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Tool Which Arbour Press to buy?

Tool
Susquatch

Susquatch

Ultra Member
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Premium Member
I've decided I need a ratcheting arbour press. But which one to get?

If I ran across a good used one on Kijiji or Marketplace, I'd start the truck yesterday. But in 2 years of looking, it hasn't happened. So I'm reaching the point of desperation where I'm even willing to buy a new one. But which one? Is a 2 ton enough? Or do I really need 3 tons?

I have a wee tiny Sinclair (prolly 1/2 ton) for reloading, and a 20ton hydraulic press too. So it is not like the beef or size is a constraint. The real question is: "5 years from now, what will I be wishing I bought today?"

Edit - The primary tasks are broaching, bearings, seals, and press fit sleeves & pins. The 20Ton works but sometimes I damage parts. The bench vise isn't always enough.

What do all you guys who already have an Arbour Press think?
 
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jcdammeyer

jcdammeyer

John
Premium Member
I have a non-ratcheting 3T from BusyBee. There have been times where I've added a pipe to the handle although I don't remember what I was doing with it. Probably a really wide broach in steel. I don't have a hydraulic press. The original plan was to add hydraulics and XY to it to be able to use it as a sheet metal punch.
 
B

Bandit

Super User
I bought a 1? ton arbour press many years ago, it hasn't seen a lot of use, main problem, throwt depth. Last time I went to use it and push a seal in, a no go. Ended up useing the small hydraulic press. Not saying don't, ALWAYS, nice to have options.
 
Six O Two

Six O Two

(Marco)
I was tempted by the vevor 3-ton there for a little bit...
www.vevor.ca

VEVOR Heavy Duty Arbor Press 3 Ton, Ratchet Leverage Arbor Press with Handwheel, Manual Desktop Metal Arbor Press 21.5 Inch Max. Working Height, for Riveting Punching Holes | VEVOR CA

Buy VEVOR Heavy Duty Arbor Press 3 Ton, Ratchet Leverage Arbor Press with Handwheel, Manual Desktop Metal Arbor Press 21.5 Inch Max. Working Height, for Riveting Punching Holes at cheap price online, with Youtube reviews and FAQs, we generally offer free shipping to Europe, US, etc.
www.vevor.ca www.vevor.ca

I ended up buying a 1-ton off a member here, and a 6-ton a-frame on sale at PA. But I can't say I've used either of them enough to say one way or another.
 
DPittman

DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Get the biggest press you can. The big ones offer more throat and you can still "feel" when pressing. I had a 1 ton and it was fine for snap buttons and tiny bearings and the like, I went to a 3 ton and still do all the small stuff I did before but have much better capacity. I mostly needed the increased capacity for broaching. I would have loved to get a bigger one but they get rare and expensive. Mine isn't a ratcheting style but I plan on making it so someday.
 
Susquatch

Susquatch

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Dan Dubeau said:
It's time to take the Wife out for a nice night out in Niagara Falls.

And just so happen to pick up this guy on the way home
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1017438602674217/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:f7e4e6b2-e4a4-4d69-82cb-3664cf8bf96a
Click to expand...

That's easy! Wife's sister is in St. Catherines. Get there every so often. I've marked it to watch the price. $600 is high for used. New No3 is 320 at Vevor and 300 at busy bee.

I agree with @John Conroy though. The new ones are not made like the old ones. I like the captains wheel on this and it also comes with a rolling stand. A BIG PLUS for me. I can simply roll it away with my farm stuff when not being used.

That said, the ram on this one doesn't look that beefy......

The timeline also got bumped 30 minutes ago. I have a big manure spreader axle to make for another farmer that will need to be broached. (Prolly mill it though.... .) I have not seen it yet, but I'm guessing the keys are at least 3/8. Might even be 1/2. The job will prolly pay for the arbour press......
 
D

Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
Susquatch said:
That's easy! Wife's sister is in St. Catherines. Get there every so often. I've marked it to watch the price. $600 is high for used. New No3 is 320 at Vevor and 300 at busy bee.

I agree with @John Conroy though. The new ones are not made like the old ones. I like the captains wheel on this and it also comes with a rolling stand. A BIG PLUS for me. I can simply roll it away with my farm stuff when not being used.

That said, the ram on this one doesn't look that beefy......

The timeline also got bumped 30 minutes ago. I have a big manure spreader axle to make for another farmer that will need to be broached. (Prolly mill it though.... .) I have not seen it yet, but I'm guessing the keys are at least 3/8. Might even be 1/2. The job will prolly pay for the arbour press......
Click to expand...

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/weather/ontario/niagara-falls

Saturday/Sunday looks nice.......
 
Susquatch

Susquatch

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Administrator
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Premium Member
DPittman said:
I'd pay $600 for that Niagra one and feel better about it than paying $300 for a Busy Bee model.
Click to expand...

You might be right. But I can't see paying 600 period. I don't care how nice it is. It's just an arbour press after all. The functional value just isn't there for me. I can do what I need to do other ways for that kind of money.

And then there is that Ram...... It just doesn't look right to me!
 
D

Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
DPittman said:
I'd pay $600 for that Niagra one and feel better about it than paying $300 for a Busy Bee model.
Click to expand...
Same here. China/Inda tons, are WAY different than old American Tons.

But I am with the Squatch though, It may be a "good deal", and if I "needed it now" I wouldn't sweat paying that, but I'd be a lot happier paying less for it though. Especially if I could wait a while before I actually needed one.
 
Susquatch

Susquatch

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DPittman said:
Hmmn maybe that is original ram on that thing.
Click to expand...

I think so too. Here is their brochure promo on it.

Screenshot_20240131_153931_Acrobat for Samsung.jpg

Frankly, it smells of good old American marketing hype. Not true engineering. That scalloped round Ram will have less than half of the structural buckling resistance of the square Ram. Yes, nice to have the vertical rack on the centerline, but there are other better ways to do that without compromising the buckling strength. Also, the claimed force of the 3E is not 3 tons, it is 2-1/2. Considering all this, I'm not as impressed as I was initially.
 
6

6.5 Fan

Ultra Member
Premium Member
My arbor press is a 3 ton, no ratcheting mechanism though. Plenty of strength to seat seals and bearings, have a big hydraulic unit if i need more power. Not sure what make mine is, import for sure, but it is robust. Bought at farm auction for $200
 
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