Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I've been frustrated by my poor success at removing frozen bearings and rusted together parts. The local Harbor Freight store has these 6 Ton A-Frame bench shop presses that sell for about $70. Is 6 tons enough force for most tasks? Right now I am trying to remove an auger impeller from a snowblower and it is rusted on. I've tried soaking it in BP blaster for weeks, heating it up with a propane torch, and pounding away. Someone told be to try a "press" so I found this device, but to be honest I have no familiarity with such a tool:
"Super strong A-frame design is one of the best on the market. Accurate to within thousandths of an inch. The bed adjusts in 3-1/2'' increments."
Working distance: 2'' to 4''
Width between channels: 10-1/2''
Overall dimensions: 30" H
Weight: 55 lbs.
ITEM 1666-4VGA

Underdog wrote:

From the picture I can see a welded member going from front to back making that base a complete unit.

hirschallan wrote:
I'm on a different computer and yes now I see what you were talking about.  I was told that this smaller one sometimes goes on sale for $30.  As tempting as that is I will take a look at the larger ones.

My family owned a machine shop for over 40 years. All that press is is a hydraulic floor jack built into a frame to give it support. For a little ore money you should be able to buy a real press from a machine shop. My dad long retired picked up a decent vertical milller for like $350 and te ways were good on it. Of course a press used in a machine shop will be different. The ones we used could exert a lot of pressure by hand and we mostly used them with keyway cutters. Some of the workers we had would repair their cars with shop equipment. I'd look at real equipment tho. Real machine shop equipment will outlast you and several generations of grandkids. It was all built to last unlike this new crap.

Just a thought...

Sometimes you just never know. I was gearing up to try 3Mac1's idea with some pipe wrenches, however in the mean time I had poured some Evapo-rust down the tube and sealed it up the auger's screw.   I went outside today with my "helper" ready to put two pipe wrenches on the shaft of the auger with long 8 foot pipe extensions. Instead the auger just spun free on it on. Yes, I am going to repeat this statement because it is still unbelievable to me. The auger just spun free.  I don't know what is in that xo-rust but is was the magic ticket.  Thanks for all the support here on the long drawn out effort. Amazing.
 [b]Note:[/b] I would do the same to the other side but I have a metal rod stuck in there with 15 tons of pressure. Baby steps....

Underdog: Do you check your Abbys mail inbox?  I mailed you a question which has since been solved.

Underdog wrote:

Seems like it might be due to Evapo-rust.  I thought of using it in the past but there were possible issues.  One was the lifting of old rust which I thought might still jam the two pieces.  The other was the metal being converted to the black hard form which I thought might bond the two pieces making it harder to get off.  I have a few machines with auger and wheels rust locked.  Map gas heat with banging was no help.  I use Evapo-rust on everything so will give it a shot.