Building your own press

Materials

• 18mm plywood: 2 pieces: (606mm, 302mm)
• 18mm plywood: 2 pieces: (440mm, 302mm)
• 18mm plywood: 2 pieces: (606mm, 185mm)
• Nuts: 8: D10
• Nuts: 1: D24
• Steel tube: 4: D30, 244mm
• Threaded rod: 4: D10, 300mm
• Threaded rod: 2: D10, 110mm
• Threaded rod: 1: D24, 360mm
• Block: 1: (90mm, 60mm, 60mm)
• Metal profile: 1: (400mm, 30mm, 15mm)
• Endless bolt: 1: D10
• Washer: 1: D30

Drilling the boards

Start with the D10 holes; these will be used to thread a rod through to hold the press in place and ensure it can withstand the pressure. Continue with the D30 holes. These holes will be used to secure the press’s four cylindrical pillars. Finish with the D28. This is the hole through which the central threaded rod will pass. It must be centred between the two boards!

Making the crank handle

Take a metal profile of the size you require. To attach handles, drill D10 holes at both ends. In the centre, drill a D30 hole and weld the D28 threaded rod into it.

For the handles, you can turn them on a lathe. Once the first handle is made, you can create a paper template to make it easier to replicate on the second one. Then drill D10 holes along their entire length.

Next, prepare the nut mounting that will allow the large threaded rod to move downwards to apply pressure. To do this, cut a hole in a metal plate with a diameter of D24, then weld the nut to this plate. Drill holes in these four corners and secure them to the base. Finally, you can thread the large threaded rod so that you can insert a self-tapping screw into it later.

Chamfering and sanding

Next comes the sanding stage. You can also chamfer the edges to round off the corners.

Protecting the wood

You can opt for a varnish to protect it from water, but above all, don’t use oil – it protects your wood, yes, but your paper will soak it up.

Assembly

Once all the parts are ready, you can start assembling! Insert the four tubes into the corners, slide the D10 threaded rods into them to guide the press. Then add the nuts.

Next, insert the crank handle and attach the handles!

Once the backbone is in place, you can secure the threaded rod inside the top plate (the two boards that act as the press). I thread the D28-drilled board through, then screw in the worm screw. I then glue the second board to the first.

Once the glue is dry, your press is ready!