How can I construct a homemade plant press?

Answer 1

use 1x2 pieces of wood...drilling a hole about 2 inches from each end and inserting a bolt with a butterfly nut for each bolt...you will need to make it square and will need enough wood for 2 frames w/ 4 pieces each, 4 bolts and nuts...I'm not sure what you would put in the middle to actually place the plant on...I'm thinking paper, but you take the top frame off, place the plant on the paper, attach the top frame and tighten it with the butterfly nuts

Answer 2

The plant press should compress a specimen and at the same time allow for the slow removal of moisture. The compression can be supplied by any weigh. The need is to place the specimens in the press so that they are venelated. Insertion between absorbant paper such as newspaper, then ideally between a blotter layer, and stacked. The stack could be sandwiched between two boards with straps tightened on the circumference to bring pressure. The plant press can be placed in an oven with the heat turned on warm and the door kept open, placed over a camp lamp, or even just placed in the sunlight.

Answer 3

Gather these objects: plastic wrap, a very heavy book, and a flower. Cut the plastic wrap in half, put one half on a flat surface, then put the flower on the plastic wrap. Put the other half of the plastic wrap on top of the flower, like a sandwich. Then drop the heavy book onto the "sandwich" and wait atleast for 1 week. Then take the book off, and then cut the plastic wrap into the shape of the pressed flower. Glue the plastic wrap together and tadaaaa.

Answer 4

I used two pieces of 1/2 inch plywood about 6 inches by 6 inches.
I cut about 50 pieces of paper similar to newsprint-style paper (not newspaper) to fit between the wood. I put flowers between the pages and held the whole thing together with elastic bands. Didn't open for 2 months and had awesome results.

Answer 5

You will need, two pieces of wood(I want to say plywood, but this isn't what it's called, I can't remember what it's called. Something sturdy, flat, thin, and somewhat flexible.) cut to a manageable size, several pieces of currigated cardboard cut to the same size, or slightly smaller, and two old belts.
Simply sandwich the cardboard pieces between the wood and use the two belts, around the whole mess, to hold it tight. It's hard to explain without pictures...
To press your plants, put them between two pieces of paper, between two pieces of cardboard, close the whole mess, and tighten the belts.

Or you can do it the way grandma does it, stick them in the Bible.

Answer 6

I have a store-bought plant press made with wood, bolts, winged nuts, and corrugated cardboard...but sometimes, I find that pressing my leaves/flowers between sheets of paper and cardboard, then sliding the bunch between heavy books (old altases or dictionaries) works just as well.

Answer 7

i always used just a board plus a pile of books or a box of garage tools or a small tv set or monitor or whatever heavy came in my hands, never thought of the hasle of constucting an actuall press. when i was in the field, i put the herbarium under my matress and worked fine too. or under sleeping bag if no matress, but matress better

or if u want to move the herbarium around, rather than plaing it under something heavy, you can get two wooden boards and four wooden/metal bars and a good string/rope. put herbarium between boards. use the two pairs of rods like two paralell clamps over it - fasten tightly by four pieces of rope/string - if u understand my clumsy explanation. - it is better with the bars than just strapping with string

Answer 8

YEARS AGO I MADE A PLANT PRESS. I USED TWO 1/2" PIECES OF BOARD. CUT TO THE SIZE OF YOUR CHOOSING. DRILL A HOLE IN EACH CORNER JUST BIG ENOUGH FOR A 2"-3" SCREW WITH A WING NUT. THEN DRILL 1/2"-3/4" HOLES SPACED EVENLY ALL OVER ON BOTH BOARDS. USE PAPER TOWLES TO SEPERAVE LAYERS. SPME USE CARDBOARD AND PAPERTOWLES. I HAVE ALSO USEN A PAPERTOWEL AND PLACED THW FLOWER/LEAF BETWEEN PAPERTOWELS AND PLACED IT IN A THICK BOOK.

Answer 9

simply get a big book, put a flower in between to pieces of wax paper and then with the wax paper, put the flower in the middle of the book. Then sit two heavy books on top of that book and wait for it to press.

Answer 10

alot of square steel tubing and a 2 ton jack good pic if thats what your looking for