We're going to be picking up a press for our office pretty soon, so I'm looking for suggestions/recommendations. Let me know what you guys have or have used that you had good luck with. We won't be using it much - probably only a dozen times a year or so, so it doesn't have to be anything super heavy duty.
If you are willing to spend the $$$ to do it right one time, and be able to press any bow on the planet without any additional accessories, get yourself the Last Chance EZ Press. I've got one at my place, and the press is truly awesome. I can press regular bows, parallel limb bows, center pivot bows, x-forces, etc with no additional accessories. They aren't cheap, but it will last forever, and can press anything I've ever seen without overstressing limbs or twisting risers. You should be able to get through Pape's or direct from Last Chance.
You're a madman RJ. That thing is ridiculously expensive, and I have to buy a floor stand unless I want to take up all the room on our little bench. Damn you.
Agreed on the EZ Press. One of the many nice things about it are if you happen to be doing something like timing cams and you press, add a 1/2 or whole twist to a cable, unpress, check timing and need to add another 1/2 turn it is very fast and easy. It also presses at the limb tips instead of on the limb in front of the cam, which makes for less chance of error. Awesome press.
This doesn't solve your space issue, but any "full size" press is going to take up some serious space on the workbench... I've been wanting to get one of the new Toadpresses for a while - just hard to justify when I have 24x7 access to an EZ press at the archery club.... Looks like the current price is 250 shipped.
If your going to press parallel limb bows, the only other press I'd look at is an X press. And if you ever end up with a center pivot or xforce style bow, you will need to buy other parts that will drive the cost up to that of the EZ Press. The other option is a knock off of some sort, not really sure how well they work though.
Heh, Pat D. was the one who convinced me to do it, just passing along the favor......lol. :d Hell, if you really want to be a pimp, you can get the power version.
The EZ Press is the only way to go. Yes, the initial sticker shock is hard to get around, but you won't be sorry once you have the press.
Several people on AT make presses for less than 300-400 that have hundreds of users and press any bow in mass production today. Sure the EZpress is the cadillac of presses, but would you settle for a corvette? Heck buy a second bow with the difference in cost.
I thought the same way at one time. I have one of those presses and, trust me, the difference in ease of use, efficiency, setup for different bows and needed space is night and day. The price difference may get you a 3-4 yr old used bow but it certainly won't be enough for a new bow.
I can't vouch for all of the third-party presses on AT, but I do have one made by a member over there (I won't mention names), and it does leave a little to be desired. Out of all of the presses I've seen on AT, I like the Toad press pictured above the best. I would feel much more comfortable pressing my bow on my current press if I could get the pins on the limb tips instead of just below the cams. I think my next press, I may just splurge and get the EZ press.
I just bought the Toad press pictured above. Should be in next week, can't wait. My old homemade press can be set aside. It worked but it always made me nervous.