Wednesday, April 24, 2013

DIY Flower Press

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Spring flowers are an instant pick-me-up. 
With an easy to make flower press you are able to preserve spring flowers to enjoy all year. 
here is an easy way to make a flower press of your own.

You Will Need:
Two boards of the same size, Four Hex Bolts, Four Washers, and Four Wing Nuts

You will Also Need:
Cardboard, and Wax Paper

Procure The Proper Tools:
Sand Paper, Sanding Block, Power Drill, and a Saw


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First you will need to cut two boards of the same size. The size of the boards is up to you. The wood used on this project is reclaimed wood. Minor imperfections in the wood are not a big deal on a project like this. It is better to repurpose or reuse wood boards when ever possible. 


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Next, using a power drill fitted with a drill bit slightly larger than the hex bolt you plan to use, drill a hole through each of the four corners of the two boards. 


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Reclaimed wood often requires a bit of sanding.
 Starting with a  80- to 120-grit sandpaper begin to smooth the boards surfaces and remove any small imperfections. For a super smooth finish, use a super fine sandpaper with 360- to 600-grit.


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Now it is time to add the hardware. 
Add the four hex bolts to the holes you have drilled into one of the two boards. 
On the other board add the four washers on top of the holes you have drilled.


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You may wish to counter sink the bolts, and washers for a more secure fit. 


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Cut two sheets of cardboard to fit onto the flower press boards.


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Using the fitted cardboard as a guide, cut sheets of wax paper slightly smaller than the fitted cardboard sheet.


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Now you are ready to fill you flower press with the abundant flowers of spring.

A Note About Flower Collection. There are many wildflowers that are endanger of becoming extinct. 
It is important to let wildflowers go to seed in order to insure the next generation of blossoms. 
It is critical to correctly identify the flowers and plants you are collecting. 
If you are at all in doubt of what you are about to pick, STOP.
Do Not Pick Any Plant Or Flower You Can Not Correctly Identify. 

Below are links to online sources that list threatened and endangered plants in the USA