My mother is a pusher...

[bae]

I have the best Mom ever!

I was taking care of her dog for her the past few days, while she was over on the mainland for a medical appointment.

When she came by last night to pick up her dog, she had a surprise extra birthday present for me in the back of her station wagon. Seems that my wife had mentioned to her that Grizzly Tools had a big showroom/warehouse just a block away from where she was going to be doing another errand, so Mom dropped in and had a chat with the gents there about the things on my wish list.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-twLNxbxDn5A/UAYzTJFGsnI/AAAAAAAAFz4/OUkGO-xewrk/s640/Awesomized.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0KFSkiJdgUA/UAYzQv5xzXI/AAAAAAAAFzw/TXOVnamdg90/s640/Awesomized.jpg

A 3-ton arbor press, built like they built them in Jules Verne's day. It is very fortunate that my buddy Wally was over out the house helping me out when she showed up so we could move it. Wally isn't his real name, everyone just calls him that because he's basically a walking stone wall. Some say he is part sasquatch. Others say "part?".

[iris lily]

I am SO not showing this post to DH. I'm not sure if it is a woodworking tool ( I don't think that it is) but still, he will covet it.

[JaneV2.0]

At first glance, I thought "drill press" and was jealous for a moment. I bet you'll put it to good use.

[razz]

Cute thread topic!!

[peggy]

Ok...what is it?
And I'm guessing it isn't for pressing apples.;)

[Tussiemussies]

So sweet of your Mom!

[bae]

An arbor press is an old-fashioned method of applying a great deal of force to a small area. You pull on the lever, which uses a gear to engage the gear on the ram and provide additional mechanical advantage because of the ratio of the gears.

You can use it, sometimes in conjunction with various dies, for pressing in/out bearings and pins, staking, riveting, punching holes, embossing, shaping, and such. I'm going to use it for some simple riveting, and for forming small pieces of hot metal into dies.

No power required, very little to break.

[JaneV2.0]

See, I thought "simple riveting" involved metal tubing and a hammer. But maybe I'm jealous after all--I can see jewelry applications.

[lhamo]

Slippery slope indeed -- how long until the garage is transformed into a full-scale industrial forge, I wonder?

You need to join a Tool Addicts Anonymous group soon, bae. Save yourself before it's too late!

lhamo

[peggy]

Like a super industrial can crusher. (leverage wise)

Hum...I could see someone who sews leather using this to punch a whole stack of leather at once. How would you use it to punch/rivet anything larger than what would fit into that small space beneath it? I'm thinking metal sculpture when you would want to rivet instead of weld.

[CathyA]

Maybe it would be good to crack black walnuts?
Looks darned substantial! Lucky you!
I hope you were REALLY nice to her dog. :~)

[bae]

How would you use it to punch/rivet anything larger than what would fit into that small space beneath it? I'm thinking metal sculpture when you would want to rivet instead of weld.

Oh, the usual working area for most tasks is atop that round metal disc with the slots in it, you lift the ram up a bit, and rotate the disc to one of the closed areas of it, and use it as a backing anvil, or use one of the slots in the circle to back the area you are pressing through.

[peggy]

Oh, the usual working area for most tasks is atop that round metal disc with the slots in it, you lift the ram up a bit, and rotate the disc to one of the closed areas of it, and use it as a backing anvil, or use one of the slots in the circle to back the area you are pressing through.

Interesting. I'm thinking this is one of those tools that the longer you have it, the more uses you will find for it.