I bought my #30 Press brand new. Wood parts were not sealed and no directions or instructions saying you needed to seal. The wood gets stained for sure but as long as you rinse it after use it will air dry just fine. Each Fall I soak the wood parts in a tub with Iodophor solution (no rinse) for 10-15 minutes, let dry for 10-15 minutes, spray the metal catch pan with some sulfite spray, wipe down. PRESS!