Base for my Kelsey 5x8

Hi all! I’m just getting started here and have read everything I can find on a base, Boxcar, diy aluminum and I am wondering if you can help me understand what I’ll need. I want to do mostly art postcards and greeting cards, I don’t have loads of type, so it will be a hobby press and I don’t really want to invest a load of money on a base. Can you help me figure out what my options are please. My husband wonders why plywood wouldn’t work… I have no idea and can’t find anything online regarding using wood for a base, any authority or experience would be really appreciated. Thanks so much!

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There are those who may disagree, but proper plywood can do a pretty good job. The old copper and magnesium plates were attached to wood. What large difference is there to attaching a poly plate to wood? The old metal plates were not made to be removed from the wooden base. Poly plates are made to conveniently be removed from the rather expensive aluminum base.
Your wooden base with the poly plate attached must be .918
high. Use furniture grade plywood. Probably 3/4”. Apply the plate and measure. Apply appropriate thickness of hard surface material to underside of wood to bring it up to .918”. Hard plastic works well. The last piece may be a piece or two of bond paper.
I have not done so, but I think it would be good to stretch a piece of kitchen plastic wrap over the base and then use the adhesive back on the poly plate to attach it to the plastic wrap. If it stays in place while printing, you should be able to pry it up when finished. You will probably destroy the plastic wrap, but if you can peel it from the plate, the base is there to use again.
Get some ink on your shirt.

Plywood would work fine but I use a block of 20mm Delrin which is far far cheaper than aluminium base with deep inpression plates and underlay the Delrin with a piece of card to approx .918”. Depending on the press minor variation can be taken up in the packing.

Thanks Inky & Platenprinter!! This will help so much to get some ink on my fingers and shirt :)