Oak and Walnut Tortilla Press

For a gift this holiday season I decided I wanted to make this oak and walnut tortilla press for my wife. She loves cooking and really wanted to pick one up, so I decided to hand make her one! It was a pretty easy build, spanning around a couple of days and I'm really happy how it turned out!

I started off making the bottom section and the lid of the tortilla press. The press is 10" x 10" so I first cut the two oak slabs that make up the bottom

and then I cut the oak and walnut strips that make up the lid.

I glued up the bottom section

and glued up a pattern like this for the lid.

After those dried I cut down a 6" walnut piece for the beam across the top of the lid

rounded out the top of it

I then equally spaced where I was going to drive in three 3/8" dowel supports to help strengthen the joint

I drilled out the holes on my drill press

and glued in the three dowels.

Next I cut out two 6" walnut strips and a 3" oak strip to start putting together the piece that holds up the handle.

I rounded off the top of the pieces

and cut out two 2" oak strips, round off their tops and glued them to the rest of the piece.

I attached this to the bottom slab of oak the same way I attached the 6" walnut beam to the lid from earlier. I drilled out three equally spaced holes

centered it in the middle of the tortilla press

and glued it to the bottom section.

After that dried, I cut, glued and hammered in three 1/2" dowels to help strengthen the joint.

Closer look.

Next I started on the handle, I cut out an 11" oak strip and another strip about half that size

and clamp them together.

After it dried up I placed it in my Jawhorse and molded it into shape.

To attach the handle I cut off a piece of a 1/4" steel pipe I had around

I drilled out 1/4" holes in the handle holder and the handle

and assembled the handle section.

I then drilled in halfway into the walnut slabs and put in 3/8" wooden dowel caps.

Closer look.

Next I began the attachment of the lid and bottom section of the tortilla press. I cut out and placed down two pieces of construction paper (roughly the thickness of a corn tortilla)

Closer look.

I put the 3" brass hinges in place and marked out the spots for the screws

drilled out the holes

and screwed the hinges into place

With all the assembly done I took some wax paper and some play-doh and took it for a test drive!

Then it was time to sand, sand, sand!

For some finishing touches I cut out a leather strip for the area where the oak handle rubs against the walnut beam on the lid.

Closer Look.

Closer look.

Then I added on some clear rubber feet to the bottom.

Finally I used some Food safe butcher block oil and finish and viola the tortilla press is complete!

Hope you like and thanks for checking it out!