Another idea dawned on me while considering that the problem
in the lever style is the weight on the end. Instead of the
lever, I could use a car jack and the weight of my house.

Since I will be working in my basement, I could use a sissor
type jack within a two piece pillar above the platen/press:


| Floor Joist |
----------------------
| |
| | 4x4 brace against joist
| |
-----
X---- Sissor Type Car Jack
-----
| |
| | 4x4 brace
| |
| |
| | | |
| | | | Press Basket
|-----------|
| o o o |
| o o |
| o o o |
\---------------/
\\


As long as the sissor jack was firmly anchored to both 4x4s
so it wouldn't fold it should be safe. Perhaps a bit awkward
to fit altogether but simpler and cheaper, hmmm...

Or... perhaps one of those poles that are used to shore up
basements. Theie name escapes me but they come in different
sizes and have 4" steel plates on either end. They have the
required coarse threaded screw in them and are fairly low
priced ~$20 or so if I remember correctly.

Don