Arbor Press - Good Choice for Assembly

[FordTrax]

I am looking for a sturdy durable assembly press. I saw on-line the 1 ton arbor press at HF it has a 5.5 max height. Which seems pretty fair. It is currently 55 so with 20% off it would be around $44. Which is less than most specialty pen presses. I have never been much for HF tools but for the very light duty task I would expect - it should last a lifetime.

Does anyone else use an arbor press? If so is 5.5" height good?
Any other arbor presses I should consider before this one?

 

[ladycop322]

I use the 1/2 ton from HF for bending watch faces. What will you be using it for?

Michelle

 

[jttheclockman]

I am looking for a sturdy durable assembly press. I saw on-line the 1 ton arbor press at HF it has a 5.5 max height. Which seems pretty fair. It is currently 55 so with 20% off it would be around $44. Which is less than most specialty pen presses. I have never been much for HF tools but for the very light duty task I would expect - it should last a lifetime.

Does anyone else use an arbor press? If so is 5.5" height good?
Any other arbor presses I should consider before this one?

If you are planning on using it for pen kit components I would suggest you do not do it. Your touch and feel of it is not there and keeping parts aligned would be tough. You would be better with a dedicated press or as some use their drill press. I do not like the clamp method but there are those that use that method too. I have the 1 ton also but use it for other things and not putting pens together. That is a good price.

 

[plantman]

I am looking for a sturdy durable assembly press. I saw on-line the 1 ton arbor press at HF it has a 5.5 max height. Which seems pretty fair. It is currently 55 so with 20% off it would be around $44. Which is less than most specialty pen presses. I have never been much for HF tools but for the very light duty task I would expect - it should last a lifetime.

Does anyone else use an arbor press? If so is 5.5" height good?
Any other arbor presses I should consider before this one?

I have that Harbor Freight 1/2 ton arbor press and it works quite well. I use it to press tubes in that have gotten stuck part way in. To bend watch parts and other metal objects. It's main purpose it to press in or out bearings, bolts, or cell lock pins. Many people use it as a pen press, and as you say it is less expensive and can be used in other applications as well. The smaller press gives you a much better feel when pressing than the 1 ton, and should be big enough to handle any home application that comes up. A dedicated pen press is ideal because you are working in the horizontal plain with a much better view of what you are doing and is much quicker for assembly. I also use my bench vice or clamps to press in tubes. Jim S

 

[Charlie_W]

I bought the 1 ton from HF. Works well for pressing pen parts.
I padded the ram with some blue tape. I also adjusted the ram to have less play but still operate smoothly.
I like that you can feel how much pressure you are putting on the piece.
The 1 ton had a little more travel for longer pens such as the Zen or Vertex.

As for the standard style of pen press I have, it just had a mushy feel as to how much force you were putting on the pen. Also it seemed to have play and flex in its design making it more apt to push parts out of line.

 

[zig613]

I use a small bench top drill press. It works really well and you have good control when pressing in the parts.

 

[ed4copies]

I also use the HF arbor. I have used both the half ton and the ton.

I have changed the "table" to corian and it is easily removable. The arbor press is bolted to a 2X10, so when the corian is removed, it adds about 3" to the throw.

The technique I use does put my fingers very close to the component I am inserting, so I can feel the progress--that is how I monitor the pressure I am applying. FOR ME, it has worked great.

YMMV,
Ed

 

[mecompco]

Why not just use the lathe--make up a couple ~MT 2 (or whatever) wooden inserts, glue some plastic on the ends (an old cutting board works awesome) and you're done. More or less for free and works wonderfully.

Regards,
Michael

PS Detailed instructions are on-line.

 

[SteveG]

I bought the 1 ton from HF. Works well for pressing pen parts.
I padded the ram with some blue tape. I also adjusted the ram to have less play but still operate smoothly.
I like that you can feel how much pressure you are putting on the piece.
The 1 ton had a little more travel for longer pens such as the Zen or Vertex...

My mods to my 1-ton: Glue a scrap of leather to the ram, and just set a fairly thin piece of wood on the base plate. These mods do not consume much working range, yet serve to protect the ends of the pen components from marring when being pressed together. By careful attention to the process, I have avoided damage to components due to things getting "crooked" when the pressure is on.:biggrin:

 

[79spitfire]

I have the HF 1/2 arbor press, I find it works well for pressing pens together. My only complaint is it could use about 1" more throw.

 

[Skie_M]

I use a small bench top drill press. It works really well and you have good control when pressing in the parts.

I use this same vice for anything other than the 30 cal bullet pens.

It's about 15 dollars at Harbor Freight ... What I did with it was, I removed the steel jaws and replaced them with some 1/4 inch vinyl scrap (countersunk the screws), so that I wouldn't scratch the finish on my pens.

For the longer bullet pens or any pen that would need to fit in there whole for pressing, I start it on that vice, and then move to a 12-inch pistol grip clamp to complete it very carefully...

 

[Sataro]

I have not purchased the arbor press yet but I am wanting to buy one. My use for it will be to crush my turquoise chips into fine pieces.

 

[Skie_M]

I have not purchased the arbor press yet but I am wanting to buy one. My use for it will be to crush my turquoise chips into fine pieces.

For that (and malachite as well as tigereye and other softer stones) I use a marble mortar and pestle ...


I took a veggie can and cut out both ends and washed it out ... the can sits over the stone and I crush the stone with the pestle. It keeps small chunks from flying out of the mortar so much.

I never wanted to get a uniform grain size when crushing stone. Randomly sized chunks and pieces are the key to making it look natural.

 

[thewishman]

I have used the 1 ton arbor press for almost 10 years. Leather glued to ram, 1X4 soft pine on base arms (or is it legs?) mounted on a 2X12. I love the power and (I thought) control. It is difficult to get small parts lined up perfectly.

Last week I tried the Woodcraft pen press - it BEATS THE SNOT out of the arbor press! It adjusts easily and aligns very easily. I would have traded my arbor press for it years ago, if only I would have known.

 

[PenPal]

For pressing pens I made a small table to place at eye height a 1 Ton Arbour press. The small table is mounted on a water pipe stem bolted to the floor adjacent to the lathe where I sit at a Draughtsmans swivel chair to turn. The idea of running around elsewhere to press or removing and setting up the lathe etc not on I just swivel and press its ready 24/7.

Any longer press I do using a Stylis Press fantastic for the purpose. I can operate several tools from where I choose to sit.

I modified the one ton press quite a bit to satisfy me for accuracy. Your price in the states is dirt cheap compared with here.

Peter.

 

[FordTrax]

Wow - Getting some very different thoughts

I have been carefully reading each and every post. Looks like there is quite a diversity of experiences with the arbor presses and pen vices. I will keep reading as people post. Thank you all for the input.

 

[FordTrax]

For pressing pens I made a small table to place at eye height a 1 Ton Arbour press. The small table is mounted on a water pipe stem bolted to the floor adjacent to the lathe where I sit at a Draughtsmans swivel chair to turn. The idea of running around elsewhere to press or removing and setting up the lathe etc not on I just swivel and press its ready 24/7.

Any longer press I do using a Stylis Press fantastic for the purpose. I can operate several tools from where I choose to sit.

I modified the one ton press quite a bit to satisfy me for accuracy. Your price in the states is dirt cheap compared with here.

Peter.

PenPal - I don't think your arbor press is going anywhere anchored down to that section of what is that like 5x5! LOL

 

[Jim Smith]

I used to use a pen press that is sold by Rockwell, but I found it was very difficult to control the pressure. I switched to a Zyliss Vise and I absolutely love it. You can arrange it either horizontal or vertical and you have excellent control on the amount of pressure you're using while pressing the pen components together. It also happens to be an excellent portable bench vise for medium to light duty work. You can usually get them off of ebay for $25-$35. P.S I also have an arbor press and very much prefer the Zyliss vise.

Jim Smith

 

[Rockytime]

Lots of ways to do it. Here's mine.

 

[Paul in OKC]

I have the HF 1/2 arbor press, I find it works well for pressing pens together. My only complaint is it could use about 1" more throw.

I have the same one. Sometimes you can C-clamp it to the bench and remove the base, work straight off the table.

 

[Sabaharr]

I got a machinist drill press vice at a garage sale for $10. I put MDF on the jaws for a little cushion and I can press in transmissions a few thou at a time. Whatever you use control will be the key factor. Just about anything can be used to assemble pens, even a hammer on a table top, but not everything offers precise control. Without inserts made of some softer material I would be reluctant to use an arbor press. It only takes one component to get hung up on a speck of glue in the tube and that little bit of extra pressure can ram a part in too far when that glue finally gives up its hold and lets the part slide freely. I, personally, feel safer with something threaded that can't "overshoot the runway" if it slips. It only takes once to get those colorful expletives flowing like water. As Dennis Miller use to say, "That's my opinion, I could be wrong."

 

[dartman]

If you have a lathe(I'm thinking you do)you already have a press.Make a block for the head and tail stock and away you go.The best part about using it is it is free.Well almost,you did have to buy the lathe......

 

[oneleggimp]

Lots of ways to do it. Here's mine.

I originally mounted my pen press horizontally but after seeing your arrangement, I unscrewed it and made a vertical mount similar to what you made. Works well and takes up less bench space. In fact when not in use it sits on the floor (vertically).