If you want something to push, then buy one of those hydraulic units. If you want to disassemble things, get an arbor press.
My father taught me the difference. A hydraulic press has no 'feel' and parts get broken fast. With an arbor press you can apply a little push and get the job done. When we rebuilt water pumps with hydraulic presses, about a quarter of the castings got snapped. Arbor presses never ruined the castings. Just try and remove an axle bearing with a hydraulic press. Toss the bearing after it comes off with hydraulics. We have two hydraulic presses at work. I would not haul them away or give up the room outside my shop for either of them.
I have an old arbor press in my open sided shed. I keep that six foot monster there so anyone can use it. It amazes me that guys come by and use it when they have those nice new hydraulic units sitting at home. My big press will easily accept a truck axle and push off a 9000 series bearing with a gentle tug of the handle. My big press is a Greenerd and is serial number fifteen. It was sold to George Westinghouse; yeah him, the rich dead guy. After his ancestors tossed it, I bought it from a scrounger and saved it from the scrappers. I am constantly going home when the 100 ton Chinese wonder at work can not budge something. My immense ass can do more with my little sixty manual than our 100 ton hydraulic. Two months ago I had to remove a gear from a two inch diameter shaft. I took the gear and shafrt home and one of my bosses came along. I hung from the handle with my right hand and tapped on the gear with my brass hammer. Every tap brought the gear off by a sixteenth. My boss stood there with a slack jawed stare. He kept raving about how the 100ton press could not do the job with heat and beating. I gave him the 'it s the higher altitude and the fact that my immensely mean ass is laying on the pressure---boy'song. I also add a few things about the 'special' brass tools that I have at home. He asked how big the press was. I replied that it is a one and a half ton press. That made him do a double take. There is a big 60 cast in the frame and he said how did I come to call it a one and a half ton press. I told him that it weighed three thousand pounds and that was one and a half tons. After all the 100 ton press at work did not press the gear off, so there was no way that 60 meant tons of force. The part that really pissed him off was when I put the gear on the new shaft. I told him that I would put it on with my brass hammer,'from home'. I installed the shaft and then dumped three cans of freeze spray on it. That brought it down to minus sixty degrees. I had the gear sitting in the oven at about 450 degrees. With three taps the gear slid on. He inspected the job about an hour after I was done. I told him that they had to stop buying those inferior Chinese hammers and get some real tools. This had him getting red faced. Management exists for the amusement of the working classes.
You can find arbor presses in the scrap yards because most are overlooked. They are 'old fashioned'. You do not need a big one. Just look around and you will see something that is just right for you. My little buddy George (Prinkey) borrowed my 00 press to crack walnuts three years ago. I have not seen any walnuts, or my press, since then. I think it is time to pry his grubby little fingers from my little Atlas press. Thanks for the reminder.........
