wrote in message
...
I'm looking to buy a simple, screw style home shop press for a craft
project. What I'm looking for looked sort of like a large (end?) vise
with a press screw mounted to a bottom plate with steel rods or a wood
frame. I used to see things like this in libraries, I assume for
binding work, and I think I've seen something along these lines used
as a veneer press.

Does anyone know someone who manufactures these things? Or even
better, someone who manufactures components that can be put together
to desired specs?

Many thanks and happy New Year! G

The book "The Marquetry Course", by Jack Metcalfe and John Apps, has a one
page design for a "veneer press" on page 167. It uses 2 bottlejacks. That
may be overkill for a single craft project, but the design is about as
simple as it could be. (As you know) The jack just expands between the top
cross beam and the 2 boards of the base. I just went shopping for you and
found that Sears has a Craftsman 2 ton hydraulic jack for 14.99. The
dimensions of the press are designed around the height of the bottlejack. A
few more bolts and boards and you're done (easy for me to say, huh?).
Depending on your needs, maybe you could get by with one having a single
hydraulic jack? I don't know how you know when you've applied enough
pressure. Is there some simple pressure gauge that could be used here,
other than listening to the wood crack?

Marquetry is one of those things I may learn more about someday. Good luck
with your project!

Bill