Fruit Press

[Swobee]

I have a couple of Acme screws about 18" long or so and want to use one to make a fruit press. I have gotten plans from various sources on the internet and like some of them with one exception. None seem to use a base with a pour-spout molded in for the juices to flow through. Commercially available presses have a coated metal base for the juices to flow.

Does anyone have ideas for a plastic tub with a pour spout or some good suggestion of what to use that is readily available for the spout/base? Also, how about plans or do's & don't suggestions for a succesful press? I figure I have a few months 'til harvest. Actually, there won't be one with the fruit trees starting to bloom as the are aleady. Thanks.

[Zane]

Greg that one I was telling you about had what would looked like an upside down hive top
(3/4" plywood w/ a 2" rim around it) then a hole is drilled in the center edge. Put a bucket underneath it and there you go. Above that went a round barrel looking device(metal rings w/ 1"x1" screwed in to them) w/ a 1/2" gap between wood strips, w/ apples they dont fall through but using smaller stuff just make a cheesecloth bag to put them in. For the top its just 2 pcs of 3/4" ply topped w/ a 2"x4" and covered w/ some metal U channel

[danno]

I made a fruit press w/ tray (and a copper pipe spout) all out of oak coated with bees wax. I use latis trays with flour sacked apples stacked up to five high and press them with a hydrolic jack

[wayacoyote]

Oh, oh, I'd like to see some plans!

[danno]

Sorry I dont remember where the plans came from and dont have them any more. It seems to me they came out of a wine making publication

[Linden]

Check your local library for a book called BACK TO BASICS from the Reader's Digest Press. It has a good diagram of a traditional two-tub press and also ideas for a couple of improvised presses.

We have a single-tub cider press. At the bottom is a tray with sides. There's a groove that circles the tub carved into the tray; it leads to a hole at the bottom front of the tray. A piece of rather large plastic tubing leads from that to the big kettle we use to catch the cider.

Hope this might be useful.

[Swobee]

I have a number of plans for presses, but they don't seem to use what I would like to see for a base. Many use wood, which I suppose is OK, but I'd rather use a plastic tub or other material of some sort. One would need to be tough and I could drill a hole for a bulkhead with tubing attachment or just a spout to direct juices into a bucket or tub. Most of the commercially made units have an enameled base with a spout shape molded. I can get something powder coated locally and that may be one route. Whatever is used needs to be very easy to clean and maintain.

[MapMan]

The cider press I have is essentially a large shop press, with molded HDPE cheese separators and tub. You can certainly have a stainless steel tub made, or buy HDPE from a supplier (or check out plastic cutting boards for this purpose at a local store) and cut the box to size and bond edges to the base. Here's an example (http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2008/11/introducing-my-homemade-whizbang-cider.html). Interstate Plastics has some good pricing for HDPE cutting board material - 24"X36"X.5" is less than $50.

MM

If you do make a plastic tray, since the sides are not bearing weight, you could make them about 1 to 1 1/2 inches high, and use countersunk screws to join them to the base, using a food grade caulk to seal and form a bead at the join.