Has anyone built a small press to provide sufficient clamping pressure on the glue up inlays? I don’t really want to spend the a couple hundred dollars for a HF press and I don’t have the space either. So I was thinking of something smaller using a couple of bottle jacks or maybe a car jack.
I just built one using two of these
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD353
Similar to this, with glued layers of 3/4 ply for the base (2) and press plate (4), hard maple for the uprights and top bar.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fb/4e/ad/fb4eadc13fefb466dd75a262b564b362.jpg
Mine has a working area of 24" x 18". Went with two screws to give more even pressure across the whole surface. A smaller working area would probably need only one screw. Works great.
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Just get some 4 way clamps. I use them in my woodworking all the time. You can make the bars as long or short as you want.
Pony
Peachtree Woodworking Supply 2 Pack of 4 Way Pressure Clamps For Clamping Panels - Using Pressure From All Four Directions. For Woodworkers, Cabinet and Furniture Makers (2 four way pressure clamps) https://a.co/d/igqKCan
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I have a 20 ton shop press but have never used it. What I do use is the arbor plates from it. I went to my local steel place and picked up some pieces 1 1/8" thick 4"x8". They weigh about 10lbs each and I just stack them on top of the work. They sold them to me for scrap price since they were drops. I have 7 or 8 of them. If I’m worried about the wood I’ll wrap them in newspaper. The biggest advantage over clamps is that clamps only work near a edge.
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I used a vacuum press:
What kind of vacuum press do you use, what kind of pressure does it have? I see mechanical presses with tons of pressure and wonder if a vacuum has enough to achieve the same result - any help is appreciated!
The vacuum press that I use is a modified version of the Joe woodworking press
I use two vacuum pumps instead of one 
, Here is the explanation of the clamping force:
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