Noticed something odd at a restoration shop in Portland

I stopped by this little binding and restoration shop off Sandy Boulevard last Tuesday. They were working on a 1700s Bible and used this old cast iron press that looked like a railroad vice. The thing that got me was they had it sitting on a wooden crate instead of a proper stand. The owner said it 'adds character' but I wonder if that throws off the pressure across the spine. Has anyone else seen weird setups like that in older shops?

2 comments

2 Comments

zara4474d ago

I used to be all about having the PROPER tool for every job but honestly seeing that press on a crate makes total sense now. Vintage shops know their stuff and sometimes the old ways just work better than all that modern precision nonsense.

troy_palmer764d ago

Idk, that "adds character" line sounds like a rationalization for not wanting to buy a proper stand. Maybe the crate was already there when they moved the press and they just never bothered to fix it.