Harbor Freight 20 Ton Manual Hydraulic Press

[Urbish]

My brother gave me his 20 Ton bottle jack hydraulic press that he got about 15 years ago. I pre-squashed a beer can and stuck it between the 1" thick cast iron plates that came with the press. I pumped until I started to encounter quite a bit of resistance, then KERPOW! Sparks flew and the halves of both plates went flying in all directions. Luckily none of them hit ME. I think HF is China's way to off us one by one.

[Urbish]

The beer can is pretty thin. I measured it at .075". This is not my best idea ever.

[Eugene]

Put a US manufactured 2" thick steel plate on the compression side of the press and you will have a good can flattener.

Ecologically friendly, your part is saving the world by reducing space in the garbage dump.

[Urbish]

Yeah, I will procure some steel plates from a local machine shop. This was just a 'what if' experiment. In Michigan cans are worth a dime so I usually take them back to the store.

[Lt.Mike]

Just bought the new version from HF. It’s normally $190 but about 2 weeks ago it went on sale for $145 but I also had a flier for Black Friday showing it’d be $140. Decided I’d pay the extra $5 and get it while I could. Store near me said they had “one”, nope they couldn’t find it but said the store 10 miles away had “one”.
Ya, not chasing all over for it, just took the rain check. Last Tuesday I called and they said they got their shipment for the Black Friday sale.
So how many of these do you think they got for their big sale? A featured item?
Three, that’s it!
I hightailed it down there and used my rain check. I’ve got mine but that left them with two of them in the store for the sale.
That’s a deceitful thing if you ask me.
I’ll be able to get some projects done with it now but will have to make note to resist making bookmarks from soda cans.
Mike
Ps - looking at the graininess in the broken halves it appears to be cast steel. Forged steel wouldn’t break like that.

[mozer71]

Having read about about these presses, those plates were terrible 15 years ago. They have since gone to steel which doesn't fracture.
Unfortunately, I got a set of the old type for my larger press, before I knew. Face shield is mandatory.

[SamsFarm]

Never been in a harbor freight!

They have anything made in the USA in there?

Boycott imports!!!