Hoops - John's Homemade From PVC Pipe & Cutting Boards

[John (CH)]

Today built additional hoops or molds:

• Drew circles on used old and new from www.Amazon.com 3 pack for USD10 plastic food grade cutting boards from inside of pipes with neighbors electric belt type jigsaw as recommended by Reg. Then sized with jigsaw so that small gap between pipe and follower for cheesecloth liner. This was messy, next time better to measure and use compass and cut more exactly.
• Shaved off burrs and smoothed edges with wood file. Old board type is better as almost twice as thick as new white ones and thus think they will stay more horizontal in mold.
• From US chain hardware store called Lowe's, bought 6 in x 24 in piece of PVC pipe for USD15. Short section not available at my local Home Depot US & Canada chain hardware store. Only other choice was 10 ft length for USD26 (OK this would make DaggerDoggie very happy as he could press tn 3-5 US gallon milk/3-5 pound cheeses simultaneously ). Chose to cut it into two 12" lengths rather than three 8" lengths in case wanted to make a tall 6" diameter cheese some day. Also cut left over 4 in PVC pipe in two to make now three 4" x 8" molds.
• Shaved off burrs and smoothed edges with wood file.
• Drilled grid of small holes 2/3 way up pipe at 1 in/2 cm spacing. Rubbed off burrs with follower. Need to recharge drill to finish job.

Still todo:

• Drill holes in bases to allow whey to better escape bottom of press than just out sides.
• Will use 4" hoops as spacers between follower and press as per DD's press, need to buy small section of smaller that 4" PVC pipe to act as same for 4" presses.
• Put in service by making my first ever 3 US gallon of milk cheese and pressing in new 6" hoop!

[reg]

good stuff CH !!!

[DaggerDoggie]

Nice work!  I like the plastic followers.  Very rigid and easy to keep clean.