What is it?

[John Fricke]

Anybody know what this is or what it is used for?....It is listed on a local auction, got my curiosity up. It is listed as a wood vise press. I'm guessing it is for large glue-ups maybe?

http://www.biddingatauction.com/fullsize_thumbs/818109349.jpg

[Keith Christopher]

My money is on a press for laminate glue ups.

[Dennis McGarry]

I say we all get together and build the worlds largest PEN, could use that for the Pen Press!

[Frank Drew]

I can see how you slide the one piece along the ways to mate with the other, but unless something's missing I don't see how you apply pressure (plus the size seems too limited for any real variety of work.) It looks more like a holder of some kind than a press (it almost looks like an oversized file card holder :confused:.)

[John Coloccia]

The far side looks like it's got a big wheel on it. My guess is you move the near side over until it's against the wood and lock it in place, and then crank down the last bit with the big wheel on the other side. Since you're already in contact, the movable part only has to go maybe a few inches. It's probably just cheaper and sturdier to make it that way.

That's all just a guess, though.

[Frank Drew]

John,

I didn't see the wheel; maybe the thing is a clamp after all.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I agree it looks like a large mechanical glue-up clamping mechanism. The side of the clamp closest can be positioned anywhere along it's body and the large wheel turned to moves the other side and thus clamp the project between the two sides.

[Dick Strauss]

butcher block countertop clamp?