George wrote:
"Bob F" wrote in message
...
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.


Bought an old disposal system today from a recycle store - $10. It's a
"goblin" brand and old as the hills. Heavy as buggery, heavy duty and
made to last. Should last the job ok. If it breaks it is only $10.

I have partially taken it apart. I do want to get the grinding plate
off as well as the copper (shows how old it is) waste pipe. Both
totally rusted on it seems or both twisted on so tightly when made. I
have soaked with CRC and will see how that goes. Once freed I plan to
run over all the internal surfaces with a wire brush on drill to buff
away all the dirt. Then give maybe a water blast and then a really
good scrubbing and a wipe down with bleach. Once taken apart once, I
can do so again for cleaning if I need to.

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.


I found some appropriate hard wood for the bucket and some building
strap. I will pop rivet the wood to the straps. I think that will
hold well enough.

My press has the staves screwed on so no holes go all the way through the
staves, which are 3/4" thick an maybe 1" wide at the inside.