Ski Builders Forum

Hey goz have you tried laying up in the press with the top plywood removed? Would probably need nuts on each rod locking them at the bottom so they stay straight up when trying to sit the top back down but might be easier for you.

ProbsMagobs wrote:Hmm... This press looks right up my alley! I was wondering if it's a hassle to pull the whole mold out and put it back in every time? You could make it side loading by cutting the rod in half on one side and using some threaded rod couplings. Make some sort of system to have the top or bottom ones move out of the way then just thread them back on. Not sure how they would don under 60psi though... This could probably get tedious too but might save some time overall

I'm in the middle of a (slow) build of a goz ply press. I plan on front loading it, by removing the row of threaded rod at the front. Nuts are welded to bar below like goz's. They are a bit sticky at the moment so I've had to lock a pair of nuts at the top of the threaded rod to give me something to grab onto to turn them.

Another local builder has changed goz's design a bit so that the uppermost ply below the mold is twice the width - he can then pull out the mold from the press an shave it on the same sheet, easy to move. I would have done the same but…. shed size issues! (wouldn't fit under workbench).

gav wa wrote:Hey goz have you tried laying up in the press with the top plywood removed? Would probably need nuts on each rod locking them at the bottom so they stay straight up when trying to sit the top back down but might be easier for you.

That would be a PITA. I am very happy end loading, I just have to install one rod once I slide the moulds in. You do need the room to do it that way obviously.
If you dont have space make it front load and make the top sheet of the bottom stack double width so it acts as a bench.

2 questions; how long are your threaded rods and how big is the gap between the top plywood and bottom plywood (press cavity I think it's called)?

I would recomend using metal, because would isn't a consistent material and you can never guess how it is gonna react or take a load. Also if your press cant take the load metal will bend and not be as dangerous as a piece of plywood splintering and flying everywhere.

I built my press out scrap metal i bought for roughly 50$ at a metal shop. So just look around and find some cheap metal.

Thanks for that

hahaha. sorry goz I didn't read any of the thread at all and just saw plywood press. Sorry my bad

I figured lol

Not sure if you'll see this with how old the post is, but I've been building something with a similar design so I could do a full-wood build that is easy (enough) to take apart and store when not in use.

How did you figure on the quantity/size of the threaded rods? From the calculations I've been doing, I'd need a similar amount of threaded rods which is turning into a much more difficult design than intended. May need to scrap my design and switch it out for something like this.