Vevor 6 ton shop press?

[homebrewed]

I've been looking into making a relatively light-duty shop press but ran across this one on Amazon. I don't think I can make one for much less than that but I'm curious if anyone here has one & can offer any reviews. It has 4 out of 5 stars so clearly not the best thing since sliced bread but my use will be relatively light. The latest reason for my interest is rebuilding a fan motor on a commercial-duty fan. One of the bearings has worn out but the rest of the fan is in good shape. The price for the press is about the same as what a new fan would cost so that part of it is easy to justify. Even to the wife!

Currently I'm using those horrible 3-jaw puller gadgets that are a true PITA to install and use. That alone is just about enough reason to get something better. I won't get rid of the other type since there are instances where you just can't use a shop press to get the job done, but a lot of jobs would be SO much easier with a press.

 

[matthewsx]

I've been looking into making a relatively light-duty shop press but ran across this one on Amazon. I don't think I can make one for much less than that but I'm curious if anyone here has one & can offer any reviews. It has 4 out of 5 stars so clearly not the best thing since sliced bread but my use will be relatively light. The latest reason for my interest is rebuilding a fan motor on a commercial-duty fan. One of the bearings has worn out but the rest of the fan is in good shape. The price for the press is about the same as what a new fan would cost so that part of it is easy to justify. Even to the wife!

Currently I'm using those horrible 3-jaw puller gadgets that are a true PITA to install and use. That alone is just about enough reason to get something better. I won't get rid of the other type since there are instances where you just can't use a shop press to get the job done, but a lot of jobs would be SO much easier with a press.

$104 seems like short money, probably less than even HF with a coupon. How they do free shipping on something like that I don’t understand.

These presses are just steel pieces bolted together. If you replace the fasteners with known good I don’t think you’ll ever see any issues.

I’d say go for it.

John

 

[C-Bag]

My problem with inexpensive small hydraulic presses is too often they end up being more useless than buying a good puller. One major factor is the gap between the bed is often too narrow to stick the work between which might be the case with trying to put an armature between the bed gap. Being a semi benchtop size also means it’s limited in how long of an item you can put in it and these dimensions are insanely difficult to gauge by the stupidly limited descriptions. Many times a bearing on an axel is what I had to get off so bigger/taller frame was needed.

This is why I have a two ton arbor press and an antique 22tn H frame screw press along with assorted press plates, clamshells big and small and SnapOn and Proto pullers. I had the pullers decades before the presses.

Then there’s the cost of tooling, specifically a clamshell to be able to grab the bearing so you can press it off. A good one can be expensive as are good pullers. Good pullers have built in jaw holders so they don’t spread on you. Cheap ones don’t. That feature alone is the major factor in pullers. The other tooling cheap presses are lacking is decent press plates and I’m sure this is the case with the Vevor. Those look cast iron which can shatter, a common problem with cheap presses.

 

[woodchucker]

that 6 ton is a benchtop unit. I made my own from bed frames, and some flat bar.
I use mine for tons of things.

Show Your Home Made Shop Press

Here's my 30 ton air over hydraulic shop press. Build to fit a die cart (in background) so I can wheel it out of the corner when needed. Not shown is the wide selection of bending dies. Its built heavy enough to go fifty ton if each attach goes to three bolts instead of two. But, the fifty ton...

www.hobby-machinist.com

I am going to make a new one. Still benchtop, but a little more refined.
Based on the overall height, and looking at the feed of the bar, you don't have much working room. It says 9.8 inches, but I doubt that. I have run out of room a few times. You also need space below on the benchtop model

I have a hole in my ram, and a set screw. I can add punches, a flat anvil, a bending anvil/knife. I use it to letter or number using letter/number punches.

 

[projectnut]

I think you're going to be sorely disappointed with the press. One of the major drawbacks is that it doesn't have any mechanism to ensure the ram goes down straight. Even the lowest price HF unit has guides along the side rails, so the ram doesn't slide off to one side when pressure is applied. The side rails are made of .100" thick channel. that's less than 1/8". Personally, I don't think it could handle 6 tons of pressure without bending or distorting.

I built a much larger floor model years ago and was cautioned by those who had similar units to be sure to add the guides. The last thing you want to happen is have the ram pop off to one side when it's under pressure. If it does it's quite likely you will ruin the part or even get injured.

Here's a picture of my press. Note the wide platform the jack sits on has rollers front and rear on both sides to keep the ram centered. Even the least expensive HF press uses guides to keep the ram centered.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[woodchucker]

I think you're going to be sorely disappointed with the press. One of the major drawbacks is that it doesn't have any mechanism to ensure the ram goes down straight. Even the lowest price HF unit has guides along the side rails, so the ram doesn't slide off to one side when pressure is applied. The side rails are made of .100" thick channel. that's less than 1/8". Personally, I don't think it could handle 6 tons of pressure without bending or distorting.

I built a much larger floor model years ago and was cautioned by those who had similar units to be sure to add the guides. The last thing you want to happen is have the ram pop off to one side when it's under pressure. If it does it's quite likely you will ruin the part or even get injured.

Here's a picture of my press. Note the wide platform the jack sits on has rollers front and rear on both sides to keep the ram centered. Even the least expensive HF press uses guides to keep the ram centered.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

The 6 ton small benchtop does have guides. The long ram is guided by what looks like a bushing, preventing it from twisting.

edit: BTW nice press.

 

[projectnut]

The 6 ton small benchtop does have guides. The long ram is guided by what looks like a bushing, preventing it from twisting.

edit: BTW nice press.

I guess I should have looked a little closer. I still think it’s going to be disappointed at best. The money would be far better spent elsewhere

 

[Ken from ontario]

I have had this 10 ton press for 3 or 4 years now and use it for about the same type of stuff you mentioned, I would recommend this style of construction for a benchtop press ,the one you linked is more crude but I can't see why it would not work just as well but if I had to choose, I still would prefer a more robust construction .

 

[MrWhoopee]

My first impression was "go for it, you couldn't buy the steel for that much". Then I read some of the 1 star reviews and decided maybe you could. Vevor seems to be shooting to occupy the market segment that HF is abandoning, the very bottom.

 

[C-Bag]

I have had this 10 ton press for 3 or 4 years now and use it for about the same type of stuff you mentioned, I would recommend this style of construction for a benchtop press ,the one you linked is more crude but I can't see why it would not work just as well but if I had to choose, I still would prefer a more robust construction .

View attachment 456051

I like this design a lot, much better than the Vevor. The frame is welded and not just formed sheet metal side rails like the Vevor. And the open side rails are a big plus, perfect for laying long work sideways like for straightening shafts. It's twice as heavy at 120lbs to 57lbs for the Vevor(a very good thing!) but it's twice as expensive. But would be a better choice IMHO.