Brian Gray
Posts: 339
Joined: 2004-01-21
Location: Sandusky, OH
 User Profile |
I've been experimenting with something new.
Instead of using hardboard with the edges rounded every time that I press something, I've been slipping little cork blocks on the corners of the piece.
I'm sick of buying hardboard and sizing it down, sick of cutting down a caul to make a smaller one, and sick of rounding the edges everytime that I need to use a new one.
I went to Office Max and bought some cork sheet that is 3/16th" thick. I then used contact cement to mount these sheets onto 1/8" hardboard, and cut them into squares on the tablesaw.
Then the cork squares get double-stick taped onto the corners of the material being pressed. When the press reaches full pressure, the cork gives a little, but still has the strength to keep the bag off the sharp corners.
So my question - is the sole purpose of cauls to keep the bag from being punctured, or do they also help to equalize pressure? Will my little cork blocks (5/16" thick) create more pressure on the corners? If so, will it really make a big difference?
It's a nice, quick alternative to cutting and preparing a new caul every time that do a pressing. What's the downside?
|
