Linda P Stauffer

Building the Press

Several years ago I had my husband build me the tile press featured in Frank Giorginis Tile Book. It was very large and cumbersome. It had a long pipe handle , lots of bungie cords and it took a lot of force to pres the tile! Had to put a handle etension on it and I still had a difficult time using it. There has to be a better way! I looked a bumper jacks, hydraulic jacks, any kind of jack. Googling presses and jack showed a picture of an Arbor Press. It is used in the automotive industry to do something with brakes and bearings I think.  I had found my solution!! The Press sells at Harbor freight for $75.   This process was also printed in Clay Times Magazine by Linda Dtauffer

How to Make Your Own Tile Press

for under $100.

An Arbor Press from Harbor Freight. Remove the bottom plate
An Arbor Press from Harbor Freight. Remove the bottom plate
place a 2x4 level to the base of the press and add a plastic plate
place a 2x4 level to the base of the press and add a plastic plate
cover the plate with canvas
cover the plate with canvas
place slab of clay on canvas
place slab of clay on canvas
place plaster mold on top of clay
place plaster mold on top of clay
Place another plastic (corion scrap) on top of mold
Place another plastic (corion scrap) on top of mold
Apply pressure by turning the lever
Apply pressure by turning the lever
You can place a rubber band (the Orange in the photo) to mark the proper depth for pressing the tile ( too a consistent thickness
You can place a rubber band (the Orange in the photo) to mark the proper depth for pressing the tile ( too a consistent thickness
Remove the top plate
Remove the top plate
Trim the clay up to the mold
Trim the clay up to the mold
IMG_0943.jpg
IMG_0943.jpg
flip the tile over
flip the tile over
use a tool to impress a notch (for hanging the tile)
use a tool to impress a notch (for hanging the tile)
Remove the mold
Remove the mold
a larger tile is pressed
a larger tile is pressed
The completed tile
The completed tile