Author Topic: New press, new mold, back in the game  (Read 3011 times)

mjr522

  • Guest
New press, new mold, back in the game
« on: August 12, 2013, 03:01:15 AM »
I'm back from my 10 weeks gone and will start making cheese again next weekend.  Last week I essentially finished my new press.  It's got a mechanical advantage of 7 without the rope/pulley and 20 with.  I also received my 4 kg Gouda mold on Thursday. The coke is there for reference (I was so excited about how big it was, I took it to work for show-and-tell.  Every was very nice and humored me...)  You can also see 1 of the little molds I got right before leaving and haven't been able to use yet.  My first make will be an 8 gallon batch of Caerphilly that I will divide up into a bunch (8 or so) of these little guys.  I'll be experimenting with them--one will copy dthelmer's negligence, some will have junk in them (pepper corns, cummin, coriander, onion, herbs...?), at least one will have a paprika rind, and I'm not sure what else.  I plan to use the big guy after that.  I'm considering doing a (for me) monster Parmesan.  In any case, it's good to be back.

[img width= height= alt=New press and molds]https://sphotos-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/970676_381828381942608_1476898716_n.jpg[/img]

Offline Boofer

  • Old Cheese
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  • Location: Lakewood, Washington
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Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2013, 01:40:23 PM »
some will have junk in them
Ah, that fine culinary standard.... ;)

Welcome back, Mike. Congrats on the press and the new moulds. Now, let's see some cheese! :)

-Boofer-

Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Spellogue

  • Guest
Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2013, 03:53:15 PM »
Very nice Mike.  I'm looking forward to seeing some more pictures of your new press, and details on how it works for you.  I'm just now piecing ideas together toward building one myself. 

mjr522

  • Guest
Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2013, 04:35:26 PM »
I'll take some more pictures this weekend and provide some more details about the construction and performance once I've tried it out.

shotski

  • Guest
Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2013, 12:56:50 AM »
Good to have you back Mike. I was just thinking a week or so ago how nice it will be when things start to slow down in the fall, and have the time to make some wine and cheese.

John

High Altitude

  • Guest
Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2013, 12:34:22 AM »
Feeling the same as many....summer travels and visitors are done (though it was wonderful, of course), and I am back in the cheese making swing! I try to get in one little 2 pounder make a week, but if I cant, I feel like something is missing :-(.  What a great bunch of cheese-monger-makers on this site!!

Welcome fall/winter and more cheese making (and wine making too)!!

Nice press Mike...cant wait to see what you do with it this year :-)

Spoons

  • Guest
Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2013, 01:50:04 AM »
Nice press Mike. Gotta love those Kadova moulds! I'm still a few weeks away from getting back in the game myself. Can't wait!!!

mjr522

  • Guest
Re: New press, new mold, back in the game
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2013, 02:01:40 AM »
Thanks--though in my recent make, I learned that the press isn't as stable as I had imagined.  I need to add a plate to the top of the press that the rod will go through (like it does on the underside of the lever arm) so that it will push strait down without producing a side load.  The side load caused my stacked molds to shoot out sides-ways.  It was a little frustrating, and I hope to avoid that frustration next time.  I was able to produce over 400 lbs of force when I finally got it all stabilized, and it didn't seem to be much of a burden on the press.