Questions on building a cider press?

[unioncreek]

I have quite a few apples that go to waste every fall, actually about 600 pounds worth this fall. I want to build a cider press to use up some of these. I have a 2 inch by 12 inch stroke hydraulic ram can I use this on the press and use air to operate the ram. My compressor puts our a max of 140 pounds. Would using the ram and that amount of air pressure be enough to operate a cider press adequately?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Bobg

 

[greenbeanman in Kansas]

I cannot answer your question at all but you might try a post at Homesteadingtoday.com as there seem to be many knowledgeable folk there.
While the site does require registration to post it is a privately held site and you won't get SPAM as a result of registering there.

Here is a link to the results of a search there for cider press. Homesteading Today

 

[john_bud]

I have quite a few apples that go to waste every fall, actually about 600 pounds worth this fall. I want to build a cider press to use up some of these. I have a 2 inch by 12 inch stroke hydraulic ram can I use this on the press and use air to operate the ram. My compressor puts our a max of 140 pounds. Would using the ram and that amount of air pressure be enough to operate a cider press adequately?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Bobg

Short answer is no. My press has a threaded rod with a 18" across top and a 8 - 10 TPI thread pitch. I can put 150 to 200 lb of twist on that pretty easy. Now, multiply that by the torque increase going thru a screw and the there is easily 1000 pounds of down force. Maybe up to double that, I haven't thought about the math much.

I would think just a 1" threaded rod would work fine and be simpler to do. If you want to have it be faster, easier to operate then go for hydraulics rather than pneumatics. A 110v pump would be good as you probably already have identified the need to spin / crush the apples using 110v.

 

[Shmudda]

You really don't want hydraulics....remember people are going to drink this cider! All cylinders will leak at least some, so be safe and screw it.......

Craig

 

[Ford850]

I have a press I made years ago using a scaffold leg jack. The large theaded rod works perfect. Weld a pipe nipple perpendicular on the end of the rod to slide a wood handle through. Used the large 'wing nut' that came with the rod, bolted to the underside of the top cross piece of the press. Screw the rod down through that nut and it works pretty slick.

 

[Wesdor]

We have a cider mill in Sterling, IL run by Tim Keller. If I recall correctly it was moved from Tampico, IL many years ago. We have had him make custom cider for us several times and have been very happy with his product (a result of our apples) and more importantly his setup.

He does have a hydraulic press, but it comes up from the floor and pushes the chopped apples against a stationary top. From memory, it seems to me that he puts the apples in a lattice work which is about 2 - 3 inches deep. Then he adds a new wood frame and cheese cloth. When he has a full press the pump begins to raise the stainless steel pressing frame. It has a drain in one side which is then pumped into the ceiling and across the barn to another stainless steel container. He has it setup so you can fill multiple jugs at the same time.

He can get about 3 gallons of cider from a bushel of apples.

I hope this helps as you think about making your own press.

Here is a link to a web site with contact information.

http://www.nifatrees.org/THINNING.htm