Agree with others in this thread advocating for Joe woodworker / veneersupplies.com. Recently purchased their project EVS auto cycling veneer press kit with a rebuilt Thomas dual piston pump. It wasn't terribly cheap, but I wanted a system that would support vacuum clamping in the future. He offers a clapping add on and Podz vacuum jigs which will probably be my next purchase. He is a two-person operation, but that also helps to keep prices down. And he doesn't sell anything he can't vouch for.
A couple of questions you should consider before buying:
1. How big of a workpiece do you want to be able to press? The larger the size, the more pump CFM will be required to evacuate the bags and maintain vacuum. And that requirement also jumps (almost double, I think) if you want to press curved pieces around a form.
2. You can spend a lot on just the bag. New poly bags can be several hundred dollars. Unless you know you'll be doing a lot of volume, stick to cheaper/repairable vinyl bags to start. Even better, befriend a pro woodworker and convince him to donate his old bag to you (I might be guilty of that one.)
3. Joe recommends staying away from rotary vane pumps, at least in conjunction with his press kits. Apparently he has fought a lot of electrical issues with this style pump. It's a bummer since rotary vanes seem to be a dime a dozen near me.
4. Use your quarantine time to read up on joewoodworker.com. It's his free site and contains a massive trove of superb advice on getting into the world of veneering.
