Interwood Veneer Press?

[Warby1]

Hi all. I'm a member of a Lincolnshire Mens Shed and we've been offered some hardwood cut offs from the family of an avid wood crafter that has sadly passed away. As part of his collection (most of which has been squirrelled away by unscrupulous 'buyers') he has left a huge interwood press which I believe might be a veneer press. I've said I'd try and find out more, including a fair value and potential new home. They aren't looking for top market value just a fair one and would like to see it used again. I'd appreciate any steers as to what it might be worth and where this specialist beast might be marketed. This has a 1msq bed and I have more pictures if required. Many thanks.

 

[Cabinetman]

Hi Warby, from just a few miles up the road. I’m sorry I can’t help you with your question, but that is a beast of a machine, seems strange that you would be restricted to a 1 m² veneered panel size but I suppose there has to be a limit.
Curious about your men’s shed group, how does that work? Ian

 

[Yojevol]

One of these, but twice the size, was sold recently for £122. I would think you'll have difficulty in finding a taker for yours as these days people go for vacuum systems which can be put away in a cupboard when out of use.
Brian

 

[Droogs]

size is limited to the width of the frame and how many Treads are fitted to get even pressure over the whole platten. Pity it doesn't have the heated platten kit on it as it would be worth a lot more. As mentioned above most people use vacuum bag presses these days, but this is perfect for those who want to use hide glue or Aerolite etc instead of the more modern glues.

 

[marcros]

size is limited to the width of the frame and how many Treads are fitted to get even pressure over the whole platten. Pity it doesn't have the heated platten kit on it as it would be worth a lot more. As mentioned above most people use vacuum bag presses these days, but this is perfect for those who want to use hide glue or Aerolite etc instead of the more modern glues.

and have a lot of space.

I suspect there is a fair bit of cost involved in moving and relocating that one.

 

[TheTiddles]

They still have their uses, but it’s a steam engine in the era of the electric motor I’m afraid. Its greatest value is probably weighed in. If it was made up more of castings then maybe you could recycle them as something else

Aidan

 

[Cabinetman]

Shame, but true. Still nothing to stop you advertising it though, somebody might just be looking for something like that. Ian

 

[Warby1]

Thanks all. I've fed the info back to the wife of the original owner who has said that she just wants it to go to a good home rather than be scrapped. So I'll be advertising it as free to collect for someone who puts it to it's intended use. I appreciate all the advice! Feel free to contact me if you know of anyone interested.

 

[Cabinetman]

I really feel you ought to put a price on it £20? Just to deter the scrap metal merchants. That would not be a good home!

 

[marcros]

Yes I agree. Free to a good home- our local scrap "merchant" would be all over that and would not be subtle about it either.

 

[Exluthier]

The workshop in which I trained had several of these, though all around half the size of this one. They were used for making ‘black/white/ black’ violin purpling, from 2mm slices of holly sandwiched between black stuff we just called ‘Fiber’ (fibre). The very best purfling was done with pear-wood (black-stained, or left natural) and holly, some of which I still have, fives decades later. In the cellar were stacks of various inlays, made using these presses, which had been made by the earlier generations of the same family, when they fell on hard times in the late 1920s / 1930s. Lots of them were inlays for Frister und Rossman sewing machines, complete with an inlaid measuring scale which was set into the leading edge of the veneer of the sewing machine table, so that the sewer didn’t have to reach for a tape measure all the time. These inlays also had the name of the sewing machine manufacturer inset, made up in veneer blocks, in the same way that guitar sound hole rings are made.

 

[Warby1]

Hi Warby, from just a few miles up the road. I’m sorry I can’t help you with your question, but that is a beast of a machine, seems strange that you would be restricted to a 1 m² veneered panel size but I suppose there has to be a limit.
Curious about your men’s shed group, how does that work? Ian

Hi Ian, I tried several times to reply but I kept getting told my message was spam! PM me and I can give you more info.