geargarcon Report post Posted January 8, 2017 Not sure where to put this, but I wanted to share with the good folks here - Harbor Freight has a 1/2 ton arbor press on clearance for $24.97. The only catch is that it is on in store purchases only. Seems to be about half the price of what I can find anywhere else. http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-arbor-press-3551.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferg Report post Posted January 8, 2017 If you can swing the extra money for the $60 1 ton you won't be sorry you did. Ferg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mattsbagger Report post Posted January 8, 2017 I want to get an Arbor press to use for snaps and rivets. Problem is all the "easy" modification videos I have seen require a machine shop that I don't have.lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted January 8, 2017 I did a review on the palmgren .5 ton press here the other day. The machined hole in the ram already fits Tandy dies. You just have to figure out a base plate, which could be made from wood. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
24VOLTS Report post Posted January 9, 2017 Matt, Check out Gold star tools. They are out of S. CA. He sell presses with 1 set of dies for $60 shipped. Additional die sets vary in price but still inexpensive. I have two presses my self. I do find that the dies need fine tuning depending on the snaps you are using. I bought the 1/2 ton arbor press from Harbor Freight with a 25% coupon and end up costing me just under $19. I use it right now for hot stamping and it works just great. I personally don see the need for a heavier press as of right now. You can't beat the price. I saw on youtube somewhere they did a modification that just required some drilling and not milling or lathe work for the arbor press. I end up and opted for the Gold Star presses instead. Anyways just throwing out there what I'm using Phill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mattsbagger Report post Posted January 9, 2017 9 minutes ago, 24VOLTS said: Matt, Check out Gold star tools. They are out of S. CA. He sell presses with 1 set of dies for $60 shipped. Additional die sets vary in price but still inexpensive. I have two presses my self. I do find that the dies need fine tuning depending on the snaps you are using. I bought the 1/2 ton arbor press from Harbor Freight with a 25% coupon and end up costing me just under $19. I use it right now for hot stamping and it works just great. I personally don see the need for a heavier press as of right now. You can't beat the price. I saw on youtube somewhere they did a modification that just required some drilling and not milling or lathe work for the arbor press. I end up and opted for the Gold Star presses instead. Anyways just throwing out there what I'm using Phill Thanks will check it out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billybopp Report post Posted January 10, 2017 Where the arbor press really comes into its own is for larger stamps such as 3-d stamps and letters where you need a good amount of pressure. Hammering on these stamps takes a pretty heavy his using a hammer/mallet/maul and they can bounce leading to multiple imprints. Not a problem with an arbor press! - and with some moving around and multiple presses, they can do well with BIG plate stamps. If the ram is drilled, they can be good for handled tools where you need repetitive impressions along an item - with some other additions such as a platform and guide fence. For setting rivets & snaps and such the arbor might work but a dedicated machine will work better. If I had known about the Goldstar at the time, that's probably what I would have bought, but I got the old Tandy version - and it works great, but the dies are terribly expensive. Thankfully they were on sale from time to time and I bought them that way. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
