My thoughts.
 
How about a cutting board for the 'sheet maker'?  They tend to be dense wood
and very smooth.
 
The Sep/Oct 1995 'Countryside' has an article about making a 'foundation
press'.  I haven't read it yet, just skimmed.  Looks a lot like the
discussions here a few months back.
 
To be honest (engineer's opinion here) I like the sheet idea a lot.  Forget
the molten wax in a press.  Make sheets then impress the pattern in them
using the press warmed to the wax softening point.
 
Logan