Hi! I am looking to find a Hydraulic press for my studio. I am
hoping to find some good feedback on models, and makers to consider.
I have limited space to work with and would like to be a economical
as possible with my decision. I am interested in a used press if one
presents itself as well.
Thank you for your time, Lorien Powers
Lorien, We recently acquired a 20 ton Potter press for the studio in
our art school. We love it. It is easy to use, strong and does
exactly what we want. Contact Kevin Potter at
Just a happy customer.
Cheers, Don.
hoping to find some good feedback on models, and makers to consider. I have limited space to work with and would like to be a economical as possible with my decision.
Take a look at Potter USA, those are very affordable.
Elaine
CreativeTextureTools.com
Hi Lorien
I have the 20 ton Potter USA Hydraulic Press in my studio. I first
heard about Kevin on Orchid – he has since been putting a few items
on here. I am really pleased with it.
He has a video. Others of Orchid also have the same Press.
Good luck - it was new, but I was giving myself a Christmas Present!
Rose Marie Christison
Hi Lorien,
Hi! I am looking to find a Hydraulic press for my studio. I am hoping to find some good feedback on models, and makers to consider. I have limited space to work with and would like to be a economical as possible with my decision. I am interested in a used press if one presents itself as well.
Take a look at Kevin Potter’s web site, Potter USA - Fine Tools. Potter USA - Fine Tools
Kevin is a member of Orchid & has been making presses & other tools
for a long time.
Dave
Not as pretty as the more expensive models:
Not as pretty as the more expensive models: http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1m7
Those types of inexpensive presses are not very rigid, they will
work for some types of work but I found them to be unsatisfactory. I
owned one for several years, it was better made made than the Harbor
Freight ones and still was not worth keeping in the long run.
Jim
James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Hi Loren,
I was able to finally purchase my Bonny Doon press, and I am in love
with it. I got the larger model “Mark III” in a manual version, with
later plans to upgrade it to electric. It actually takes up very
little space in the studio. I wanted one big enough to work on deep
drawing eventually.
My friend purchased the small version so she could transport it
easily. She has had to move a few times in the last 2 years and will
be moving again, so wanted something easily packed up. Either way you
go, they really don’t take up that much room.
I mounted mine on a 12" section of kitchen cabinet I picked up from
a local cabinet company that sells their “scratch & dent” cabinet
bases real cheap. I used a 2 inch thick solid piece of wood as a
counter top for it and it made a really nice stand. Having the
cabinet base also gives the press it storage for all the parts &
dies. I placed the entire cabinet base at the end of one workbench
and it takes up a very little foot print in the studio. Since kitchen
cabinetry is 24 inches deep, I mounted it the long way. This gives me
a nice a heavy cabinet base.
Anyway, about the press cost itself. I looked into having a press
built for me and although it may have saved me 100-200 bucks, by the
time I got all the parts I needed and paid the guy at the machine
shop to do all the welding, I really was not saving that much. Then
also add the fact that I would not have the warranty nor the ability
to use all of the brand name dies without also needing more pieces
built. So I went ahead and made my Bonny Doon purchase and I am very
happy with it. I am now learning just how many things I can do with
this thing, and it’s a joy to own.
Either way you go, either looking for a “home built” press or buying
a Doon, the press itself does not take up a huge amount of space,
especially mounted on a small cabinet base. (I’m loving the scratch &
dents I can pick up for the studio, too. It’s making building up work
stations very convenient and cost effective)
Yes, and my Harbor Freight press works just fine!
The Harbor Freight presses are made for inserting and removing
bearings. The business end of the press is the small post below the
jack. When I first got in this business, I bought one of these and
in less than a week rendered it unusable by twisting the frame. My
spouse repaired it and uses it for his car repair projects - in the
manner for which it was made.
I then saved up and bought a Bonny Doon press - the first model.
Later I sold it - for what I paid - and got the newer one for doing
deep draw work. I’m happy with it and use it for many projects. The
tools made for the Bonny Doon are designed and work so well that it
confounds me to think of the work involved to make some other press
do something even close. I think the Potter press can accommodate
some of the Bonny Doon tooling.
In any case, the tooling will set you back as much or more than the
press itself. What they do is expedite traditional processes. Time is
money.
Judy Hoch
I agree with Judy Hoch, Bonny Doon products are not cheap but
neither is my time. I don’t make money making tools but if they can
give me a good ROI in a reasonable time then I will make them or
better yet buy them. Bonny Doon falls into the latter category, I
have tried to buy less expensive and always come back to BD. Not being
cheap also means they are not cheaply made, made in the US and have
BD backing them up for service and teaching and are purpose built.
BD is the standard, everyone looks to beat them. Kevin Potter is a
great guy and has many good tools, I started buying BD long ago when
Lee was the only game in town. I kept running into Lee at SNAG and
the Rio Catalog in Motion ( which no longer
exists…) So since I started with BD I have stayed
with BD. Phil runs a fantastic company, and I love to see what what’s
new. I think Phil being an artist himself brings allot of innovation
which is hard to come by otherwise.
Sam Patania, Tucson
Plus one on what Patania said about BD. Lee Marshall set me up with
press frames, back in the early 90’s, that I’ve been abusing ever
since. The original design was extensively destruction-tested a long
time ago, to ensure that they would hold up to whatever we could do
to them. Phil has then improved the design even further, adding
rigidity to the frame, which all but eliminates flexing that can lead
to fatigue. No other similar press has had this kind of r&d put into
it. There’s no doubt that they are well worth the price.
Dar Shelton
Another “plus” or two for Bonny Doon presses: support from Rio
Grande’s tech and customer service departments, the long, reliable
history and future of Bonny Doon. Bonny Doon presses maintain their
value.
Cindy