C W Burfle posted:My arbor press' ram goes all the way down flush with the base, so closing down the throat would never be an issue. But pressing a steamer wheel back on while the engine is still mounted in the body might require some extra clearance that the extensions would provide. Haven't done that yet, just surmising......
The parts you asked about were specifically designed and made for the Hobby Horse press. How you might adapt them to another press is up to you.
It is true that you will have clearance problems with some items if you try to use a standard wheel cup sitting directly on a flat plate. Some items are Turbines, Berkshires, and Gang cars. There are probably others.By the way, I don't think I followed your comments on disassembling the motor trucks.
I reduce the size of the tabs in order to get them out of the slots by cutting back the edges that protrude past due to the staking. That leaves plenty of material to re-stake them on re-assembly.That is EXACTLY the technique I use.
Even though I own a press and lots of press tools, I use a 1/4 inch chisel and a hammer to restake the tabs.
That is also EXACTLY the technique I have used, but I want to at least try the arbor press to see if it works better/smoother/easier...
I cannot imagine being able to split the tabs lengthwise with the chisel.You have to be very careful, and hold your jaw at a 45 degree angle to the base plate .... Seriously, I don't actually split the tab per se, but it does squish both sides out just enough to form a very tight bond - I tried to pull it apart with my hands and couldn't do it.
