O/T Apple Cider Press

John B. · Sep 21, 2015

I've been wanting an apple cider press for quite a while and which one do you think would be the best one on the link to this website?

Thanks,
John B.
Pleasant Hill Grain Nebraska.

Ray(MO) · Sep 21, 2015

I got the wooden maple cider with the apple grinder and a mesh bag. Works great, but need a few helpers. We press pears too.

DLMKA · Sep 21, 2015

I'm borrowing this same press from a friend's dad right now. Works pretty good but wish the grinder left the pomace a little more fine. Lots of pretty big chunks come out that limit the pressing efficacy. Got 5 gal from the last pressing fermented in the basement ready to go into secondary fermenter and then get bottled. The rest is frozen or drank. Did 10 gallons in one afternoon out of two feed tubs worth of apples.

http://www.happyvalleyranch.com/Homesteader-Cider-Press-Grinder_p_9.html

Dave H (MI) · Sep 21, 2015

No opinion on any of the presses, but you will need a grinder. I bought an old one at an auction. Has two wooden slatted containers to hold the apple. One sits below the grinder, the other below the screw press. Works good.

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 21, 2015

I made my own grinder with a 6" diameter piece of ash firewood that I turned on the lathe to be a cylinder and put stainless steel screws in so they stick out about 1/8". I drilled a hole through the cylinder and put in a 5/8" shaft and made a wooden box around the cylinder with bearings for the shaft, a wooden funnel on top and no bottom. I put a large bowl underneath the box and have a 1/3 HP electric motor that drives the shaft with a belt. I can get a picture tomorrow. It will grind a bushel of apples in about 10-15 minutes. Total cost was about $30, a lot of it was for the stainless screws and the bearings. I had the motor and belt and shaft lying around.
Zach

Mike Henry · Sep 21, 2015

we made ours and it looks like the maple wood one. Have the mesh bag in the slotted barrel on a stainless steel tray with a hosed spicket to a pitcher. then we strain it again through a nylon into a barrel. We also went up on ours and mounted a wedge shaped funnel with a grinder bar that we can run by hand or with a drill like a meat grinder your mom would use to make ground baloney. We also do pears in our cider.

Janicholson · Sep 21, 2015

They all look serviceable. The issue is size. My dad engineered a press that took 1/2 bulk box of apples at a time. There was 170 acres of trees feeding it. Adjust the purchase to the intended output. Jim

Frank Dodson · Sep 21, 2015

I bought a happy Valley cider press over 20 years ago. I make about 20 gallons of cider per year and with each batch I use a few pears to make it sweeter. I did place an electric motor to the grinding unit to make it easier. happy Valley is a good family owned company located in Paola, KS.

Traditional Farmer · Sep 22, 2015

I have a press like the Maple Hill press in the picture except its from around 1900 in great shape and works good you also need that grinder or crusher to run the apples thru before pressing them.

Dave H (MI) · Sep 22, 2015

I love that kind of ingenuity. I never seem to have enough time to put all my ideas into actual practice.

WI Dan · Sep 22, 2015

Zachary Hoyt"]
I've been toying with the idea of building a grinder and press. I look forward to your pictures and commentary on how well it works.

caterpillar guy · Sep 24, 2015

Had a neighbor that used an old burr mill for the grinder then used his hydraulic shop press for the press. Worked good. Then threw the crushed apples out to the cows.

O/T Apple Cider Press

John B.

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Ray(MO)

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DLMKA

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Dave H (MI)

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Zachary Hoyt

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Mike Henry

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Janicholson

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Frank Dodson

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Traditional Farmer

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Dave H (MI)

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WI Dan

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caterpillar guy

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