12 ton H press vs 12 ton A press?

[MinnBobber]

Exploring this route and there are a couple inexpensive presses from Harbor Freight (Central Hydraulics).
-- H press model and
-- an A frame model which from a simple engineering perspective would seem like a more stable unit (almost forms a structural triangle up top).

Any experience or suggestions?

some reviews are good and some are really bad with missing parts, shipping damage, etc that scare me away

heckuva deal if you get a good one. One review from an engineer where he made many mods (cut/ grind/ add washers/ replace/ tap new threads/ etc) on his new unit to get it "right".

I see Northern Tool has similar units by Strongway. Anybody now how they compare?
thanks

 

[psychonaut]

Missing hardware can be a non-issue. You can generally get the bolts/washers/locking washers/nuts at ace hardware. It is true that they often come missing parts as the boxes can get damaged in shipping (they often times are shipped freight). Out of the three presses I've ordered, all of them had damage to the box, 1 of them was missing some bolts, otherwise everything turned out fine, no damages to the actual hardware inside on all 3.

I heard someone here on FC mention in the rosin thread that A-frames are not as durable as H-frames, also I've found that opinion elsewhere -

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90529

I've owned the strongway 12-ton bench top press from northern tool and equipment as well as the 12-ton central machinery floor standing shop press from HF. The floor standing presses will need to be bolted down or secured at the legs to prevent wobbling. I do like how the HF press has the jack bolted to the bar versus the strongway 12-ton it just rests on the bar.

Of the three presses I've owned, they all work just fine though the dake b-10 with the gauge was the best improvement, seeing the actual PSI is handy.

 

[MinnBobber]

The floor standing presses will need to be bolted down or secured at the legs to prevent wobbling. I do like how the HF press has the jack bolted to the bar versus the strongway 12-ton it just rests on the bar.

thanks. Bolting down the floor standing presses or securing seems like a problem---was thinking about putting it in a corner of the garage to drag out when my wife's not home, if you catch my drift. It's a concrete garage floor so bolting it down is out. How would one secure it?
I just can't picture it needing this as it has the sideways legs at the bottom and the piston travels vertical so doesn't the frame just "sit there" while you gently rocker up the hydraulic pressure? What happens to make it unstable??

Thanks

She would not be a happy camper if she saw such press so this is ifffy but damn, ...... I think I need a 12 ton press to prepare our compost materials for the city compost bin

 

[psychonaut]

thanks. Bolting down the floor standing presses or securing seems like a problem---was thinking about putting it in a corner of the garage to drag out when my wife's not home, if you catch my drift. It's a concrete garage floor so bolting it down is out. How would one secure it?
I just can't picture it needing this as it has the sideways legs at the bottom and the piston travels vertical so doesn't the frame just "sit there" while you gently rocker up the hydraulic pressure? What happens to make it unstable??

Thanks

She would not be a happy camper if she saw such press so this is ifffy but damn, ...... I think I need a 12 ton press to prepare our compost materials for the city compost bin

The press doesn't need to be bolted down, it just makes it more stable. When you really start to apply pressure there will be a bit of downward force using the jack lever. In my garage I was getting wobbles but there are cracks in the concrete so you know what I was working with =)

Hmm, you could possibly take a couple of cinder blocks and place them on the feet to hold them down, might take 2 per side though. If you can get it all bolted together in place where it stands you might be able to keep it from wobbling

 

[miguelovic]

Of all the broken presses I have seen posted, the majority were A frames (obviously removing DIY straightener presses from that equation).

You can use an H frame without mounting. If the frame is similar to mine (with the pump mounted vertically on the side) you simply keep one hand on the press while the other pumps. Takes a bit out of the shoulders after awhile.

 

[Boden]

The press doesn't need to be bolted down, it just makes it more stable. When you really start to apply pressure there will be a bit of downward force using the jack lever. In my garage I was getting wobbles but there are cracks in the concrete so you know what I was working with =)

Hmm, you could possibly take a couple of cinder blocks and place them on the feet to hold them down, might take 2 per side though. If you can get it all bolted together in place where it stands you might be able to keep it from wobbling

Sand bags work well.

 

[MonkeyTime]

thanks. Bolting down the floor standing presses or securing seems like a problem---was thinking about putting it in a corner of the garage to drag out when my wife's not home, if you catch my drift. It's a concrete garage floor so bolting it down is out. How would one secure it?
I just can't picture it needing this as it has the sideways legs at the bottom and the piston travels vertical so doesn't the frame just "sit there" while you gently rocker up the hydraulic pressure? What happens to make it unstable??

Thanks

She would not be a happy camper if she saw such press so this is ifffy but damn, ...... I think I need a 12 ton press to prepare our compost materials for the city compost bin

For that anchoring the press, I'd use AJ's. They're hollow wall masonry anchors. Once installed they sit flush with the concrete and only have the threaded opening of whatever size bolt you want to use, grade 5, 1/4-20 would be plenty. You can also run a short bolt in during storage so they stay clean.