A DIY On How To Make Your Own Flower Press
So last week I did a tutorial on how to press flowers using books. Today I am going to show you how to make your own flower press so you can read your books without having flowers falling out of them!
I found this tutorial on Pinterest and I just had to share it. I even put it in my Book of Shadows in case I want to make another, I break my press, it gets lost or my kids want to make their own, ect. It's very simple, I don't think I'd forget how I made it but you never know!
Step 2: Drill holes through the four corners of both the top and bottom pieces of wood. The holes must be large enough to accommodate the lag screws. I would make them at the very least 1/4 inch from the edges, 1/2 inch to be super safe.
Step 3: Insert the lag screws through the holes drilled into the bottom piece of the press. Add a washer to put in between the wood and your first layer of cardboard.
Step 4: Layer alternate pieces of cardboard, wax paper, and flowers inside the press. The number of layers depends on how many flowers you have to press.
Step 5: Place the top piece of wood onto the press, threading the lag screws through the holes. Use a washer & make sure there is always a piece of cardboard between your paper and the wood. You do not want the pattern of plywood to press against the paper because it will add creases to the flowers!
Step 6: Tighten the layers together by spinning the wing nuts down, the bolts onto washers to create even pressure. I recommend tightening diagonally as well.
Here is a photo of what mine looks like:
Pinterest even has tutorials for making mini-presses that you can put in your pocket or your purse if you go on nature walks, ect. There's a place in Pasadena called Huntington Gardens and it would be the PERFECT place to try one of those out! I've only been once so I can't remember if they have a "don't pick the flowers" rule. I'm sure that goes without saying, perhaps mother nature will let me sneak a few. I'll have to bring tons of water since that it usually what I give in return for nature's sacrifice. It's perfect in California to do that because everything is so desperate for water since it's so dry! I'll have to go when all the flowers are blooming and test one of those out for you guys! If it works I'll write another tutorial on how to make one.
If you create one of these I'd love to see the pictures. As always, leave a comment if you have any questions. Next week I will be doing a tutorial on how to use the press so that gives you plenty of time to go out and get the supplies for it and make it. The week after that I will do a tutorial on how to add the flowers we've pressed and add them to your Book of Shadows and spell pages. The tutorial will be predominately on how to glue them on but there will be alternative methods as well. Be sure to come back and check it out.
I found this tutorial on Pinterest and I just had to share it. I even put it in my Book of Shadows in case I want to make another, I break my press, it gets lost or my kids want to make their own, ect. It's very simple, I don't think I'd forget how I made it but you never know!
The size of your flower press will depend on the size of the flowers and plants you want to preserve. I made mine the typical scrapbook page size, 12" x 12" as I wanted it to be square yet big enough to fit a piece of copy paper in it. You will also want your cardboard pieces to be the same dimensions as the wood because you don't want your wood to bend when you tighten the screws and the more layers you have the more likely that is to happen. You could have a rule never to make it more than an inch thick and make multiple presses if you desire to avoid that problem. I made two for under $25 and still have spare parts to where I could make another smaller on if I wished.
You will need the following supplies:
- 2 Pieces of wood (I used plywood but anything will do) cut to your desired dimensions*
- At least 2 pieces of cardboard cut to fit inside the screw posts
- 4 lag screws
- 4 lag screw posts
- 8 washers
- a power drill**
- Saw (optional)
- Sand Paper (because wood will give you splinters if you don't sand it!)
*Home Depot will cut wood for you as long as the lines are square or
rectangular - no circular or triangular presses - doesn't fit the diagram anyways
but just in case you needed it for another project!
**I am not sure if Home Depot will drill the holes for you. I had a drill at home so I didn't need to ask. I do know that they rent tools as well, so worst case scenario rent a drill!)
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| Photo/Illustration: Vince Babak |
Step 1: Cut two pieces of plywood for the top and bottom layers of the press.
These pieces can be as big or small as you want them to be. They just
need to be the same size.
Step 2: Drill holes through the four corners of both the top and bottom pieces of wood. The holes must be large enough to accommodate the lag screws. I would make them at the very least 1/4 inch from the edges, 1/2 inch to be super safe.
Step 3: Insert the lag screws through the holes drilled into the bottom piece of the press. Add a washer to put in between the wood and your first layer of cardboard.
Step 4: Layer alternate pieces of cardboard, wax paper, and flowers inside the press. The number of layers depends on how many flowers you have to press.
 |
| I have taped my wax paper to my cardboard so I don't have to worry about anything falling out besides flowers! |
 |
| Tape paper to both sides of the cardboard so you use less! |
Step 5: Place the top piece of wood onto the press, threading the lag screws through the holes. Use a washer & make sure there is always a piece of cardboard between your paper and the wood. You do not want the pattern of plywood to press against the paper because it will add creases to the flowers!
Step 6: Tighten the layers together by spinning the wing nuts down, the bolts onto washers to create even pressure. I recommend tightening diagonally as well.
Here is a photo of what mine looks like:
 |
| Flowers = Fully Smooshed! |
Pinterest even has tutorials for making mini-presses that you can put in your pocket or your purse if you go on nature walks, ect. There's a place in Pasadena called Huntington Gardens and it would be the PERFECT place to try one of those out! I've only been once so I can't remember if they have a "don't pick the flowers" rule. I'm sure that goes without saying, perhaps mother nature will let me sneak a few. I'll have to bring tons of water since that it usually what I give in return for nature's sacrifice. It's perfect in California to do that because everything is so desperate for water since it's so dry! I'll have to go when all the flowers are blooming and test one of those out for you guys! If it works I'll write another tutorial on how to make one.
If you create one of these I'd love to see the pictures. As always, leave a comment if you have any questions. Next week I will be doing a tutorial on how to use the press so that gives you plenty of time to go out and get the supplies for it and make it. The week after that I will do a tutorial on how to add the flowers we've pressed and add them to your Book of Shadows and spell pages. The tutorial will be predominately on how to glue them on but there will be alternative methods as well. Be sure to come back and check it out.
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