Fair warning to all the apples out there

[Jags]

Very nice job. Ever think about motorizing the grinder? I don't care for that part.

 

[lukem]

I have definitely considered that. I plan on giving it one season of manual operation to make sure all the metal parts hold up as they should. I need to get a good estimate on RPM to size the pulleys too, and I won't be able to do that (correctly) until I get it under load grinding apples.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Done.

Damn thing is a show piece. Looks great

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Now on to the apples .

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Lukem, we too have considered a motor on the grinder but will do one season first. We're thinking we may do some pressing in about a week or so.

 

[lukem]

Lukem, we too have considered a motor on the grinder but will do one season first. We're thinking we may do some pressing in about a week or so.

I got the second coat of mineral oil on all the wood last night so it is ready to go. I might do a test run Saturday to see how it works and make any adjustments before the big press in a couple weeks.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We paid a little extra to get food grade coating and it is supposed to last longer but I'd have to look it up now to find out how much longer.

I stopped at a neighbor's this afternoon and assured them I'll be picking up apples for them tomorrow. Might do a bit of squeezing if they aren't too bad.

 

[lukem]

Tomorrow is game day. I picked about 10 bushels tonight...a lot more to pick and press tomorrow. Apples are very juicy this year but not super sweet. Should get a lot of decent cider to go in the freezer.

 

[happycamper]

I'm now armed. Picked this up today. All the castings are in good shape but the wood is shot. I have some oak stock I've been saving for this. Going to take everything apart and media blast the castings...build the frame... and make some cider this fall.View attachment 103117

love to buy gallon of apple cyder
i love it but it gives me the shits
direa

 

[heat seeker]

We're making our cider this weekend. Looking forward to sipping some fresh cider!

 

[Paulywalnut]

Wow that is nice Lukem,is apple wood too hard to work with lol?

 

[lukem]

Sorry guys, no pics, but I promise it happened.

We ended up filling about 88 gallon jugs with cider. We only fill the jugs going into the freezer about 75% full so they have enough head space, so I'd say be did a solid 70 gallons. We started pressing about 2:30 and finished cleaning up about 8:00 Saturday.

The new grinder/press worked very well. Compared to the one one I've used in the past, it is a BEAST to crank, but it works 3x as fast. Everything worked out very well, but I sheared the bolt the holds the crank to the grinder shaft twice. I need to improve that connection...it has a fair amount of slop in it.

It will have an electric motor before next fall. I'm still pretty sore today.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Wrong order lukem, you first harden the cider off and then freeze it ...... the bad bear is now running for his cave ....

 

[lukem]

Wrong order lukem, you first harden the cider off and then freeze it ...... the bad bear is now running for his cave ....

Actually, I freeze to kill the bad yeast and give the press operator a chance to rest, then harden it. I've never "accidentally" frozen it twice, but I understand interesting things happen when you do .

 

[charly]

I'm thinking of getting a press for next year. We're selling no spray apples.. I realized picking we are never going to get to use all the apples on our 65 trees.. They're loaded! Sign wasn't out 30 minutes and people starting stopping.. Have to make some pies in the Esse!

 

[heat seeker]

We made about 5 gallons of cider yesterday. We did it the hard way, grinding the cut up apples in a hand cranked meat grinder, then using a small press gotten at a tag sale. A lot of work for what we got, but we had some friends over to help. We all had a good time, a nice dinner, and everyone went home with some great cider.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Actually, I freeze to kill the bad yeast and give the press operator a chance to rest, then harden it. I've never "accidentally" frozen it twice, but I understand interesting things happen when you do .

I told my boss aka the wife what you said about you killing yeast in cider by putting it in the freezer she just looked at the ceiling walked to the kitchen opened up the freezer door and took out the pint jar of yeast she keeps there and said don't think so.

We do homemade bread all the time.

 

[lukem]

Good point. I guess I have been misinformed. Hard cider tonight.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We've done about 18 gallons so far. Lots and lots of apples.... Seems like all the neighbors want to give us apples.

 

[Pallet Pete]

We've done about 18 gallons so far. Lots and lots of apples.... Seems like all the neighbors want to give us apples.

View attachment 111827 View attachment 111828

My buddy has an apple and pear tree side by side Dennis If you want some Id bet he would give them away without any hesitation. he has about 1/4 acre land and it is covered this year.

Pete

 

[Freeheat]

Looks great let us know how the first run tastes

 

[lukem]

OK, need some help guys. I am less than excited about cranking this thing for another 6 hours next fall so I want to fit it with an electric motor.

I think the grinder shaft RPM should be about 75...any faster than that and it would get too shaky.

The current handle that is on there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 16", give or take, from the grip to the center of the grinder shaft. This would give me room for a 30" +/- pulley on the grinder.

If I have a 1.5" pulley on the motor, and the motor is turning at 1750 RPM then I'd need a 35" pulley. I'm not sure If I can fit that, but I can take some measurements later.

The biggest questions I have, and need some ideas/input on, are:

1. Any ideas on a good donor pulley? I've heard dryer pulleys are pretty big, but have never actually seen one to confirm. I've also though out making a wooden one out of a plywood.

2. How much HP would I need? I'm not sure what my right arm dyno's at. Would 1/3 or 1/2 be enough?

 

[Jags]

A 1/3 hp motor "geared" down to 75 rpm is gonna have a lot of grunt. Any chance of finding an electric motor that has a gear reduction on the end of it? Something like this:
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leeson-motor-with-speed-reducer-gear-reduction-/331025403658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d12a6cf0a)

Even if you wanted to pulley up or down, you are much closer to your intended speed which makes for mild pulley size adjustment.

 

[Freeheat]

OK, need some help guys. I am less than excited about cranking this thing for another 6 hours next fall so I want to fit it with an electric motor.

I think the grinder shaft RPM should be about 75...any faster than that and it would get too shaky.

The current handle that is on there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 16", give or take, from the grip to the center of the grinder shaft. This would give me room for a 30" +/- pulley on the grinder.

If I have a 1.5" pulley on the motor, and the motor is turning at 1750 RPM then I'd need a 35" pulley. I'm not sure If I can fit that, but I can take some measurements later.

The biggest questions I have, and need some ideas/input on, are:

1. Any ideas on a good donor pulley? I've heard dryer pulleys are pretty big, but have never actually seen one to confirm. I've also though out making a wooden one out of a plywood.

2. How much HP would I need? I'm not sure what my right arm dyno's at. Would 1/3 or 1/2 be enough?

The first thought was a garage door opener motor , Its a gear reduction motor and wouldnt turn too many r's

 

[lukem]

A gear motor is on the list of options, but I'd like to do this with found parts. I can get a free motors pretty easy from my BIL who works in a shop that rebuilts a lot of them, but coming up with a gearbox is harder for me.