Mounting tabletop press
Hi, I’m in the process of buying my first press, a Kelsey 5x8. I know I don’t want to just plop it down on a table and start using it, so I’m exploring ways to mount it to something.
What are some good designs for doing this? I’m not going to have a table I can bolt it directly to, at least not in the beginning, so I’m thinking some sort of frame that it’s mounted on, that then sits on the table.
If you mount it to a board, you then have nuts and bolts sticking out the other side. I was envisioning a platform of 1x4s on top of a frame of 2x2s, with maybe rubber feet to allow it to sit on the table better. In this case, how big should the platform be, for sufficient stability, etc.?
I know there’s a lot of experience out there, so I’m interested to hear what works for others.
Thanks!
Check out a short You Tube video by Diode Press (Table top mount). It seems like a good solution. My own Kelseys I have bolted to a small piece of 3/4 inch plywood. The proportions of the plywood allow me to clamp the press in place so that the press operation is a good location from the table edge. The underside mounts (nuts) are countersunk and cannot scratch or otherwise mar a table surface. A piece of mat board or corrugated board is placed on the table first, then the mounted press. The whole thing is temporarily, but securely, held in place with a couple of C-clamps. Good printing!
Jim
Thanks for the reply Jim, it’s good to know that the plywood is sufficient, I’ll look into that.