The press my hubby made for me...with a great plunger and holder for my weights!

[DeejayDebi]

The posiblilities are endless! I have been wanting a loaf shaped mould for some of my semi hard cheeses and I found a nice container at WalMart tonight I think is for drinks or cerial or something that seems stiff enough just needs some holes drilled in it.  It was 2 /$6 so that was even better.

[padams]

Now THAT's a good idea, Debi!

[DeejayDebi]

Trying to get back to basics P!

[umgowa]

I love your press Debbi.  It has given me the courage to go out and get some PVC and make one like it.  I'm determined to start out with small batches, and right ow it appears the only way I'll be able to get a small enough press/mold is to make my own.  I just found a contractor who will  give me some 4" PVC pipe.  My question to you is about the bottom of your mold (do they call it a sleeve or a hoop?  I'm do and don't know the terms yet).  Anyway is the bottom of your mold open?  Are the curds and cheesecloth touching directly onto your collection plate?  Thanks.

[umgowa]

Sorry, I mean I love your press, padams.  I got the wrong person's name.

[padams]

That's ok, Umgowa    I'm flattered to be called Debi!

indirectly, it is sitting in the plate.  I have the cheese wrapped in cloth, and a couple of pieces of needlepoint plastic cut to fit on the very bottom.  I use a turkey baster to syphon off the whey.  My hubby has a piece of stainless steel that he is going to shape into a base/spout to drain it off.  I tried cutting a pie tin, but with the way my sink is, the spout wasn't close enough and it all ran out onto the counter!

It really isn't as hard as you would think.  use a magic marker to mark where you want your holes and it goes even better...

[umgowa]

padams,

I just got back from the contractor with a piece of 4" diameter PVC pipe in my hand.  They let me cut a 5" long piece of brand new pipe. Here's my plan, tell me what you think.  I'm ready to sand/smooth it and drill holes.  I plan to have an open bottom.  My curds will be wrapped in cheese cloth.  I will get a cookie sheet and put a sturdy metal rack on it.  I will place my press on the rack and the whey will drain down through the rack into the cookie sheet.  Does that make sense to you?  Now after drilling the holes, all I'll have to do is find a nice piece of wood and cut a 4" (or 3 and 9/8 ") circle for my follower.  Any thoughts, comments or suggestions?

[Sailor Con Queso]

Don't use a rack. The mold needs to rest on a flat surface. The whey will drain fine out the bottom and holes of your PVC tube.

[padams]

Umgowa, I don't know a ton, but Sailor is right.  Your cheese will fall thru.  As long as you keep syphoning off the whey, it'll be fine.  even queso fresco has a drying period, that is when the rind will form.

There may not be any need to sand off the burrs, there may not be any.  I have had luck with using a utility knife and just knocking them off with that.

For your follower, you may have to go a tad smaller than 3 9/8...maybe 1/16 smaller?  the wood will swell, and it may get tight.  especially on long presses.  I can't remember where I saw it, but someone said to use food grade mineral oil (pharmacy section, used for stool softener) and rubbing or even soaking your follower.  I just put on 3 thick coats and a new thin coat if I have to wash anything (if whey comes in contact with it)

I think you are set!  Good luck, and have fun playing with your new toy

[umgowa]

OK thanks for the input, Sailor and padams.  I'll keep it on a flat surface.  I'll just keep an eye on the pressing operation and pour off the pooling whey.  Regarding the follower,  (which will probably be wood) how about coating it with several coats of polyurethane?  I'd sand  between coats and get a nice hard finish so it won't absorb any whey or bacteria?

[FarmerJd]

You don't want to use any polyurethane or lacquer because it will not hold up against the constant moisture and acidity and as it wears it enters your cheese. The best thing to use on a wood follower is food grade oil because it is absorbed into the wood and can be reapplied as needed. I use olive or even peanut oil on my wood followers and they clean up easily. Good luck.

[Alex]

It's not MY invention, but the best would be a follower cut out of a poly-something cutting board.

[padams]

that's what i did, alex.  i made 2 followers....plastic cutting board circle to go right next to my cheese, and the thicker wood one for bulk.  so far, no whey has touched my wooden follower.

lacquer SEEMS like a great idea, but with any paint, remember that it chips, peels, etc.  so it has the possibility to get into the food, and lacquer is not non-toxic.

anyway, that's my 2 cents 

[iratherfly]

Actually Alex... what a great idea you just gave me. I am making very small wheels here because of space consideration and I cannot find any Tomme mold with a follower that would support cheese made of 1Gal. (Usually yields 450g to 550g). Kadova molds have a price tag that I have not come to terms with yet ($50-$65 for this size each) so the only molds I have are narrower on the bottom (like Ricotta baskets) and it's impossible to hack a follower for them; In light pressing they are too small and the cheese lip go over them as they make a nasty depression in the center. under higher pressure they are too large and get stuck mid way through the mold. Perhaps a few variations cut from a thick polymer cutting board will do the trick. Even better - I may be able to add some cool design to it that will be left on the cheese.
...or, if you know of a good mold, do share! 

[TroyG]

I have a couple extra 1 pound Kadova molds I would sell for way less than 50-60.