Arbor press -- what is it used for?

[arvidj]

Couple of arbor press questions.

What are they used for?

Assuming home hobbiest situations, what would be a reasonable and rational size to invest in if the choices are 1/2, 1, 2 or 3 ton? Note that there is a 20 ton air/hydraulic press available so please take that into consideration.

Thanks,
Arvid

[Mayhem]

I've often seen the smaller ones used to broach key ways but in reality you can use it to press bearings, gears etc on/off shafts and anything else you can fit into them (within reason). You can also use them to punch metal. The throat is much smaller than a hydraulic press, so in many ways that it a limitation.

[Highpower]

Exactly. The throat can be a drawback, but you have a much better feel for how much pressure is being applied in an arbor press. If a key way broach starts to bind and bend, you want to know it before it snaps in half. By the time you feel the resistance in a hydraulic press it will be too late.



I just used my arbor press a few weeks ago to change the bearings on an electric motor.

[TomG]

Arvid,

A small arbor press is a very useful tool for the home shop. As already mentioned, it can be used to broach keyways and press bearings, as well as press in tapered mandrels for lathe work, do light forming and simple bending jobs, and for pressing in dowel pins. Ideally you should have at least a one ton manual press like the one Willie posted for that sort of thing and a hydraulic press as large as you can afford for the occasional big job. I have a 12 ton hydraulic press and wish I had invested in a larger 20 ton, or even a 40 ton model.

Tom

[EdK]

I got a 1-ton arbor press many years ago to press pens together. Recently, I used it to press some parts together when I did the head rebuild on my RF-45 clone mill. If I had to do it over again, I'd get a larger one since the working height of the ram is small on a 1-ton press.

Ed

[EdK]

(11-05-2012, 08:41 AM)Highpower Wrote: Exactly. The throat can be a drawback, but you have a much better feel for how much pressure is being applied in an arbor press. If a key way broach starts to bind and bend, you want to know it before it snaps in half. By the time you feel the resistance in a hydraulic press it will be too late.



I just used my arbor press a few weeks ago to change the bearings on an electric motor.

Willie,

How is the broach held by the arbor press?

Ed

[Highpower]

In my case it isn't held at all Ed. I just have a flat bottom on the ram. I line it up vertically the best I can, and let the pressure off frequently to check to see that it isn't bound up or being pushed at an angle.

It's actually a 3 ton press and that particular broach is not the biggest one in my set - and it barely fit under the ram after removing the press plate from the base. My largest broach won't fit at all and I HAVE to use my 20 ton shop press with that one.

[DaveH]

I make these with my arbor press.

   



DaveH

[sasquatch]

An arbour press is a must have in a shop in my opinion.

Years back i bought two at a sale, A "Dake" model"Y" which i think is 1 1/2 ton rating, then a "Greenard" 3 ton , with the Ratchet arm.

They also work great as a "Can" crusher.

[dalee]

Hi,

I have a 1 ton HF arbor press and while I don't use it every day, I think it's a must have. But arbor presses do have some draw backs. Biggest problem is the lack of daylight but they have really good feel for the work. Hydraulic presses tend to have good daylight but lack the control to get the best feel for the work.

I want to add a 3 ton arbor to my shop. But I wouldn't part with my little 1 tonner.

dalee