Shop Press Too Short

So, I bought a HF 20 ton press years ago. Never unboxed it until the other week in the new shop. The thing seems short. Like when the cross beam that the plates sit on is at it's highest setting, it barely up to my waist ( read: bad place to suffer an injury if something flies apart).

The old orange HF unit we have at work seems taller as I remember. So, do you think it would be safe to set the unit up on solid cinder blocks to gain some height? I could maybe weld it to some I beam material if that would be a better option.

I'd rather take a shot in the gut than in the jewelry store but that's just me. Plus, it's more comfortable on my back to have my work higher rather than lower.

 

Yeah, I use mine on my knees, or on a chair. Some day I’ll build longer legs for it that have a few more holes for pressing longer stuff. I wouldn’t see an issue with cinder blocks as a temporary fix.


As a side note, the older presses had cast iron plates which were prone to breaking spectacularly. They were replaced with steel ones at some point. Avoid using the cast iron ones if you have them.

 

I agree~ I sent my brother to buy a press thinking it was going to be normal in height, but the one he got me was from Northern Tools and I was little depressed at how short it is. I have a rolling stool most the time, but wind up working on my knees. However, it has a been a useful tool and use it more often than I thought I would. I mounted mine on some steel rollers left over from an engine stand. Makes moving it around much easier.

Here I was pressing in bushings in the frame of my '68, had to turn the frame sideways while on my maxjax lift, worked great!

 

That's pretty cool.

Here's my home-built 20-tonner, pushing the pins out of my 1893 bridge. (Couldn't turn the bridge sideways.)

With the threaded tension rods and a selection of spacers it has been handy in a number of situations.

 

normally people refer to their car by year, but i guess a bridge is the same?
more importantly, you own a bridge??

 

Um yeah.

A historic Pin-Connected Pratt Pony Truss, built during the transition period from wrought iron to Bessemer steel. 80 feet long, approximately 40 tons.

Once very common type but now is one of only two left in our state. So, when it was condemned, the State of NH wanted it preserved - and I was the only fool who raised his hand.

Just had to move it twenty miles, repair and rehabilitate it, pour new abutments, and place it on my own property. Burned quite a bit of 7018 welding rod, and used 50 gallons of specialty paint (which required me fabricating a six-cylinder 5000psi water-blaster for the prep).

That was the easy part. The PIA was spending two years getting the DES permits from, yes you guessed it, the State of NH.

Interesting to consider, when I drive my Jeep over it, that it was designed and built before automobiles even existed. And obviously before planned obsolescence was conceived of.

 

"yes, thank you for taking the bridge and preserving it. now let us make your life miserable and take your money."

 

You have no idea how right you are.

In my naivite I had no clue that rather than cooperating, each division within the state regulatory system sees the other as a potential revenue generator. With me as the ATM in the middle.

 

even if they don't owe you anything, they still want to make your life miserable and ESPECIALLY take your money.

 

Mic drop. So cool!

 

Put my Harbor Freight press on a set of casters. Can move it around the shop now and added height to it. Still seems stable enough it doesn't want to fall over and doesn't effect the working strength of the press.

 

A few years ago, I saw a Craigslist ad from a guy who was closing up his shop and retiring. I asked if he had a press. He said he had a 20 ton he'd sell me for $50. When I showed up 15 minutes later, he was surprised I'd gotten there so fast. He said if he knew I was that interested, he'd have asked $100. I didn't have the heart to tell him I was expecting to spend $200.

I'm pretty sure it's a Sunex. They go for $750 or so new. I use it all the time.

I've got a few shims under mine to keep it steady on a not-level floor. As long as they're not in danger of falling on you, there's no reason not to raise it up on something.