Arbor press

A 4-ton ratcheting arbor press

An arbor press is a small hand operated press. It is typically used to perform smaller jobs, such as staking, riveting, installing and removing bearings and other press fit work. Punches, inserters, or other tools/dies may be added to the end of the ram depending on the desired task. Arbor presses are usually rated by the maximum load they can apply. Typically common are presses with a leverage of 1–5 tons. This leverage is achieved when a force is applied to the lever arm or wheel.

Some machinists disparage their use for the pressing of arbors (for which they presumably were named), preferring other methods, such as freezing followed by tapping into place with a rubber hammer.

Design

Arbor presses can be mounted on a work bench, wall, or pedestal. The base is usually constructed of cast metal. A ram provides the force; it may be square or round. The ram is usually driven by a rack and pinion setup, to improve the mechanical advantage. Higher force arbor presses have another gear reduction. Forces are usually generated by manual or hydraulic input.