Shop press...12ton? 20ton?

Tossing around the idea of getting a shop press. HF sells a 12ton and a 20ton version. $80 and 8 tons difference between them.

Is 12T sufficient or will I kick myself for not getting the 20?

Build yourself a motorized version with more power that serves an alternative purpose at the same time?

http://internationalhydraulicsus.com/log-splitter-bundle.html?gclid=CKad_ob6pL0CFRFnOgod2GEA0g

(used my moms logsplitter instead of a press a few times, worked like a charm)

I have a 30T of a different mfg. and I still made it groan before.

I'd go w/ the higher T rating.

I went with the 20 ton based on comments on the board

I bought the 20 ton press, then when the ram gave up the ghost, went with a northern tool air operated pump, and haven't looked back. Though with the air, if your not paying close attention to where things are lined up things can go bad quickly rather then slowly with the manual pump.

Get the 20 and BE CAREFUL.

20T and get a tall one so you can press axle bearings on and off.

Get the 20T. I have the old orange 12T. While it hasn't let me down, it often feels like I have to use all 12 of 'em to do something. If you shop on sale you can get the 20T for $150, and there's no reason not to have the extra capacity.

FYI, there's a new silver version of both of these which you should try to get based on reviews at the garage journal. For one thing, it has solid arbor plates instead of cast... cast plates are a safety issue.

20 ton minimum, a 30 is better, even if you only fit it with a 20 ton jack.

The 12 seemed pretty cheaply screwed together, my HF 20 ton is pretty solid.

I'd love to pick up some solid arbor plates, though! I need to make some at work some day..

Bigger is always better!

bentwrench wrote: 20T and get a tall one so you can press axle bearings on and off.

This - making sure the chassis is wide enough for axle flanges to pass through.

And definitely be careful - I had an axle bearing explode on me many years ago. I was finding bearing bits all over the shop for months (we had a 50t air powered press). How I wasn't hit (and killed?) was no small miracle. Like standing in front of a canister shot. My boss' comment: "Oh yeah... that's what that beat up piece of plywood is for: put it front of the press when doing that. Nobody told you?" Um... no.

In reply to Ian F:

20T is the way to go. I think 12 would be fine as far as power to press things goes but the HF frame is very flimsy and poorly made. When you load any press up it's going to try twist under it's own force. The 20T I have does this noticeably and it's much beefier so I imagine the 12T to be awful.

On a plus side - I've pressed everything from solid subframe bushings to rear wheel bearings to putting a 90 degree break in 5/16 steel on mine and it's up to the task.