In almost every craft I can think of there is a requirement for gently squashing things.
Seventy years ago it was (for me) flower pressing (usually nside a book). Around that time my mother let me have fun lightening her domestic load, by ironing ~ hot-pressing handkerchiefs ~ or rolling-out pastry or gingerbread men.
Model making invariably requires pasting and the frequent requirement to 'leave under weight overnight'.
At school I was introduced to vices and sash cramps in a well-equipped carpentry shop, but they fall beyond the subject of gently (which I am calling) 'squashing'.
Throughout my necessary forays into desk-bound office-life, paper weights tried to be useful, but they invariably got lost amongst the increasing untidiness. That is irrelevant to the topic in hand, although as a craftsman I love to look, and wonder, at the beautiful patterns worked into a glass weight that was gifted to the family years ago. (As is the way with many works of art - more looked at than put to their intended use!)
Bookbinding has been a pleasurable interest of mine for decades, and so I write notes here on desk-top ~ work-top ~ weights that are used for pressing. It is useful to favour bookcraft with some notes, because bookbinders use presses ~ small ~ large ~ huge ~ a great deal. I have prepared a separate page to help with the mysteries of ~ printing press ~ lying press ~ laying press ~ nipping press ~ arming press ~ embossing press ~ blocking press ~ finishing press.
The bookcrafter can make do, quite adequately, with numerous readily available, or specially adaped items ~ tins of beans ~ tins of stones ~ bricks.
If a bookbinder wishes to squeeze pages down after pasting then a nipping press is used .
Pressing Boards
Nipping Boards
Standing Press
Rolling vs squashing