I no longer make these presses, but I’m happy to consult with anyone wishing to make their own.
I make two sizes of tabletop presses, 15.3×23.5 and 15.3×11.5 inches. I use 14×20 felts in the large size and 14×10 felts in the small size. Both presses are made with three-quarter inch Radiata Pine plywood, laminated to create three 1.5 inch press boards. Nylon strap handles are inserted during the lamination. The edges are coated with epoxy and then three coats of marine varnish are applied.
Stainless threaded rods and hardware are permanently attached to the bottom press board, or bed. Your post of paper can be couched on the remaining two press boards, or directly on the bed. When used as a simple screw press, your post is limited to 2.5 inches. As a winch press, your post can be as tall as 4 inches.
The dual winches are easy to attach and remove. They more than double the pressure applied to your post. While nowhere near the pressure of a hydraulic press, my presses have the advantage of portability. In fact, press, winches, and felts fit nicely into a standard roller suitcase.
The small press weighs 16 pounds; the large press is 32 pounds, each winch is 5.8 pounds.
Due to the exposed gear and ratchet, winches are potentially dangerous. The winch manufacturer recommends wearing gloves and goggles. These presses are not appropriate for classroom use.