June 20, 20188 yr Does anyone have advice on if $300 is a fair price for a "Famco 4" arbor press as seen here? Thanks advance!
June 20, 20188 yr The way I usually look at tools and prices is, #1 how bad do I need/ want it to do a job. And #2 can I pay it off in a reasonable time by using it.
June 20, 20188 yr It is missing the baseplate. Do you do a lot of broaching? If so the ones with the ratchet handle work a lot better. $300 is more than I would pay, but others would pay more. What is it worth to you?
June 21, 20188 yr Charles, I'm no slave to any over priced tool dealers. I buy from one other than snapon for work tools because they prove to be reliable and are not yet completely pricing themselves out of the market but it's rare I Need something of theirs. If a tool is worth the money to get a job done faster than without it, then it is worth it. IF the job/s will pay for it. If not then make sure without or buy an expensive tool you'll barely use and never pay off using just to have it to do it yourself once. ( been there, and realize sometimes it's better to just outsource to someone who has it or make due with something that might get you by) It's funny in a way that the deeper I get into blacksmithing and making my own stuff the less I'm inclined to buy certain things anywhere. ( other than being a slave to free or really cheap metal. ) I'll look on a tool truck and get ideas on making tools rather than buying them. ( some things) other things, what I have is fine and I dont need the latest greatest. Those are the slaves to the tool guys. And I see it daily.
June 21, 20188 yr That is a pretty stripped-down version - As stated above, a ratchet model would be much nicer and $300 seems high to me. Robert Taylor
March 4, 20197 yr Incidentally, the reason why I purchased a 5 ton fly press, is because I was using my Famco 3 ton like a fly press. Not one of my finer ideas. I stattered part of the large hand wheel's hub. Still a very fine tool, as a racheting arbor press. Some day I will repair the hand wheel, noting that it is not designed to tolerate shock loading. Robert Taylor
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