Press Plates for 30 Ton Hydraulic H-frame Press

I need a set of press plates without breaking the bank. I've seen 10 inch sets up to $300. My price range is more like half that.

The bridge on my press is a bit over 10 inches wide with a 6 or 7 inch gap, so the cheaper 5x5 sets won't work.

I guess I could get a set of parallels to bridge the gap and use a smaller set of plates on top of those. Seeing some parallels on Fee Bay for around $60 and press plates under $100 which would be doable.

Just don't want to wind up with cast Chinesium plates, I already busted a set of them.

Sources/Suggestions?

Is there a local scrap yard where you could find some good quality plate from which to make some?

https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Machined-Arbor-Press-Plates-Pair_p_7.html

They make PROPER upgrades for HF stuff

wannabridin said:

https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Machined-Arbor-Press-Plates-Pair_p_7.html

They make PROPER upgrades for HF stuff

Click to expand...

That looks like good stuff wannab - I wish HF would stop selling cheapo-junk and most particularly if it is dangerous like those press plates.

It sure doesn't help anyone - let alone their reputation.

I'm not sure exactly what you need. At work we use two I-beams and have a variety of solid round and square stock to do whatever. I sneak my wheels in to press in or out bearings. Lol

I bought a used 50 ton that didn't have plates. Hearing the same bad things about cast plates on forums, went to a local steel place and they band sawed me two 12" pieces off a 1" thick by 8" bar prolly cold roll IIRC? Been using them sporadically with no issues. I've had that press pumped up hard destroying perfectly good parts, they are still flat as the day I bought them. If I had a round tooit, I'd make a couple notches, holes in some edges but.... It's been 5-6 years, thinking it was about $75 for the pair?