HF hydraulic press Question

I bought the Harbor Freight 20 Ton hydraulic press today.

The table [they refer to it as the apron] rocks on the pins. It's twisted. When I hold one end down, there's a 5/32" gap at the opposite end. Do they all rock this much? Does it make any difference or make it more difficult to line things up to press them out?

I tried taking the twist out by clamping one end and pumping the hydraulic until the table was flat against the pins, but it just returned after pressure was released.

BTW, the 20T press is on sale for $200 currently, and if you look around on the net, there's a $20% discount coupon good till next December that the store honored. It brings the price down to $160. Now is the time to buy if you've needed one.

RWL

Reply to
GeoLane at PTD dot NET
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Maybe the holes are drilled in wrong locations?

Wow, that's cool. I cannot really justify the space requirement, compared to my Famco 5R. But it looks like a great deal.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus16651

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I think you could put the pin in one end and a single bolt in the low side of the other and then press it far enough that it springs back straight. When I do this sort of job I measure how far I pushed the metal and how far out it still is afterwards. Then next time I can push it further by the amount of the error.

Say I pressed it 1/2" past alignment and after releasing the pressure it was still 1/8" short. Next time I'd press it 5/8".

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I have the 20T A-frame press and discovered that there was some effort required to make sure the legs were all at the same level (pin holes). Perhaps it's the frame that's a bit off?

Dave

Reply to
Dave__67

My 20 ton HF hydraulic press does not have that problem. I suggest that you take it back if you bought it at a store, or contact HF tech support, tell them what's up and request a new table, if you feel that the problen is the table and not the frame. I have had very good luck with them on things of this sort.

Pete Stanaitis

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GeoLane at PTD dot NET wrote:

Reply to
spaco

try this:

Loosen the bolts holding the frame together Load up the press a bit to take out all the slack. Tighten the bolts while under load. Release pressure, check results.

I bought mine 10 years ago at the exact same deal. Still works like new, jack holds pressure with no leaks. Great value.

Reply to
RBnDFW

Thanks for all of the advice. I contacted Harbor Freight. The clerk who answered the phone said the table /apron on the display model didn't rock like I was describing and the store manager said to bring the table (or press) back. I took the whole thing back today and we swapped out the table. It still rocked in the press, but less than the original table. I checked their display model and it rocked a little too. The clerks said they can't remember assembling one where the table didn't rock a little. When I got home, I put a thick "shim" under one of the high ends and pressed the table. That seemed to stretch the welds a little and get it lying a little flatter still. It's improved over what it had been. One of the readers emailed me and said he had a similar problem and just epoxied a shim under the side that was low.

RWL

Reply to
GeoLane at PTD dot NET

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