Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Reg]

Anyone have the "20 ton" press from HF? I was getting a cardiovascular treat bending a bracket back into shape so I could weld some bracing on it and the whole "12 ton" press sort of folded on me. The bottom channel that hold the blocking arbors bowed about 4" and the top of the press holding the jack raised about 2".

I'm not blaming the tool; honest. I think I'm just cranking harder on this little press than it was designed to take. Just curious if anyone thinks the '20 ton' version would hold up better or should I just buy a good bottle jack and weld up my own press? I know I can make a 50 ton press no problem, but no more than I use one, is it worth all my time to build one when I can buy a HF press rated at 20 tons for about $150 after coupon?

I can agree that a "12 ton press" SHOULD be able to handle a "12 ton force" without bending anything beyond its elastic limit.
However, if the top beam and bed rails start to bend "unreasonably" it would be wise to provide some reinforcement across them.
I don't know what, but in my generally sloppy and unconsidered approach I might grab 4 pipe clamps to try and hold the beams squeezed together very close to the work piece.
{something like that}

 

[whateg0]

...The bottom channel that hold the blocking arbors bowed about 4" and the top of the press holding the jack raised about 2"...

This may sound harsh, but that is just plain foolish! If parts start to bend significantly, then forces are not applied to the other parts in the desired manner. For example, when the bed starts to bow, the force applied to the pins starts to be in an outward direction, so the uprights have the potential to bow.

More importantly, when stuff lets go, it has several tons of force being applied to it, so it has a lot of potential energy stored. That's a good way to get seriously injured, IMHO.

Dave

 

[Dargo]

This may sound harsh, but that is just plain foolish! If parts start to bend significantly, then forces are not applied to the other parts in the desired manner. For example, when the bed starts to bow, the force applied to the pins starts to be in an outward direction, so the uprights have the potential to bow.

More importantly, when stuff lets go, it has several tons of force being applied to it, so it has a lot of potential energy stored. That's a good way to get seriously injured, IMHO.

Dave

Okay, you tell me how you use one. They only come with a short little handle for the bottle jack. The instructions say to not add an extension. I didn't. Nothing personal, but I view your response as just plain foolish. If I can destroy their tool when using as prescribed, it should be removed from the market and thrown in the scrap heap. If I buy something, I read the instructions and use it as described. If it doesn't perform without breaking then, it's junk; period. Send your safety speech and 'a good way to get injured' to HF, not me! Nothing slipped. Nothing moved that was being pressed. The machine simply failed. If I need to get my wife to pump the handle as to not exert too much force, I don't need it and don't see many men needing it either.

 

[Dargo]

I can agree that a "12 ton press" SHOULD be able to handle a "12 ton force" without bending anything beyond its elastic limit.
However, if the top beam and bed rails start to bend "unreasonably" it would be wise to provide some reinforcement across them.
I don't know what, but in my generally sloppy and unconsidered approach I might grab 4 pipe clamps to try and hold the beams squeezed together very close to the work piece.
{something like that}

I agree. That's why I responded in kind to "Whateg0". If I started bracing up their machine so I could exert more power, I can see where I could be negligable. However, when it breaks when being used as made per enclosed instructions, I care not for an improper and incorrect lecture on how to use equipment.

I suppose that really answers my question. If I can get the 12 ton press to self destruct using as prescribed, why should I expect the same brand 20 ton to be any different? Sure, I am physically stronger than most, but I'm by no means a 'roid monster who looks like a freak.

 

[Dargo]

If they were close I probably would but being 3 hours away it's too far. There's also a Greg Smith not too far away.

I have 4 lifts in my barns as well as a tire changer and balancer. I don't know if all Greg Smith shops are the same, but the one in Indy doesn't seem to care one bit if someone else has the same product for 20% less. Rather than work with me when I handed them a current ad from a competitor across town, they simply told me that I ought to go buy from that other dealer; so I did. Not only to save money on the purchase, but I became concerned about after the sale service.

 

[whateg0]

I'm not sure how warning against things that have the potential to cause serious injury to somebody is foolish, but whatever.

 

[jmanatee2]

Do you have this one :12 Ton Shop Press

Or this one: 12 Ton A-Frame Floor Shop Press

Are you saying you were continuing to press while it was bending or it suddenly collapsed?

I have the 2nd one. I have put a lot of force on the jack and not bent anything.

 

[Dargo]

Do you have this one :12 Ton Shop Press

Or this one: 12 Ton A-Frame Floor Shop Press

Are you saying you were continuing to press while it was bending or it suddenly collapsed?

I have the 2nd one. I have put a lot of force on the jack and not bent anything.

I have the first one. I was just pumping away and it just gave way between pumps.

 

[Dargo]

I'm not sure how warning against things that have the potential to cause serious injury to somebody is foolish, but whatever.

Get in line and call HF about their defective product, not me for using their product as designed.

 

[California]

Here's a HF dog, the garden 21" bow saw. I broke it before I got through the first limb. The hollow 'rivet' securing the far end of the blade crushed and let go of the blade. When this happened I jammed the whole saw into the side of the limb, bending and snapping the blade. Looking at how the saw is assembled, that hollow far-end rivet is inadequate. I wasn't working this as hard as the old dull bow saw it was intended to replace.

And a dog from Tractor Supply - their six inch "5 ton" gear puller. Destroyed it the first time I used it. My similar HF 2 Ton puller has a threaded central shaft two sizes larger diameter and has a bearing at the tip.