What is your favorite "crunch" or "squeeze" press??

[Lisi]

I really should get one of these presses, but I was wondering which one you liked the best. If you chose "Other", could you please post what you you use?

I am press impaired from sheer lack of use (LOL!), and in the past I had a LOT which I sold in the Garage ages ago. I have a Zoozii Kalera trio, and a CoonValley brass masher. Recently I've bought a Zoozii lentil presses out of the Garage and a Zoozii Cube and Crystal duo because my customers would like to see my beads in other shapes as well. It's about time anyway.

I figure the squeeze/crunch shape would be easiest to learn first??

[Elizabeth Beads]

Zoozii's custom made me a wide crunch press, similar to the Cattwalk ones but with pins. It was about the same price as the non-custom presses.

I have a BBQ masher, Jim Moore cushion press and I like the wide crunch best.

I also like the brass masher that Trey Cornette sells on his website but my workspace is just too small for the brass marver that goes with it.

[Lisi]

Thanks! I think the wide crunch is good because the beads are a little thicker, so I will see if I can get one custom made by Zoozii's. Thanks, that was a great help!

[LampworkbyLori]

I have crunch 1 and crunch 6 from Cattwalk. I wish I could trade the 6 for a 4 because the beads from the 6 are just too deep (thick) and heavy.

[Elizabeth Beads]

I think my custom press is the same size as the 3 or the 4.

[Bright-eyed Beads]

The guy on ebay, David from Coonvalley will make you a crunch style press with pins and you can have two sizes in one press. I got him to make me a 16mm and 22mm wide crunch press that is 8 mm thick. Also bought one off him that is 14 mm wide and 6 mm thick which is so cool!!! If you can't find his address on ebay, contact Malcolm from Art Co, as he sells some of his presses too.

[Lisi]

Originally Posted by Bright-eyed Beads

The guy on ebay, David from Coonvalley will make you a crunch style press with pins and you can have two sizes in one press. I got him to make me a 16mm and 22mm wide crunch press that is 8 mm thick. Also bought one off him that is 14 mm wide and 6 mm thick which is so cool!!! If you can't find his address on ebay, contact Malcolm from Art Co, as he sells some of his presses too.

That's exactly what I want! Thanks!

[SassyGlass9]

You might also want to look at the Cattwalk Tabulator press. It's awesome. I also use my crunch press every time I torch.

[khammil]

I mostly like Zoozii's presses and others with pins, but the Cattwalk crunches are awesome because of how many widths they offer. I have the regular width and have been wanting a wider one to complement it. LampworkLori, thanks for the recommendation - I'll check out the Size 4 next.

[CO_Phantom]

I mostly use Zoozii's presses, but I like the Cattwalk crunch press. I got the duo crunch, but want a crunch that's all the same size to make longer beads.

I find the Cattwalk crunch press makes a more organic type of shape. The Zoozii's presses have a more defined edge to them, making them a little more "structured."

Just my 2 cents. I own several of both kinds, and a couple from Mike's brass for glass, and a buttload of graphite molds.

-Amy

[2kids&atorch]

Cattwalk all the way...jmo.

[effemess]

I have two custom crunch presses from David at Coonvallyb.. 20mm wide x 7mm thick and another 20mm wide and 11mm thick...

[playswithfire104]

I have the long and lean from Zoozie, it was smaller than I expected it to be, but it worked for me. Then I got a Cattwalk crunch and I rarely use the Zoozie one anymore. I forget why I liked the Cattwalk better, but since I put the Zoozie one away I rarely use it. The Cattwalk has a permanent place on my workbench. I also use it pretty much every time I torch.

ETA I never used any other crunch type presses so I can't compare the Cattwalk to any other ones.

[CO_Phantom]

I need to find a place to put my presses... Right now I have them all in a plastic drawer type thing, but I pretty much have to know what I want to use when I go dig it out.

What do you guys do for press storage?

Thinking about putting mine on a small bookshelf that I have at the front of my studio, so they are all out and visible. That way I don't have to dig through a drawer to find the one I want...

-Amy

[beadbroad]

Love love love:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61230149...mpworking-tool

[SilverReflections]

Originally Posted by beadbroad

Love love love:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61230149...mpworking-tool

For large beads I like this style, I have both Jim Moore Cushion presses which I love, I think the sides end up with more of a slope than this tool above but that's just personal preference. For small beads I have an old corina squeeze press which I love. The beads are typically about 21 mm wide and about 7 mm thick. I only like to use 1/16" mandrels with this. But with this type of press the final size is flexible as it just depends on the amount of glass, the shape and the force you press with. I think you would be happy with any of them. In general, I like the pins of zoozii presses for many shapes but haven't had a problem with my crunch press without them, in fact it probably makes it faster to use without the pins. The large size of the base is annoying though I have to admit. The cushion press and the crunch press are ones I use almost every time I torch.

[redbearmountain]

I like Zoozii's Kalera Long and lean it's my favorite press.

[Mountain Snail]

For a press I like this http://www.corinabeads.com/pages/squeezepresses.php

for a hand tool I like this http://www.gracefulcustoms.com/masurot.html

[MelanieG]

I use this every time I torch pretty much, and it's completely replaced my crunch press in my heart.
http://www.gracefulcustoms.com/maroju.html

[VivianLampwork]

I love the Catwalk Rectangular Puffy Pillow. I know it's not a crunch but it's very similar. It's easy to use & makes a gorgeous shaped bead. I prefer it over the crunch.