No Harbor Freight!

I'm thinking in the couple hundred dollar ($300-400 or so) range. 20 ton. I found THIS ONE (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=604&R=604), which seems like a good deal to me. And with shipping it puts it in the price range. Whats good? Whats not? Or should I just shut up?

Thanks :)
-Chris

If you can stomach the price to capacity ratio of OTC, buy one of those. I would say it largely depends on what you will be using it for and how often, how close to capacity, etc. OTC has two models - the high end made in the USA one (~$1000 for 20 T), and the Stinger series. These people have decent prices on OTC stuff, I bought some other tools from them recently: SJ Tools (http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/otc2020.html). If you can handle used, you could pick up one of the high end OTC 20 tonners here for $400: Allstates Supply (http://www.allstates.com/HydraulicJack.html) . That guy also has some used Lincolns, which I'm sure you could not go wrong with. They are a bit more $ though.

The press you reference is also only 24" inside the frame, like my HF unit, and this will be a limitation at times if you ever plan on doing tcase or other gearbox work that may require a wider unit. My D300 barely fit into the HF press, and only with it hanging off the frame. This gets a bit annoying. I believe the OTC stuff is 32" inside.

I learned all this cool stuff about presses when I had time to look for a press, but when all of a sudden I had my junk torn apart and I needed one now, I went a bought a HF cuz it was down the street. It's a piece, but it does work. It would benefit greatly from a good jack, as it takes about 100 strokes to move it an inch. Blaine's HF press is bent to hell, so I'm thinking maybe I'll sell mine and buy a good one before I screw it up :D

Make your own press by welding up your own frame and installing one of those big ass bottle jacks. They push a couple ton or more depending on the jack, and I know it's manual work but hey it's cheap, and how often do you really need a press.

Hey Chris :duke:

There happens to be an article on making your own press in the current issue of Xtreme Offroad Magazine. Not only that, it has pics of great rigs doing crazy :poop: :yay:

You may not have the time but you could get a friend to help :wave:

Or go buy a cheap a$$ HF one and call it a day... :) :D

It works!

Ha!

Or go buy a cheap a$$ HF one and call it a day... :) :D

It works!

did :(

:no:

did :(

:no:
return it, and buy ricks :D

How much is rick selling his for?

I guess I'd have to get $180 for it considering it has made at whopping 5 presses and still has shiny paint on the cross bar. You could probably find a new one on sale at HF for about the same. You would also have to pick it up, I don't have an easy way to move it in it's assembled state. I paid full price ($230+tax) for it and it took me an hour to put the damn thing together (it's heavy!). As you can see from the price and delivery options, I'm not really *trying* to get rid of it. I was thinking more along the lines of selling it locally for $200 to some boob that thinks shiny paint is nice and doesn't know that he can go buy a new one for $230. Sarah, stop trying to sell my stuff... :D

Now to find that boob...

Now to find that boob...

Thanks for not making me that boob :D

I went to buy a 20 ton press at one of those "truck load tool sale" deals and they were all out of 20 ton ones.I got a 12 ton one for around a $100.I have used it a several times but would like to get a 20 ton unit.Steve Smith Autosports sells a book about how to build shop equipment and includes plans on building a press.It's not all that difficult...just time consuming.There is a lot of satisfaction about doing projects with tools you have made yourself rather than that "Made in Tiawan" stuff.