On Wed, 3 Nov 2010 15:36:06 -0700, "Bob F"
wrote:

George wrote:
Chaps

Looking forward to he next cider making season, a few months down the
line, I had a brainwave for a labour saving device.

Rather than putting chopped up apples through a food processor (and
having wrecked 2 in the process) I thought of using a waste disposal
unit.
Get a second hand unit (preferably free) and place it in an old sink
unit (preferably free). Get it wired up with a plug (will probably
have to pay for that). Mount it on a stand and away laughing.

Switch on, shove apples through unit, collect pulp in a bucket
underneath. From there straight into the press.

I've read several references about using disposals. Seems they work fine. I'd
choose one made of stainless, not galvanized metal, and clean/sanitize it well,
expecially if it is a used unit. Large apples may be a problem with household
units, requireing cutting which commercial press grinders wouldn't.




I also had a brainwave with the press.

Up to now using a cheap crap jig (rebuilt a few times), plastic
buckets (broke 3-4 of these) and a bottle jack. I got hold of a round
steel tin I was going to use.

Better still however, build a proper wooden press bucket. Get hold of
some unstained hardwood and build a bucket, strapped together with
some sort of long building strap, gang nail plate etc.

Rebuild jig to hold bucket in place, continue to use bottle jack.

With the wooden press "bucket, you're pretty close to how a commercial press
works. How can you go wrong as long as your structure can take the forces? Mine
has the sides of the staves tapered so that any material that squeezes through
the inside spaces finds more space as it moves, so it doesn't jam in the gaps,
making cleaning difficult.

Meat grinder with a large holed plate.