Small Press to fit in a Tiny shop?

[vtsteam]

I've rarely needed a press, and often "make-do" with my vise when I do, or some other makeshift. But lately I think I could use something more designed for the purpose and something that has more capacity than 4". The problem, as always is fitting it into a tiny overcrowded space. This would be for mostly model sized work so I would limit the size part to be worked on as 6" x 6" and vertically I guess 6" of travel??

I guess I could do something with a bottle jack. But I'm going to leave it to you guys to come up with suggestions for a good version if it appeals to you. Just remember compactness is important.

Thanks!

[awemawson]

The small Chinese arbor presses are good value and hard to replicate for the money.


“Carbon Steel 0.5 TONNE ARBOR ARBOUR PRESS HEAVY DUTY PRESSING METALWORK WORKSHOP“

[PekkaNF]

I had a chinese arbor press. It could do many things and it is pretty compact. Definately benefits on boltting onto table. It had few shortcomings:
* wobbly ram, not always a problem, but could ruin a day when pressing really close fit long shaft or sensitive bearing on housing
* Limited force frame flexes

There are better arbor presses, but they are not as compact and could be expensive.

I went for a small 10 metric ton hydraulic press and it works fine for me.

[Joules]

I have a 1 ton arbor press, had difficulty finding a home for it.  Then found the perfect place G clamped to the hydraulic press.  I don't use the big press that often but the arbor press is always used for forming and pressing small components I make here.   Flex not a problem, but shimming the ram and handle makes for a wobble free experience.  You can see beer can round the shaft.  The height is really handy too as it is near eye level, remember safety squints....  I make a large number of custom stainless snap rings.  The forming dies bolt into the ram and sit on the round table.  I have also 3D printed tooling for thin sheet metal forming.   A 1 ton press if you can make space for it, is a very useful bit of kit, more so if you don't need to bend down and use it...

Having it raised means you can also work on long shafts using strips of metal and threaded rod extending below the press.

[cwelkie]

I haven't used my arbor press since building one of these ... I do use the round support plate from it on the new press though.

[vtsteam]

Thanks guys, and especially cwelkie. 

No purchases for this one, I was hoping for a Madmodder joint heads knocking together DIY solution. I should have mentioned that I do have all kinds of steel scrap, and iron casting  capacity. So cost is nil, and ebay asian arbors seem to start at about $90 US. Also let's just have fun.

Cwelkie, I really like those plans!

Well in the back of my mind this morning I kinda remembered that I might have had something near the back of the outdoor metal scrap pile........ and unearthed this:

[vtsteam]

The screw even turns -- there's still grease on the threads!

Drawbacks, though.... It's bigger than I had hoped for, and to turn the screw it would HAVE to be bolted to the bench (I'm lucky to have a free square foot on it for projects).

Maybe add a bottle jack ( I have a bunch of them in various states of usability) and cut it down in size? A hydraulic jack would mean it wouldn't have to be bolted down, therefore stowable.

But seeing as this is probably a fairly rare (now) Atlas emblem intact press, should I?

I should give you the size, since it's probably hard to judge scale -- heading out with tape measure......

Frame is 21" x  21" x 6"     Screw is 1" x 8 TPI

[PeterE]

Space is always a problem but have you thought about putting it on a rolling table of suitable small size. It is then easy to stowe away - of course depending on if you have stowage space.

/Peter

[vtsteam]

Hi Peter    At present no floor space either. But this has got me thinking about doing something about that as well.

Too much of my shop space is actually taken up by storage items, tools, and metal and wood stock not necessary to do actual shop work. I do have an 8x10  tin storage shed, with actually very little in it -- mainly because condensation under the tin roof literally rains on the contents during winter,....whenever there is a warm spell. I only keep in there items that won't be ruined..

But if I insulate that roof, then I could move more valuable storage items out of my shop space into that storage shed.

And I do happen to have some 4x8 foot sheets of salvaged beaded styrofoam 3-4 inches thick. If I can stick that to the underside of the metal roof, that might solve a bunch of problems. Maybe that's what I should do today.......


BTW.... does any one know what this is at the bottom of the screw? Looks like a ball bearing race. Doesn't turn however (frozen, or not a bearing?)

At first guess I thought it might some type of swivel foot, like on the screw of a C clamp, so that turning pressure wouldn't be applied to the part being pressed.

But would a ball bearing make sense for that? and how would the shaft work with that? It would seem to need to be a two piece shaft, separated by the bearing. Also could aa ball bearing take the pressure? Doesn't seem to me to make much sense.

Or, is it just a ball bearing that somehow got stuck on the press arbor, and no one ever took it off before getting rid of the press?

[WeldingRod]

I added an adjustable extension to my tiny press to deal with 12" long broaches.  Super happy with the result!!!

Sent from my SM-G715A using Tapatalk

[vtsteam]

After a whole lot of fruitless searching I finally found a reference to my press, and it's a catalog description and picture!

So that really is a thrust ball bearing on the arbor. Maybe I can free it.

[tom osselton]

I didn’t know Atlas made a press I have a 3 ton arbor press I found on Kijiji.

[vtsteam]

I guess they did Tom, and it only cost $16.50 new! I actually haven't seen it in their general catalog that included the shaper, horizontal mill, lathes etc. No idea when it was made.

I was able to free the thrust bearing quite easily with just a squirt of WD-40 and turning with pliers. Since there's no apparent way of opening it or getting grease in, I decided to just flush it out with spray brake cleaner by filling it, spinning it, and wiping off the dirty fluid. Repeated about a half dozen times. Then I flooded it with motor oil.

It spins easily, though no telling how long it will last in use. Not sure how I could ever replace it. I did find a thrust bearing online that was the same outer diameter (1-57/64")  as the one on the press ( the found bearing is an RBC Nice 608-V) --  but no telling what dimensions the press' screw shaft is turned to inside the bearing, so no idea what the bearing IDs are. And no idea how that bearing is fixed to the arbor either. The arbor seems to flare out wider than the bearing case past the bearing -- I don't know if that is a separate part, or part of a special purpose bearing.

Also the RBC bearing is rated at about 1500 lbs at 10 RPM, while the press is called "a 10 Ton Press".  I'd be frankly surprised if it could hold 10 tons judging by the pins that hold the table part in place -- and the slight upward bend in the top of the frame.

[vtsteam]

I'm going to just fix up the Atlas press and keep it as-is. We'll make covered space for it, one way or another.

It's missing a handle, and one of those thick bottom support plates. Wish I knew what the original looked like, as long as we're restoring this thing.

I could cast it in iron or maybe weld two steel thicknesses together. Any preferred patterns for these out there, guys? Some have different sized open slots. Pics of your own setup?

I do wonder whether slotted iron is a good idea, I guess if it's thick enough.......

[vtsteam]

Enlargement of the ad......ad says two 7" x 1-3/4" x 3/4" blocks are supplied......wonder why the blocks appear to be serrated?

Also, the ad shows the end of the bearing with a tapered end. Mine is shorter, no taper. I wonder if someone cut the taper off because they were regularly pressing something wider.:

[vtsteam]

The Atlas P10 press apart:

[awemawson]

I'm not seeing your pictures Steve in Chrome (ok on my iPad though)

[vtsteam]

Yes, sorry Andrew, it's because the pics are served on my http site instead of https, and Google is censoring the web.

[Joules]

WeldingRod, that is a nice setup, much better than my angle iron and studding.  I should have a look at what plate I have stashed.

[vtsteam]

Yes, sorry welding rod, forgot to say, nice work! 

I spent a couple hours today sanding and wire-brushing the Atlas press. I also got a coat of primer on it, but it's starting to look like rain, so cover paint may have to wait.

Oh, I also cut an 18" piece of rod for a handle. I don't have any tool steel that length, so I hope it will be tough enough. If not, I'll replace it down the road.

Camera has created an exaggerated upper bearer bend in the pic below -- it's actually only about 1/16" over 21" and it doesn't bend inboard at all.

[tom osselton]

Enlargement of the ad......ad says two 7" x 1-3/4" x 3/4" blocks are supplied......wonder why the blocks appear to be serrated?

Also, the ad shows the end of the bearing with a tapered end. Mine is shorter, no taper. I wonder if someone cut the taper off because they were regularly pressing something wider.:

I think that is just the picture after looking at the other edges in the pic.

[vtsteam]

I don't know, Tom. I think I see threads on the screw, and they are even smaller. Not sure.........maybe there's some reason for it.

I was able to paint the press today and now it seems like a real tool! 

[RussellT]

That looks good Steve.  I wish that when I wanted a new tool I could wander out to the scrap pile and find what i wanted.  Now we need to see it doing some work.

Andrew mentioned the picture problem again, and although this has been raised several times I don't think anyone has given a solution.

I don't think this problem is confined to Chrome.  The problem is that mixed (secure and insecure) content is blocked on most browsers including Edge and Firefox.

This is the solution for Chrome:-

Click the lock (caution) icon, then click Site settings.

Scroll to Insecure content, then use the drop-down list to change “Block (default)” to “Allow.”

Reload the page.

The solution for Edge is the same except that Site settings is called "Permissions for this site".

I don't have Firefox but a search for "enable mixed content in Firefox" should help.

Russell

[vtsteam]

Thanks Russell, That's excellent information. I use a Mozilla based browser, similar to Firefox and is easily set to allow mixed source material. I had heard Chrome had blocked non-certificated sources entirely, but good to know it is alterable. A fair amount of historic photo content on this (and other) sites is mixed content, and it would be good for others to actually view it, if they choose.

I'd like to post your note where others can see it as well, in case they can use it.

As for trying out the press -- I'll have to think of something........... !

[shipto]

Is it just the pictures or are the two top channels bent up a little?