An arbor press is a small, bench-mounted tool, designed to allow an operator to exert a large amount of force (up to several ton) with minimal effort. These are commonly found in jewellery and leather workshops, but are also used for fitting bearings, tool and die work, and are great for punching holes.
Arbor presses are a great choice for any work that requires a constant heavy pressure, as the gearing and leverage systems allow almost anyone to apply a great amount of force to the workpiece.
One of the most important pieces of information you'll need to look out for when buying an arbor press is the tonnage rating. The tonnage refers to the amount of pressure or force the press can apply to a workpiece before the machine fails. This is important to know, as different work will require a different amount of pressure. For instance, pressing a pattern into leather won't require as much force as fitting bearings or punching through metal.
There are three main types of arbor presses, single lever, ratchet and compound leverage. Single levers are generally the smallest of the lot, with a simple lever and minimal moving pieces involved. Single lever arbor presses range somewhere between 0.5 and 4 tons and are a popular choice for hobbyists, jewellery workshops and any time only a small amount of pressure is required.
Ratchet arbor presses are probably the easiest to use, as the additional sidewheel makes it easier to put the ram on the right spot before applying pressure. They're also able to apply a bit more pressure than the single lever models, making them a good choice if you need more force on your workpieces.
Finally, the compound leverage arbor press is the workhorse of the three. Usually starting from around 6 ton of force and going up from there, this is the arbor press you'll need for those large applications like bearing fitting etc.
Understanding the amount of force you'll need is imperative before deciding on an arbor press. As a rule of thumb, jewellery and leather work will fall between the 0.5 and 3 ton range, while home mechanics and light industrial work between 3 and 5 tons. The heavier and more industrial work will go from 5 to 10 ton depending. If you're unsure, don't hesitate to talk to your dealer or seller, they'll be more than happy to help you out.
