Whew

I spent the better part of the day rebuilding my home made press. Originally, it was built mostly of 2x4 boards which would flex a lot when printing. It worked fine, but I knew it was just a matter of time before the pressure of the jack pushed the whole thing apart. So I replaced the wooden, top cross beam with a piece of steel I got from my brother. I also shortened the uprights and removed big, wood pieces I had attached to them before. They were there to make it look a little nicer by hiding the angle irons. But really, they just added weight to the press, making it too heavy to port around easily. It is a little lighter now, but still kind of heavy. While I was at it I put in a little frame to help keep the jack straight and in the best position for printing. This has been quite a job, not only because I don't really have the right tools for cutting metal, but also because it is outrageously hot today.