Abstract: A stave press assembly for holding a wooden stave or other work piece while the stave is fabricated into a bow or other operations are performed on the work piece, has an immovable pressure plate disposed nominally horizontally when the press is attached to a support surface, and a movable pressure plate which can grip an irregularly shaped wooden stave or other work piece by moving it in a downwardly direction toward the immovable pressure plate. The movable pressure plate is pivotable to a limited extent in order to provide a gripping surface for irregularly shaped items and each pressure plate is lined with resilient high friction material.