Working Height: The working height of an arbor press defines its ability to operate regarding various jobs. The driving pressure of the arbor press also varies along with its working height. In this article, you will find arbors with a maximum height of 4 ¾ inches to 10 inches. Capacity: One of the most essential properties of an arbor press is its capacity. This capacity is represented in the “ton” unit. The capacity requirement differs along with the application. For example, you will require greater capacity arbors for heavy-duty applications whereas; even ½ ton capacity arbor is good enough for household applications. Build quality: The build quality should also be kept in mind before getting an arbor press. As there are a lot of different brands producing it, the build quality varies by a huge margin. Generally, the build quality indicates how long the arbor can be used in the future and how many different applications are possible.
In this article, we are presenting some of the best arbor presses that are available in the market. We have provided detailed information on each press, along with the pros and cons. Make sure you go through the entire article before making your choice and check out our “Buying Guide” for more information and details.
Best Arbor Press Table
Top Arbor Press: Reviews
1. Palmgren AP10 Manual Arbor Press
At the top position, we have a powerful arbor press from Palmgreen. Palmgreen makes various tools such as arbor press, machine vise, quick release vise, etc. along with supporting equipment. We are presenting Palmgren AP10 manual arbor press as our 1st pick for the best arbor press. With this arbor press, you get a strong cast iron body along with many great features. With Palmgren AP10, you can apply up to 1-ton pressure on the workpiece. Also, it has a 4 port anvil that will let you carry out 4 different operations at once. The special feature of this arbor press is the optional circular handle. With this, you will be able to operate it quite easily as compared with other press. You also get a lever having an 18:1 lever ratio if you wish to use the lever instead of the circular handle. The maximum working height available is 6 inches, whereas the overall height of the arbor press is 11 inches. The base of Palmgren AP10 is 6 ⅛ inches wide and 1 9/16 inches long, providing strong support to the structure. The overall weight of this arbor press is 34 lbs. Best Features:
Cast Iron Body 1 ton of maximum working pressure 4 port anvil Easy to operate Optional circular handle 18:1 lever ratio 6 inches of maximum working height 11 inches tall arbor press 6 ⅛ x 1 9/16 inches base 34 lbs in weight
Pros:
Decent build quality A circular handle is available for ease of usage
Cons:
Comparatively heavy in weight A bit expensive than other options
2. HHIP 8600-0031 Heavy Duty Arbor Press
Up next, we have an arbor press from HHIP. This brand makes various production tools and related small products along with the arbor press. The HHIP 8600-0031 is at 2nd position in our list of the best arbor press. It has a solid heavy-duty cast iron body. But, it weighs only 24 lbs. As height is a very important aspect for an arbor press, you get 10 inches of press height with HHIP 8600-0031, which can deliver ½ ton pressure on the workpiece. The anvil has 4 different ports where 3 ports are 0.55 inch wide and 1.38 inches deep, and 1 port is 1.02 inch wide and 1.69 inches deep. This variation in port size allows clamping of different sized materials. The base size available on this arbor press is 4 inches by 9 inches, whereas the ram is ¾ inch. You can use up to 6.5 inches diameter workpiece with HHIP 8600-0031 without any problem. The ram that comes with it is made up of steel. This ram is operated by rack and pinion mechanism with an adjustable lever. You can get various operations done with it, such as punching, squeezing, riveting, etc. Best Features:
Heavy-duty cast iron body Lightweight 10 inches press height ½ ton pressure capacity 4 port anvil with 1 bigger port 4 inches x 9 inches base size ¾ inch ram made of steel 6.5-inch maximum work diameter Adjustable lever
Pros:
Heavy-duty body Best budget option
Cons:
Maximum working pressure is comparatively lower Must be mounted before using
3. Jet, 333605, Arbor Press
Jet is a very popular name in tools manufacturing for many years. They make various big machines alongside small hand-operated machines such as an arbor press. At last, we have Jet 333605 arbor press from Jet. This is a heavy ductile cast iron made arbor press that delivers ½ tons of maximum working pressure. Unlike any other product in this list, you get a 2 year warranty period on Jet 333605, which makes it a highly reliable arbor press. You can avail free of cost repair service from Jet’s authorized service centers within the warranty period. The ram on this arbor press is square, having ¾ x 7 ⅞ inches area. The maximum supported work diameter on Jet 333605 is 6 ⅝ inches, and its maximum height capacity is 4 ¾ inches. Because of the ductile cast iron body, this is the lightest weight option from our list, weighing only 19 lbs. The anvil available on this arbor press as 4 slots. This allows multiple operations to be done simultaneously. Best Features:
Heavy ductile cast iron body Maximum working pressure of ½ ton 2 year warranty period ¾ x 7 ⅞ inch ram face 6 ⅝ inches of maximum supported diameter 4 ¾ inch maximum height capacity 19 lbs in weight 4 slot anvil
Pros:
Extremely lightweight arbor press 2 year warranty period
Cons:
Maximum working height is very low Maximum working pressure is comparatively lower
4. Central Machinery 1 Ton Arbor Press
Central machinery is a popular brand that is known for its durable production tool. Fortunately, they also produce arbor press along with other tools. At the 4th position, we are presenting Central machinery 1-ton arbor press. This arbor press offers a lot of features considering its low price tag. The body of Central Machinery 1 ton arbor press is made of cast iron that makes it weigh 34.6 lbs. Still, you get a very durable arbor press. There is an anti-rust coating on the surface of the anvil that prevents the formation of rust in a humid environment. The maximum pressure capacity is 1 ton, which can be applied over a square inch surface area. This amount of pressure is more than enough for any basic arbor press application. The press is operated by an adjustable 20:1 ratio lever. You can adjust the length of the lever on either side to reduce the input force. There are mounting holes available on the base plate of this arbor press that come in handy for quick installation. Best Features:
1-ton maximum pressure capacity Comparatively cheaper option Cast iron body 34.6 lbs weight Anti-rust coating 1 square inch ram area 20:1 lever ratio Adjustable lever Mounting holes
Pros:
Decent budget option Easy for installation
Cons:
Heavy in weight Maximum work height is low
5. Dake 00 Model Single Leverage Arbor Press
Dake is a lesser-known brand in the power tools genre. Nevertheless, they make many top tier production machines and equipment, including arbor press. The last arbor press in our list is Dake 00 Model single leverage arbor press. It is a 1-ton arbor press made of the grey cast iron with 1 square inch ram. As the pressure is very high, you can get various tasks done with it, such as installation, removal, pressing, etc. There is a dual-direction adjustable handle with a 25:1 ratio, which operates the ram. The base of this arbor press has holes for installation on higher surfaces such as tables and workbenches. The maximum working height available on this arbor press is 5 inches, whereas the maximum working diameter is 7 inches. Dake 00 model weighs 25 lbs, which is comparatively lower than other options available on this list. This makes it a wise option if you are planning to carry it around on jobs. The ram is made out of case hardened steel, which is a better option as compared to cast iron. Best Features:
1-ton maximum pressure Grey cast iron body Dual direction adjustable handle 25:1 lever ratio Mounting holes 5 inches of maximum working height 7 inches of working diameter 25 lbs in weight Case hardened steel ram
Pros:
Great build quality Highly adjustable lever
Cons:
Mounting is necessary Working height is comparatively lower
Buying Guide for the Best Arbor Press
You will find the best arbor press provided in this article. To help you further, we are presenting an informative buying guide. Here, you will find all the necessary information about the arbor presses and factors which must be considered before buying the perfect arbor press. After reading this buying guide until the very end, you can easily distinguish between various arbor presses and decide which factors are important for your application. Therefore, make sure you thoroughly read our buying guide given below to remove any second thoughts about your purchase:
1. Maximum Pressure Capacity
The capacity of an arbor press is a very important factor. It indicates how much pressure the arbor press can apply o the workpiece. The pressure capacities of arbor press vary from ½ tone all the way up to 5 tons. But, if you are looking for an arbor press for domestic purpose, you should consider ½ ton press whereas 1-ton arbor press should be good enough for both domestic as well as professional lightweight work. In many cases, the arbor press breaks while in operation. This can happen because of a harder workpiece mounted on the anvil that needs more than ½ ton pressure for deformation. To avoid such situations, make sure that the arbor press you are buying can provide enough pressure for your desired application.
2. Maximum Working Height
As mentioned above, the maximum working pressure capacity has a great impact on the application. But, the pressure capacity is also dependant on the maximum working height of the arbor press. Generally, the workpiece is kept on the anvil, and pressure is provided by lowering the ram over it. But, the ram has some limitations on the traveling length, which is called maximum working height. After the maximum height point, the ram loses the ability to pressurize the workpiece. Hence, the ram cannot be moved further than the maximum working height point. Therefore, the workpiece which is going to be operated in the arbor press must be less than or equal to the maximum working height of the arbor press. In this article, you will find maximum working height ranging from 4 ¾ inches to 10 inches.
3. Price
There is no point in an extremely durable or powerful arbor press if you cannot afford it. Similarly, arbor press that comes at a cheaper price tags incorporate lesser features. While choosing the best arbor press, you must find a balance between your budget and the arbor press that fits in it. If you have a higher budget, you should go for high powered arbor press as you can get multiple uses out of it. On the other hand, if you are on a tight budget, go for the value for money options as they will provide you with considerable features at a proportional price tag.
4. Build Quality
This goes for all the tools and related products available in the market. Before purchasing any tool, you should examine its build quality. The same goes for the arbor press. As arbor press is used for various operations daily, the operational parts of the arbor press go through cycles of stress. Hence, the one with lower build quality will not last long. Similarly, a sturdier arbor press made if better material will last for years. If you are confused with the build quality, always check the manufacturer’s warranty on the product. Generally, the products that have a longer warranty period provides a better build quality.
5. Portability
Before, the arbor press used to be massive in size and weight. Because of that, portability was never an option with the abore press. In the course of time, the size of the arbor press continuously decreased along with its weight. Nowadays, there are a lot of arbor press options available that can exhibit up to 1 ton of pressure having weight as low as 25 lbs. If you are looking for a lesser pressure arbor press, you can get an even lighter product. Having a lightweight arbor press adds up to the portability of the press. This comes in handy if you want an arbor press for day to day use on various locations.
6. Ease of Use
There are a lot of small features in different arbor press that makes them easier to use. For example, some arbor press has the option of a rotating wheel instead of a lever. This will reduce the input effort significantly, allowing the user to operate the press efficiently. Even with the levers, some arbor press provides you the option of adjustments so that you can set up the lever position according to your requirement and operate it with ease. Also, if the arbor press has mounting holes on the base, you can easily set up the press on your desired height level. There are a few variations available on the anvil as well that will allow you to mount workpieces of different sizes easily. If the number of slots on the anvil are more, you can get more work done in a single cycle of the arbor press.
Conclusion
An arbor press is a hand-operated tool which is used for multiple tasks such as pressing, riveting, staking, etc. Choosing an arbor press is a very tedious task as there are a lot of options available in the market. Hence, we have made a list of the best arbor press that you can buy right away. We have also drafted a feature-rich buying guide that will help you with your purchase. But, if you are still unable to make up your mind, we are providing our top picks from the list of the best arbor press:
If you are on a tight budget, we will recommend HHIP 8600-0031 arbor press for you. Being the cheapest option from our list, HHIP 8600-0031 has ½ ton capacity along with a maximum work height of 10 inches. It has a durable cast iron body that is perfect for home applications and DIY projects. The 4 port anvil of this arbor press makes various tasks possible without any problem. On the other hand, Dake 00 Model Single Leverage Arbor Press can be the best option for you if you need a high power arbor press. It has a massive 1 ton capacity along with 5 inches of maximum working height. Unlike other options from our list, this arbor press has a 5 port anvil that is needed in certain special cases. Lastly, we will recommend Palmgren AP10 as an overall value for the money option. With an affordable price tag, Palmgren AP10 gives you 1 ton of pressure capacity. The maximum operating height of this arbor press is 6 inches, which is good enough for a variety of applications.
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