Dutch press-building a double stamp? Mechanics?

[blackthorn]

Hi all,
So I decided to go with kadova moulds in the end, I bought 6 4-5kg moulds and I already had 2 1.5-2kg ones (as it turns out I should've got a few of the bigger ones too, you live and learn!), I love them and they are great. I've been getting okay rinds just by stacking two of the moulds (they are not meant for stacking but they seem to sit okay, no higher then 2 though!) and putting a 5 kg bucket on top...... precarious to say the least  I'd like to be able to press more consistently (no more crooked cheeses!) and also be able to make a harder varieties, I've been looking into cheese presses for a while now and I really like the dutch lever style, I've done a forum search and it seems doable.........but I'd need a rather large press with two stamps, and a bit of height so I could stack my moulds (there is a really good pic of stacked kadova moulds in a three stamp press on the forum somewhere.......), is this possible without buying a professional one? I'm planning on getting a local engineering company to help out so I don't make a complete mess  I've read on the forum about adding pulleys which seems like a good idea..........does anyone have detailed info on figuring the weight on the lever to the weight on the stamp (I have found some info whilst searching but I want to be sure) and what various pulley configurations do to multiply that weight? Be warned I'm not a maths whizz.......hopefully someone at the engineering company is!  I have sailors handy weight to PSI chart (thanks sailor!) my moulds have 10in followers so for 2.04 PSI I need a weight of 160 pounds, it's amazing how much weight is needed to get such a small PSI  There is a really  nice double stamp press on this site http://www.cwmglyn.co.nz/cheese.html a bit smaller than what I'm thinking but a simular principle. Also an interesting site for showing just how small a small dairy can be 
Vanessa

[Ken]

Sounds like a great idea. I am wondering are you planning on having the moulds side-by-side with a single arm for the weight or in-line? As I was reading My mind pictured a side-by-side press. Can't wait for the pics.

[FarmerJd]

I would suggest you study up on "mechanical advantage" online somewhere before starting just so you understand the terms. Also remember that if you are pressing 2 hoops at once you must double the weight to get the same psi. A levered arm multiples the weight hanging on the end in proportion to the length of the arm compared to the position of the plunger. Generally speaking a longer arm means more psi on the cheese. Pulleys also multiply the force depending on their position and how many there are. I think you are on the right track from the pic you posted. A dutch press is your best bet. There are several threads on here where different members shared ideas and plans. I don't remember any double hoop plans being discussed but the only change necessary would be to attach a bar perpendicular to the end of the plunger and place your hoops under the 2 ends of this bar with some kind of extensions coming down off the bar. Hard to describe but simple.   If you have specific questions I did not address, let me know. Good luck. 

[Boofer]

(there is a really good pic of stacked kadova moulds in a three stamp press on the forum somewhere.......)

Perhaps this is the pic to which you refer?

There was a good discussion on all this a while back. Check this: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4026.msg30656.html#msg30656

-Boofer-

[blackthorn]

Yep that's the pic! I want that press LOL Thanks Farmer JD, I'm onto it.
Vanessa

[KosherBaker]

Yep that's the pic! I want that press LOL Thanks Farmer JD, I'm onto it.
Vanessa

Hi Vanessa. There's a lot of great info in the few pages of the archives of this very forum. I think if you were to read them you may not even need the engineering company's help. Boofer's thread that he linked to discusses many of the calculations that you are after, and they are quite easy to figure out. And in the archives there's even a description of how to build a pneumatic cheese press, which is probably the ultimate, but requires more sophisticated tools than the Dutch style cheese press. Even I tried to post the Dutch Style cheese press plan along with the shopping list, to make it as easy as possible, however, I'm not sure my drawings are all that clear or useful.

Anyway here's a quick summary:
Area = 3.14159 * radius squared
PSI = Weight Applied / Area

Dutch Style Press Calculations
Mechanical Advantage (MA) = Total Arm Length / Distance from Plunger to the Fixed Point in the back (i.e. fulcrum)
Weight Applied = MA * Weight + (Weight of the Arm and Plunger)
Each pulley link adds an additional mechanical advantage

Lastly if you stack your molds rather than placing them side by side then there's no need to increase the weight.
If you get going and get stuck, this place can rescue you out of just about any situation.

[FarmerJd]

Lastly if you stack your molds rather than placing them side by side then there's no need to increase the weight.

For some reason I just assumed you were talking about side by side. Kosher is exactly right about stacking the hoops. Thanks for the correction.   Great summary of the basics, too.

[steffb503]

Would the technical issues be the same as this
http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/p/50-Off-the-Wall-Press-Plans.html
Hard to see but it works great. I have one now.
If I need to double the weight for two molds does the time remain the same.

[FarmerJd]

Yes time of pressing is one variable in recipes that usually doesn't change if you increase the recipe size. As stated below, the only reason to double the weight is if you are pressing 2 side by side instead of stacking.


I really like the off the wall idea. I wish I could find a place to install one in my house.