An old hydraulic press

[WagonCrazy]

Found this old hydraulic press on CL and picked it up yesterday. I can't tell it's capacity, but guessing maybe a 20 ton. What's cool is the hydraulic setup...it all works and doesn't leak (much). And the cable/crank/pin setup for quickly raising or lowering the bottom base bars. The seller didn't have any arbor plates to go with it, so I just ordered a new alloy steel set off ebay.
Some cleanup and maybe paint and this thing will have another life in my (soon to be built) shop-garage.
Saving another old piece of American Iron. (this was made in Los Angeles).

7543

7544

7545

[markm]

I have a modified HF POS of the 20 ton variety and I shattered the press plated that came with it. Store mgr said I overloaded them. I asked why they sold plates not capable of 20 tons with a 20 ton press. I have some cut from 1 inch steel now.

[chevynut]

Pretty cool Paul. We had a similar newer one in the shop where I worked at H-P and one thing I always liked about it is that it has a gauge on it so you could tell how much force you were putting on it. You might consider putting one in the pressure line and trying to calibrate it. I think it would be good to know.

I have the HF 20-ton press and it's worked really well for me for lots of things. My biggest complaint is that it's so short, and I'm not a tall guy. I may put legs on it to raise it 8" or so. I bought a nice press-brake for it and I can easily bend 3/8" steel with it. I think it would be pretty easy to over-load the press without knowing how much force you're putting on it. Clearly a 20-ton ram could exert more than that if you put more force on the handle than intended. That's why a pressure gauge would be nice.

[BamaNomad]

That's some nice looking 'old American iron'... :) clean it up and paint it 'industrial gray', and it'll last another 100 yrs ... :)

Gary

[Rick_L]

The arbor plates that come with HF presses are just some cast junk. If you've ever seen how many voids can be in a cheap Chinese casting, you know that the strength is not determined by the material.

Just plain low carbon steel will be far better. (And do as I say, not as I do - I still have the HF plates.)

[WagonCrazy]

I bought steel plates from an eBay seller.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322329432961?e=op&cnac=US&cal=2cdfd29c16ef9&rsta=en_US(en_US)&page=main:email&cust=8BL51136VK2009831&item=322329432961&s=ci&t=&pgrp=main:email&calc=2cdfd29c16ef9&mail=sys&unptid=a796d270-6d50-11e7-a018-8cdcd4b6ee30&viewitem=&calf=2cdfd29c16ef9&unp_tpcid=email-receipt-auction-payment&ppid=PPX000608&mchn=em&vxp=mtr

[WagonCrazy]

I bought a nice press-brake for it and I can easily bend 3/8" steel with it.

I'm looking for something like this. Post a pic and tell me what you got so I can find one too.

[Rick_L]

Too easy to just order up those ebay plates rather than find a local supplier, and figure out all the notches. Plus they have to be cheaper than a one off.

[chevynut]

I'm looking for something like this. Post a pic and tell me what you got so I can find one too.

Paul, Swag Offroad makes some really cheap cool stuff for home fabrication. Check this out.

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Metal-Fabrication-Tools-_c_7.html

[markm]

It looks like this press has more adjustment holes than my HF model that's good it was a pain in the ass to drill a hole in between each hole. It also appears to be taller and have a sturdier case another modification had to make, eight inches taller and a stronger base. Nice score.

[Troy]

It looks kind of "Steam Punkish" Cool I like old tools. I still use my dad's Craftsman tool box he bought when I was a newborn. This thing is 53 or 54 years old!!

[chevynut]

I still use my dad's Craftsman tool box he bought when I was a newborn. This thing is 53 or 54 years old!!

I still use my Craftsman tools that I BOUGHT when I was going to Aircraft Mechanic School in 1973.....that's 44 years ago! :eek:

[WagonCrazy]

A hunderd bucks. It WAS a nice find. Spent $75 on the new 1 inch alloy steel arbor plates. Now looking for a finger brake.

I checked on the SWAG stuff and it's a smokin deal for what you are getting. I will keep that in mind. Not in a terrible hurry just yet, but eventually will add to the tool collection.

Back to wiring the Nomad....slow and methodical...

[WagonCrazy]

There was a tag on the hydraulic fluid box that said "Wm. S. Pine Inc. Los Angeles CA"
A google search lead to this ad from Popular Mechanics magazine.

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So the actual press has no markings on it, but the hydraulic unit came from this old company in LA. No longer there...

Just some more lore for ya'all.

[WagonCrazy]

Made these stands over the weekend, and used the press to bend the top plates. 3/16" cold steel. Easy peasy...

8423

8424

[MP&C]

Nice score!

[chevynut]

Nice job Paul! Also, great stance on that 57 Nomad! ;)

[WagonCrazy]

Thanks for the compliment Laszlo. I have the coil over shock springs dialed all the way "down" at the moment, so it's sitting as low as it ever will. But I still have to add glass, upholstery/interior, etc...so I may need to increase the spring load to hold that added weight. AND....I will know if the front tires rub when turning once I get this beast running and drivable. So I may need to raise the front an inch or so for clearance of fenders when full turns are made. Time will tell. But overall, it's a badass stance for sure.