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

I see plates on the press table in your picture.  The only thing I would be worried about is the size of the press and if I could get the assembly in between the press table and under the hydraulic jack.  That would probably require a few measurements. 

Also make sure you can get the press table low enough under the jack.  Some of these presses are pretty short.

I’m not familiar with these things and have a few questions about setup for working impellers, rakes and bearings?

 

Is rod under the jack removable and have various sizes?

How would to setup for an impeller or rake?

 

Would you set the impeller end on the base and mate the top of its shaft to the rod sticking down from the jack? 

 

How would you setup for a frozen rake?

 

It seems like these things would require an assortment of pillow blocks, collets and other things to help setup getting the force in the right place.  What would be needed for impellers, rakes and bearings only?  The base cost seems ok even for the 20 but what else has me puzzled.  Will a press crack a nasty impeller without heat?

 

I’ve been helping a guy in email do his broken auger gearbox.  He was doing well until the impeller and got stuck.  He brought it to an auto place which took two hours to do with heat then the press for $116.

trouts2 wrote:

Trouts2 Your concerns are valid. Given that your handy it’s just a matter of which way is best to go at it. I have a machine shop of my own and use a press all the time. No two jobs are alike but, the methods are all similar and common sense will go a long way. I use pipe fittings of all sizes and various random steel blocks. Remember that a press is a powerful tool but when used incorrectly can be rather very dangerous ( ie. things can fly out in all directions with immense force ) Best of luck, Allan

I had not thought about the dangers of using a press. That is a lot of force. And it would be tempting from time to time to jury rig things.

But if you were cautious and set some boundaries you might be ok.  I would certainly be concerned with things flying off. Especially if you were asking the press to do things it not capable of.

For the impeller couldn't you keep things safe? My intention was to disassemble the press's base if I had to and re-assemble the base around the impeller shaft with the "blocks or plates" snug around the collar of the impeller. Then slide a small section of pipe into the hole at the top and apply the force of the press to the section of pipe.  The section of pipe would be retained inside the impeller shaft.  Am I describing this clearly?  Strange that the BP Blaster is not penentrating enough to lossen things.  Would Kroil be more effective? I have the part soaking in BP Blaster out in the garage were the temps are in the teens (got lots of complaints about the smell as it is although personally I think it has a pleasant oily scent). Does BP Blaster need to be at room temperature to be effective?

UNDERDOG The base of the press is usually welded as a unit and rides up and down the press frame. The base is kept in position with the two side pins. The base has a space between the front and back members which could be as small as 9 inches or as large as 12 plus. In your case I would take off the rakes, and that will probably permit the gear case through which then you can press out the shaft

hirschallan wrote:

I have not seen the "A Frame" press in person, but from the photo I thought it looked like the base was bolted from either side. From your description what I thought were "bolts" might just be "pins"  for sliding the base of the press up and down.  Or does it look to you like this base can be dissembled?

Here's a better picture:

       Depending on how much you spend when  you buy a press,  there are lots features it can come with ,   diffrent sized shafts,  blocks for shaft setup,  even pressure guages for amount of force you are using....(so you don't kill the parts you are working on)..    

As far as shafts and such I used a socket set a lot,    There are all diffrent sizes of deep, 1/2 drive, and metric sizes to fit in nearly all holes you would normaly need...  Also 2x4's and 4x4's are also handy for  gaugeing how much force something is getting (if the wood is splitting, time to lay off the aluminum case).   Like all other tools, this unit is not going to take care of all your problems,  but will save you loads of time over a year or so...   ( How many times have you spent a whole day to remove a part?)

  If you do a lot of rakes, you may need to build a setup to somehow  hold them..  ( I live in the desert,  I haven't seen a snowmachine in awhile).

also , I was at HB today, the $79 press is a little small (size for setting things up), I would suggest the larger ones..

Friiy

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.