 and ITLKSEZ like this.
  4. Apr 1, 2018
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Veradale, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,759
    I ran to HF last night. I picked up the 20t press for $139.99, the 20t air/hydraulic Jack for $89.99, and a few shipping blankets (I always grab a few of them when they're on sale). Total savings of $86.00, and now I have a spare 20t jack to throw in the dump truck.

    It'll probably be a few weeks until I pull this stuff out of the boxes to see what kind of rebuilding it needs before I even assemble it.

    Thanks for all your input, guys. (y)
     
    Danefraz, tomasinator and 47v6 like this.
  5. Apr 4, 2018
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Veradale, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,759
    My curiosity got the best of me; I had to unbox this thing. What bothered me most about the floor model was how out-of-square the press pin was. It was easily tilted 4-5°. I just threw my digital level on mine to check. It's 7/10 of a degree off. It's not horrible, but it's still enough to notice with the naked eye. I might have to address that.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Apr 4, 2018
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2006
    Messages:
    5,807
    That weld is beautiful!

    My press has never been square. Its a bit of a POS, but its a much lighter duty than yours.
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  7. Apr 5, 2018
    Danefraz

    Danefraz Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Chico CA
    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2012
    Messages:
    2,320
    So all of the bolt hoes line up?

    On my cherry picker, i think one guy used a metric tape and the other used SAE. I redrilled and welded holes AND parts elsewhere.
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  8. Apr 5, 2018
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Veradale, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,759
    Dunno yet. I had to move the big box (1 of 3) to get to my shaper, and I figured it would be easier to move the pieces than the awkward box, so I opened it. I haven't opened the other boxes yet.
     
  9. Apr 5, 2018
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Veradale, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,759
    You weren't kidding! I can't believe it's under the 70# flat-rate weight limit.
    My mailman is a goofy guy and thought it was hilarious how much it weighed. He kept laughing at it.

    [​IMG]
     
    47v6 likes this.
  10. Apr 6, 2018
    GeorgiaFlattie

    GeorgiaFlattie Member

    Canton, GA
    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2017
    Messages:
    69
    Was your press the orange or gray version?
     
  11. Apr 6, 2018
    Kz400

    Kz400 Member

    Wheaton il
    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2017
    Messages:
    50
    Orange, proby bought it 15 years ago. Replaced it with a 40 ton manley and never looked back.
     
  12. Apr 10, 2018
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2014
    Messages:
    4,383
    X2 Mine was an old orange model that the press plate exploded on.
    -Donny
     
  13. Jul 11, 2018
    earlswrench

    earlswrench Member

    Atlanta, GA
    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    Messages:
    135
    I almost hate to say tell this story. A few years ago, I saw an ad on Craigslist from a guy retiring and closing down his shop. He listed a bunch of tools, but not a press. I gave him a call and asked. He said he had a 20 ton and would sell it to me for $50. I showed up 15 minutes later. He said, had he known how much I wanted it, he'd have asked for $75. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd have paid him $100. I saw an ad recently on Craigslist for the same press. $300.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
New Posts