I've had a machine shop, since the mid '70's so, I've had a arbor press for a long time. This is my first one, a 2 ton Greenard. In about '88, I bought a 3 ton for the shop and moved this one, into my loading room. Years before, I reamed a .501 hole in the ram, with a set screw to hold punches and put two 3/8 x 16 threaded holes, in the base and made the 2" die holder for it, to punch holes in aluminum sheet, for a job I had. After bring it in to the loading room, I made 3 dies and punches (30, 32 & 45 cal) for it, to punch out 1/16 LDPE wads. The set screw, next to the punch hole, is to auto index the LDPE so, that there is no waist. It works well and pretty fast for that. I've also used it to swage cast and jacketed bullets. The aluminum plate, has a .501 reamed hole in it, that was done to hold the CH style shell holders, that have a 1/2 x 20 thread, on the back side, as seen. I did most of my case forming with it. I just took a piece of 3/4" to 1" HRS or CRS, turn a 1/2" shank on the length I needed and made a cavity, either with a chamber reamer or a boring bar to size brass, to fit my chambers. L to R, on the arbor press, is a piece to protect the hole and face of the ram, for regular press work, a expander for necking up cases and a adapter to hold Lyman sizing dies. In the tray are a few of the dies I've made, for case forming and some misc punches. I also used it for pushing pins, in and out of actions and other parts. For me, I think a 2 ton press, is a ideal size. It gives you lots a room, to work around for reloading things and is very versatile for other things, when set up like this. As for pressure, you can exert as much or as little, as you want or need by extending the handle, to different lengths, or even adding a cheater bar as opposed to a press that works on over center, linkage leverage. Actually you can feel very minor changes in the pressure needed. The gear, acting on the ram, has much less direct press, than a loading press. It's the leverage distance, exerted on the gear, with the handle, that creates most of the pressure.
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