The lying press is one of the larger tools in the traditional hand-binder's studio. It's used with the plough to trim the edges of books and cut heavy card; it also functions as a general purpose clamp and bench for many other bookbinding operations. For these the press can be inverted on the stand to provide a flat surface.
It is made up of three elements: the press itself, the plough plane, and the stand or "tub".
The press & stand shown here has the following dimensions: stand height, 32"; press jaws, 4" square, with 18" between the screws; height to top of jaws, 36"; overall width 30", overall depth 21". The long side boards of the tub are secured by a through bolt (the black wenge caps can be seen in the detail), allowing the press to be taken apart for shipping or transport.
Since each press is made to order, some of these dimensions may be varied: it can be higher or lower, and the distance between screws increased if needed. Likewise other woods can be used, although the sapele used here has the advantages of availability, stability and strength. White oak and cherry also make a very handsome press. For current prices check here.
