Date:         Wed, 08 Feb 95 10:13:32 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: VW's Hydraulic Shop Press

On Wed, 8 Feb 95 09:56:16 CST <DerekDrew@aol.com> said:
>Are the press fitting tools that come down from the press and that press
>things supposed to be attached to the face of the press as it lowers? I cannot
> see any way to do this.

well, they don't exactly 'attach' ... just kinda fit in-between the press
and the object being pressed.

>How are they protected from side to side slipping? I am afraid that if I take

you are thinking that this press is going come slamming down onto the object
... it won't. it's a very slow process, like jacking up a car with a hydraulic
jack. as long as you align things vertically and keep the grease and oil off
the parts, it won't slip. it's the slowness and the pressure that keep things
in place. remember: slowly, slowly. you're thinking of those big presses in
machine shops that come banging down to form sheet metal parts like fenders
... this is NOT the same thing.

>If nobody knows the answer, or even if they do, perhaps someone can tell me
>of an automotive book they know about which gives instructions for the proper
>use of a shop press.

there's a book by Jacobson about auto tools and how to use them, available
from Classic Motorbooks (see Road & Track ads). or let me know and i'll dig
it out this evening at home. also: if you know anyone who teaches at a local
tech school, there are textbooks for auto shop that go into this stuff.

>If anybody expresses any interest to me (like telling me what price they
>would pay), I might be able to buy another press this weekend at another VW
>dealer auction I know about and am going to.

oh, if only wishes were dollars .... sigh. :(