Clamping/ Press advice

[stuartmarquis]

Novice woodworker looking for a quick and easy clamping/press solution for making table tennis bats which will require me to be gluing thin plies of wood together and hold them flat until the glue is cured. I’m working with A4 size sheets of wood and stumbled across this on Ebay. Do you think this is suitable for a woodworking application:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/37429994...MIoJL1nJ2ggwMVpIdQBh0DwQJBEAQYAiABEgJgYvD_BwE

 

[Hornbeam]

Bookbinding presses can work well for pressing veneers but it does depend on haw stiff the whole assembly is
Hawe you considered using 2 pieces of kitchen worktop with 10mm studding. The other problem I think you were getting was variable thickness. If you want it to be say 8mm finish, if you make up some 8mm hardwood block then you clamp down to this all round and you should end up with a uniform thickness
Ian

 

[Jacob]

Novice woodworker looking for a quick and easy clamping/press solution for making table tennis bats which will require me to be gluing thin plies of wood together and hold them flat until the glue is cured. I’m working with A4 size sheets of wood and stumbled across this on Ebay. Do you think this is suitable for a woodworking application:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/37429994...MIoJL1nJ2ggwMVpIdQBh0DwQJBEAQYAiABEgJgYvD_BwE

"Gravity clamping"
Stack them under a weight or two with something in between to prevent them from sticking together.
I've got a couple of 5kg cast iron weights and several bean tins with melted lead about 3.5kg. I use them quite often.
Perhaps a board on the top of the stack to spread the weight evenly
Very quick too, you just lift them off and put them back on the next piece, no screwing/adjusting etc.
If you rig up a simple beam system you can hang them on the end for even more pressure.
A version of the beam clamp here. Sad story of my uneven bench top

 

[stuartmarquis]

Bookbinding presses can work well for pressing veneers but it does depend on haw stiff the whole assembly is
Hawe you considered using 2 pieces of kitchen worktop with 10mm studding. The other problem I think you were getting was variable thickness. If you want it to be say 8mm finish, if you make up some 8mm hardwood block then you clamp down to this all round and you should end up with a uniform thickness
Ian

Thanks Ian. My main issues are that I'm working with very thin plies (mostly a 3mm core ply sandwiched between 2 or 3 veneers on either side that are each less than 1mm in thickness). There's a tendency for warping so I need a press that'll hold the piece perfectly flat until the glue cures...but also hold the piece under enough pressure that I can use PU glues without worrying that the expanding glue will push the plies apart rather expanding into the plies.

 

[stuartmarquis]

"Gravity clamping"
Stack them under a weight or two with something in between to prevent them from sticking together.
I've got a couple of 5kg cast iron weights and several bean tins with melted lead about 3.5kg. I use them quite often.
Perhaps a board on the top of the stack to spread the weight evenly
Very quick too, you just lift them off and put them back on the next piece, no screwing/adjusting etc.
If you rig up a simple beam system you can hang them on the end for even more pressure.
A version of the beam clamp here. Sad story of my uneven bench top

Hi Jacob, I've tried stacking under weight but it doesn't seem to work. I've been putting the wood in between to 6mm glass lapping plates (guaranteed flat by the manufacturer - Axminster), and then standing a bucket filled with stones (approx 30KG in weight) on top of this. This doesn't seem to apply enough pressure when using a PU glue since the glue was setting having pushed the plies apart rather than expanding into the plies. What should have been a piece with a 5mm thickness ended up being about 8mm thick! More weight would probably solve the problem...but the glass sheets are approx the size of an A4 piece of paper and I'm struggling to think how I could apply much more weight to such a small area without it being impractical.

 

[Jacob]

Hi Jacob, I've tried stacking under weight but it doesn't seem to work. I've been putting the wood in between to 6mm glass lapping plates (guaranteed flat by the manufacturer - Axminster), and then standing a bucket filled with stones (approx 30KG in weight) on top of this. This doesn't seem to apply enough pressure when using a PU glue since the glue was setting having pushed the plies apart rather than expanding into the plies. What should have been a piece with a 5mm thickness ended up being about 8mm thick! More weight would probably solve the problem...but the glass sheets are approx the size of an A4 piece of paper and I'm struggling to think how I could apply much more weight to such a small area without it being impractical.

More weight?
Pulley block or chain hoist above?
Or revise the process, with thinner glue etc?

 

[stuartmarquis]

More weight?
Pulley block or chain hoist above?
Or revise the process, with thinner glue etc?

I need a glue that sets rigid to keep the plies perfectly flat once removed from the press. I've not experimented with too many different types of glue so far, but a lot of traditional wood glues (PVA's) don't appear to set rigid but rather retain some flexibility, which will then allow the wood to warp once out of the press. PU glues seems to be about the best type of glue for curing rigid...although I have heard that hide glues have this property as well.

 

[Hornbeam]

I would use a UF glue like aerolite which has a decent open time. Glue all laminates at once and then into the press. Studding and worktop with go/no go blocks will ensure even pressure all round and a uniform thickness. Need to leave in the press until glue is fully set
The biggest issue with UF is it sets like glass so the edges are very sharp and can be a bit hard on edge tools

 

[Alli]

My first go in veneering, I built a press out of thick MDF board, a bit bigger than A4 and screwed 4 pieces of angle iron on to each side to keep it flat. In use the veneer board went into the press then it was clamped together on the angle iron. Worked well, though a little fiddly juggling 8 clamps and clamping down evenly.

I'm sure it is still in the shed, you would be more than welcome to it, if you are ever passing Hungerford.

 

[stuartmarquis]

I would use a UF glue like aerolite which has a decent open time. Glue all laminates at once and then into the press. Studding and worktop with go/no go blocks will ensure even pressure all round and a uniform thickness. Need to leave in the press until glue is fully set
The biggest issue with UF is it sets like glass so the edges are very sharp and can be a bit hard on edge tools

Thanks. I plan to cut the final shape with a router. I assume the glue won't be too tough for a router bit?

 

[Hornbeam]

No it wont be an issue. The other thing to make sure is that you cover everything you dont want glue to stick to. Use parcel tape, clingfilm or polythene sheet

 

[Lons]

An old book/letter press if you can find one. They regularly come up on facebook, gumtree and ebay but would need to be collect as they are damn heavy, I've often seen them in local antique shops and boot sales, auction rooms also sometimes have them. You should be able to get one for no more than that lightweight ebay offering you linked to.

It's a shame you don't live closer to me or you could have tried mine out. I've made ply from thin veneers several times but mostly used it to press marquetry on to backing boards. I've had it well over 40 years now.

EDIT
I.m a bit shocked. Just had a quick look on ebay and prices seem to have rocketed this one is similar to mine, fairly plane and it's x3 time what I thought, not the only example either. Antique Book Press Lion Cast Iron Book Flower Art Press | eBay

 

[Jacob]

I keep going on about what I call a beam clamp or press. Basically you can multiply the force of a given weight as much as you like by leverage i.e. sticking it on the end of a lever of some design. Maybe people don't know about "moments"?

 

[steve355]

I keep going on about what I call a beam clamp or press. Basically you can multiply the force of a given weight as much as you like by leverage i.e. sticking it on the end of a lever of some design. Maybe people don't know about "moments"?

Sounds like a good way to make a trebuchet in your shed

 

[carpenteire2009]

I made up a simple press using mostly scrap materials- salvaged 3x 2" pallet/ packing material, bolts, coach screws and some chipboard for the press frame and platens. The pressing force being provided by a cheap 1 tonne bottle jack (Halfords), with return springs (from an old dishwasher). I'll try and get some photos later. It works well for smaller A4 sized items and I've used it to clamp, glue and cut materials, in addition to using it as a bearing press. It's only limitation is the "throat depth" qhich is limited by the short length of the ran on the bottle jack.

 

[Sachakins]

Would this help

 

[XTiffy]

Any "two pack" resin based glue will work well. There is no advantage to using PU glue. In essence what you are doing is constructing plywood. Each layer's grain direction should be at rightangles to the previous layer. I have several 28lb. weights which are adequate for this pupose. The alternative clamping method would be use a car jack either scissor or bottle jack to make a cramping device. I have used all types of glue over the past forty years with veneering and laminating but only used PU glues for garden applications (and it is messy bl..dy stuff too!).

 

[Jacob]

Sounds like a good way to make a trebuchet in your shed

Yes, very versatile. Booby trap - could deter plane thieves etc

 

[naughtymoose]

How about one of these? I'm toying with the idea to use as a veneer press
5 in 1 Heat Press Machine 29x38cm Heat Press 15"x 12" T-Shirt Printing Machine Heat Transfer Digital Sublimation Printer Machine 360 Degree Swing Away for T Shirts/Mug/Hat/Plate/Cap https://amzn.eu/d/64epOPX

 

[Sachakins]

How about one of these? I'm toying with the idea to use as a veneer press
5 in 1 Heat Press Machine 29x38cm Heat Press 15"x 12" T-Shirt Printing Machine Heat Transfer Digital Sublimation Printer Machine 360 Degree Swing Away for T Shirts/Mug/Hat/Plate/Cap https://amzn.eu/d/64epOPX

Do you think it would apply enough pressure?