Well, if you have some patience look for a used press
on auctions. They are often custom belt to specs
for manufacturing operations.
Anyway, the most direct way to do it is with either
bottle jacks or with air pistons. You can get air
pistons pretty cheap on ebay and some are double-action
and will both lift up the top caul and push it down.
You may need metal cauls or you may be able to get
by with wooden torsion boxes or something similar.
I have a 1000lb drawer/case clamp I got for like $140
and the seller was glad to see it go. It could press
your thing with some cauls added. In this case since
the clamp is very robust the cauls could be just some
accurately made particle board boxes.
on auctions. They are often custom belt to specs
for manufacturing operations.
Anyway, the most direct way to do it is with either
bottle jacks or with air pistons. You can get air
pistons pretty cheap on ebay and some are double-action
and will both lift up the top caul and push it down.
You may need metal cauls or you may be able to get
by with wooden torsion boxes or something similar.
I have a 1000lb drawer/case clamp I got for like $140
and the seller was glad to see it go. It could press
your thing with some cauls added. In this case since
the clamp is very robust the cauls could be just some
accurately made particle board boxes.