Picked up a used book press from an estate sale last weekend

Found this old cast iron book press at an estate sale in Portland for $40. It was covered in rust and looked like it sat in a garage for 20 years. Spent a few hours cleaning it with wire wool and mineral oil. Now it works perfect for pressing books after I glue up the spines. Anyone else have luck finding old bookbinding tools cheap?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlie_ellis1mo ago

That's a cool find but honestly forty bucks seems steep for a rusty press. Garage sales around here usually have stuff like that for maybe ten or fifteen. Maybe prices are just higher in Portland? The cleanup sounds satisfying though.

jamesfox1mo ago

Saw a guy on a tool forum last week who found a similar press at a flea market in Ohio for five bucks. He spent a weekend cleaning it up with vinegar and a wire wheel. Said it works like new now. The price really does depend on where you are and how bad someone wants to get rid of it. Some folks just see old iron and think it's gold.

thomas_martinez20d ago

Wow, five bucks? That's insane. I can't believe someone let that go for the price of a lunch special. Must have been a grandma cleaning out a garage who had no idea what it was worth. Still though, you can't beat that kind of luck. Makes me want to hit up every flea market within 50 miles this weekend.