"Pete C." wrote in message
...
I'm in need of a mid sized H frame hydraulic press for my shop for
replacing a warped brake rotor on my truck among other things. While I'd
love an Enerpak press they're a wee bit too pricey for my budget.

I've got Harbor Freight and Northern Tool retail stores in my vicinity
so I've looked over what they have to offer.

For an inexpensive 20T press I found:

Harbor Freight item 32879 for $199.99 (Current sale, house brand)
Northern Tool item 145900 for $239.00 (House brand)
Northern Tool item 1459 for $269.99 (Arcan brand)

All three look about the same from the pics on the web site. I know the
Arcan branded stuff is usually decent quality. I've got welding gear
(TIG / Stick) and a decent steel supplier nearby as well.

So the question is do I buy one of these three "ready to assemble" units
and perhaps reinforce it a bit and if so which unit, or am I better off
trying to build one from scratch myself?

Thanks,

Pete C.

I just went through the same make/buy decision process with a little twist.
I bought the NT Arcan 20 ton as raw material for a custom machine. I am
better off with the press and throwing away the jack, fixtures and stage.
The rest of it is well made and cheaper than building it myself and it's a
pretty red paint job! So, I can't make the frame for what it cost...need a
jack?

The last "H" we built from stock and it was a PIA. It is heavier but it's
not perfectly square like the Arcan...never again when I can buy that
quality.