I made some Veneer press’s for this Blog I’m writing on building Blondie a Bridal chest.
I made them out of Douglas fir as an experiment, after a cpl uses I knew this was not going to work. It flexed and I started hearing cracking. So as Tim Allen use to say, “We need more Power. LOL”
So off to the Metal store for a 20 foot stick of 1 1/2 sq. tubing @ 120 gauge, which is close to 1/8 inch thick. 40 bucks, I figure it is cheaper than hardwood. Plus I get to play with my welder and hang out with a buddy in his machine shop.
I cut the long pieces 21 inches and the shorts 8 inches. I step drilled the holes up to the 1 inch hole.
For those eagle eyed, attention to detail buddies here. The holes on the bottom are for threaded bushings were making and we ordered some more screw stock from McMaster Carr so if need to I can clamp or squeeze from both sides. We’re making the handles as well.
We cut the ribs off the threaded inserts made for the wood on my buddy’s lathe and removed the slight taper on them as well. I drilled the holes on his milling machine once we set the X and Y so all the holes were centered and at the same dimension. 
I painted to green to match the green handles and one black to match the black handles. It was left over paint and I had just enough. The black press came from McMaster Carr which are 8 dollars cheaper than woodcraft and Rockler.
Over kill maybe, but no more flexing and now I can get on with the 11 panels for this project.
Thx for looking and all comments welcome.
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
9 comments so far
gfadvm
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6635 posts in 859 days
#1 posted 64 days ago
Those look stout enough! The color scheme looks like it came from Grizzly!
-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm
SPalm
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4112 posts in 2051 days
#2 posted 64 days ago
Arrrgh. More power!
I noticed you had added bolts to the old press. This ought to get her done.
Steve
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
savannah505
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1607 posts in 1755 days
#3 posted 64 days ago
Hey Ken – very cool clamps, very professional.
-- Dan Wiggins
Joe Lyddon
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6394 posts in 2222 days
#4 posted 64 days ago
YES! Words taken right out of my mouth!
Those are really COOL clamps you made there…
... I don’t think I have seen any like those before…
NICE!
-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"
Greg The Cajun Box Sculptor
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3777 posts in 1478 days
#5 posted 64 days ago
Ken…Very nice and substantially sturdy looking. Those should not flex or squeak.
I built a laminating press recently and had to reinforce it for the same reasons. I reinforced mine with torsion box construction.
-- Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. http://www.FineArtBoxes.com
stefang
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9472 posts in 1503 days
#6 posted 64 days ago
Wonderful work on these Ken. Can’t see the welds and the finish is really nice too. I admit that I did have doubts about your wood frames after seeing a marquetry video where a guy was putting some work into his press with much heavier wood frames and he had use steel bolts on the corners like yours, but I could see that one was broken and he had fixed it with a builder’s joist plate (or whatever they are called). Those screws must exert a whole lot of pressure!
-- Mike, American in Norway
Roger
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9191 posts in 973 days
#7 posted 64 days ago
That should press some veneer
-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net
Ken90712
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12662 posts in 1358 days
#8 posted 64 days ago
Thx everyone for the kind words! They work like a charm now. Blondie says I just need to make or get a new tool on every project LOL I have enough left over metal to make one more if needed.
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
justoneofme
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357 posts in 649 days
#9 posted 63 days ago
Awesome looking presses Ken … They should certainly work for you!!
-- Elaine in Duncan
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