Anyone ever tried landscape timbers...?

[WhitePine]

...or railroad ties for the press frame?

[skidesmond]

As long as they are re-enforced w/ steel in some way. There's quite of few presses that use wood but you have to have some steel to keep it from blowing apart. Don't use landscape timbers w/ big knots, weak points.

Landscape timbers typically are not straight and square because they are usually low grade pine and pressure treated. So I guess I'm saying I wouldn't use them for that reason. You're better off using LVL or guelams, but still need steel to hold it together.

I wouldn't use RR ties.

[brewster]

On my first press i used 4 x 6s attached with a bunch of .5in threaded rod. No problems.