Micarta press tutorial

[LR Adkins]

I have used two boards and c-clamps, steel plates and clamps, my vise( that was a mess ) and I always found a third hand would have made the job so much easier. So I did a little thinking, boy did that hurt, and came up with a micarta press that isn't so hard to manipulate.

You can build this any size you think you might need according to how big you want to make your initial slab of micarta. You can cut your cloth, paper, canvas or whatever material you want to use, 2 1/2" wide by 12" long like I do in my original press. When I trim it and cut it in half I have two scales about 2" wide by 5" long. If you want you can cut your material 5" by 5". by the time you trim it and cut it in half you would end up with two scales about 2" by 4 1/2". Just make your press the right size to press it. I made the press for the tutorial with 1"x 6"s 13" long. I can press material 5"x 5" and since the press is 13" long I can press material 10" long if I want. Here is how I built mine.

Bare with me on this, I'm lousy getting good pictures.

Parts list:
two 2x4s cut 9" long
one 2x4 cut 2" long
two Ix6s cut 13" long ( this would be stronger if you used 3/4" plywood)
one 1"x 6" cut 10" long
one 1x6 cut 4" long
two drywall screws 2 1/2" long
four drywall screws 1 1/2" long
Gorilla glue

This is all you need

 

[LR Adkins]

First I carefully glue and screw the two 9" 2x4s together. This will act as your main leg and has to be flush so the press sits level. Then I put a 2 1/2" notch in the 2x4s. I measure 2" from one end mark it and measure 2 1/2" again and mark it and then make the notch 3/4" deep.

 

[LR Adkins]

I used my table saw to cut the notch. Set the blade to cut 3/4" deep and set the fence on the saw at 2" to start with. I moved the fence a saw blade thickness several passes until I came to the 2 1/2" mark. this gave me the notch I needed.

 

[LR Adkins]

Next I glued and screwed the 2" 2x4 about 3" from the end of one of the 1x6s. Then I glued and screwed the other end to the bottom of the notch.

 

[LR Adkins]

Now that the base is finished I took the remaining 1x6x13" board ( top plate )measured 1 1/4 from one end and glued and screwed the 1x6x10" board to it. , setting the 10" board to the 1 1/4 line. This end will set in the notch. This notch serves as your third hand. Under pressure this notch keeps everything fairly steady so you can get the clamp in place.

Let the glue set and then grab a c-clamp and make some micarta.

As soon as I can get someone to take the pictures I will show how I make micarta. I can't take the pictures with resin all over my hands, would be hard on the camera and if I took my gloves off for each picture the resin would set up before I finished, Bummer.

Larry

 

[LR Adkins]

Oops! I forgot something. You can make different thicknesses of micarta by using shims of different thicknesses. That's what the 4" 1x6 is for. I took this piece and ripped three pieces from it, one pc 1/4" thick, one pc 1/2 thick and one pc 3/4 thick. If I remember my measurements right no shim will give you 1" thick micarta, 1/4 shim = 3/4 thick micarta, 1/2 shim = 1/2 thick and 3/4 shim = about 1/4 thick micarta. the picture shows where the shim would go.
Thanks

Larry

 

[standingbear]

Nice looking press, thanks for the picts. 2thumbs

 

[wdtorque]

Thanks Larry. I love things that are simple, strong, and work.
Well Done. Dozier

 

[Drago]

Thanks for the tutorial. My wife has been on me to help her with a micarta press. Her last few endevors have been messy to say the least. I will see if I can come up with something similar.

 

[LR Adkins]

I was going to do a tutorial on making the Micarta but I see there is already one in the tutorial section. I checked it out and it is pretty much what I do. So go there if you want to know how to use the press. Have fun!!

Larry

 

[Gary Miller]

thanks very good tutorial.
gary miller