Spent $180 on a book press, saved my spine glue disasters

Honestly, I got tired of warped boards and spine cockeyed after every batch from my cheap clamps, so I bought a proper lying press with a nipping attachment. That thing paid for itself in 2 weeks when it flattened a whole 200-page run of journals that would've been trash. Has anyone else tried the cheaper DIY versions with threaded rods, or is the real press worth the extra cash every time?

2 comments

2 Comments

zara_sanchez28d agoTop Commenter

My first DIY press was two cutting boards, some threaded rods, and a lot of hope. It worked okay until a rod stripped mid-press and shot a stack of wet book cloth across my shop like a frisbee. I still find dried glue on the ceiling to this day. The real press is way more stable, but honestly the DIY route teaches you patience, or at least teaches you to buy the real thing after one bad afternoon.

gavin_kim27d ago

Holy crap, glue on the ceiling?! That's insane.