Author Topic: Pulley press  (Read 2095 times)

Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Pulley press
« on: July 09, 2014, 01:22:13 AM »
As I'm starting to make some harder cheeses such as Cheddar and Romano, and have just bought a larger mould, I needed to modify my homemade press. I thought that a photo and some details might be of interest to someone because, while the use of pulleys is not new, it does not seem to be common.
The original configuration had a 2 to 1 tackle connected to a spring loaded, calibrated scale. The disadvantage of this was that the pressure constantly changed as the cheese compacted, so I removed the spring and the scale.
I also increased the tackle to 4:1 which, together with the mechanical advantage of the lever, allows me to apply some pretty substantial force. (I may even tackle a Cantal.)
The big advantage of this system is that it is very compact. The whole press is less than 40cm long. If it was a simple lever (Dutch) press it would be around 1.6m. I did consider a compound press but the pulley system in much simpler.

    - Andrew
- Andrew

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Pulley press
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2014, 02:45:37 AM »
Nice pulley system
ac4u
I have a song running through my head sung by men down under cant figure out why,
something about a vegemite sandwich ???
Never hit a man with glasses, use a baseball bat!
http://cocker-spanial-hair-in-my-food.blogspot.com/

Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Re: Pulley press
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2014, 07:14:29 AM »
Thanks H-K-J. Good song that, by Men at Work.
I'm thinking that I should have stitched up a sponsorship deal before I posted that photo.
- Andrew

Offline H-K-J

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Re: Pulley press
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2014, 02:20:14 PM »
LOL yur right men at work ;D
Never hit a man with glasses, use a baseball bat!
http://cocker-spanial-hair-in-my-food.blogspot.com/

John@PC

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Re: Pulley press
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2014, 02:17:53 PM »
Wow!  Andrew, my first thought was that one of us covertly acquired the other's press design :o.  Your design and our (soon-to-be-available) PC-press share a lot in common as you can see in the picture. A cheese for your great design (and honest to God I didn't copy it;  apparently they were separated at birth :D???

Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Re: Pulley press
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2014, 01:12:58 AM »
Thanks, John.
Not that I would have been offended if you had copied my design. Flattered more like.
As it is, I think we chalk it up to great minds.
- Andrew

John@PC

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Re: Pulley press
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2014, 09:09:47 PM »
It was an interesting coincidence Andrew.  My lever arm is shorter than yours but I wanted to make sure it would fold up in the storage box.  Added a way to counterweight the back so to allow higher dead weight.  That said I personally don't use a "high" press weight and a 1 gal. jug of water provides 50 lb. pressure which is fine for me 90% of what I do.  Plan to calibrate my jug so I can just keep adding water and know what the actual press weight is.