You need something more tough. That is 3/4" particle board. Easy fix is to cut some plywood and secure it with screws to the particle board. Use something that is good on one side, so that you have a nice flat surface. You can also use glue as long as you rough up the original surface of the desk with some 40 or 60 grit sand paper. You should still use screws though -- screw from underneath so that you don't have screwheads on the top and because the screws will bite better into the plywood than into the particle board. Also, overlap the plywood over the seam between the two sections -- so that you have a long single piece on the right side (where the computer is) and a shorter piece on the left. You should also reinforce the legs. Those legs suck and will wobble loose with the force of cranking the press. Anywhere that there is a right angle you should use a 2x4 (or at the very least a 2x2) to reinforce the joint; just stick the 2x4 in the right angle where the pieces meet and screw it from the particle board side. Again, for more stability, you may want to use glue. Also, use particle board screws (they have bigger, grippier threads).
It's a good idea, but only if you reinforce the structure.
It would probably be cheaper to buy an old wooden or metal office desk from government salvage (in Saskatchewan those come up periodically and you can buy a desk for as little as $10). I bought a 2'x6'x2" laminated oak conference table for $25 at one of those sales. Also, check out places like kijiji.
Good luck!
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