Author Topic: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build  (Read 16838 times)

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #15 on: December 25, 2008, 04:12:23 AM »
I saw that but I'm trying to do horizontal cuts, that's the hard one to make. But your picture did give me ideas.

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2008, 05:03:14 AM »
I made the new curd knife today, what a calamity. It's was hard. Here it is in all it's glory. It's in the dishwasher now on one of it's 3 washes.

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #17 on: December 30, 2008, 01:23:40 PM »
Cartier, great work!

Assume you know you could have just ordered one, albeit probably for several hundred $'s.

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #18 on: December 30, 2008, 06:12:33 PM »
Oh, I know, I've talked to dairy fab and for 2 knives 24" x 30" it's $2000. So what do you think CH, should I have bought them or made them? LOL

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #19 on: December 30, 2008, 06:32:31 PM »
Looks to me like you saved yourself USD1900 after tax . . . congrats!

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #20 on: December 31, 2008, 12:54:16 AM »
I have a few techniques to work out then I might make them for sale, the hard part is the even tensioning.

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #21 on: December 31, 2008, 01:58:51 PM »
Small question that you may already answering in a different post, why did you weld on the wires rather than do a tennis racket style continuous threaded wire?

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #22 on: December 31, 2008, 07:55:18 PM »
You could but then if ONE wire breaks you have to restring the entire thing. But mainly it's a matter of drilling really small holes into stainless steel which is pretty hard. I tried this at first and would probably prefer it but the bits kept breaking. Plus, have you ever seens someone restring a tennis racket? Trust me it's an art form all its own, trying to kep all switchbacks taught is a job.

chilipepper

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #23 on: January 02, 2009, 05:06:53 PM »
So what about using something like this: Stainless Wire Mesh http://www.twpinc.com/twpinc/control/product/~category_id=TWPCAT_14/~product_id=002X002WT0216W48T

You would still have the trouble of making a frame of some sort but the tedious work of stretching and spacing seems to be taken care of.  Price is not bad at $5/square foot (however there is a $75 minimum).  You would get both the vert. and horiz. cuts at once....

Or is there something I'm missing by utilizing a mesh like that for a knife. Most of the designs have one cut isolated from the other.  Does the curd not like to squish through little squares?

BTW, Cartierusm, that is impressive work once again! well and again with the modified v.2.0!

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #24 on: January 02, 2009, 05:43:15 PM »
I'm not sure. It could be the squishing. It also could be the same, what if a wire breaks? Could be a sanitary thing, what if stuff can get inbetween where the wires cross. If I can find it locally I might try it. That's a good question, good work Chili.

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #25 on: January 02, 2009, 07:21:39 PM »
Chili, I emailed the guy at Dairy Fab and asked him this question and he said the only concern he would have is what I said, the sanitary issue. Particles of crap getting in there. The problem with the old style, as I made, is tentioning the wires is almost impossible. I won't go into the specifics but I do retention them after soldering them on, working my way back and forth, anyway, it's very difficult as the frame bends a little each time. What I like about the mesh idea is that I don't have to cut 120 individual wires, they will always be tentioned to each other. The work then is easy. So I will come up with a price and take pre orders for the finished product and then make a test piece. I need to take pre orders as you said it's a $75 minimum order, the probelm is I talked to the company, it's $75 minumum on each pieces and I would need 1/4" and 1/2". I do have some recipes that call for 3/8" but I think that's over kill, 1/2" would work fine.

For those of you reading this I will reply to this post in a few minutes and give a price for curds knives of a certain size and will go from there as a general idea of price cost. I will repost this in the selling area, please respond to that area for a preorder and give the size you need, size of the frame and size of the mesh either 1/2" or 1/4". I've been manufactuering items my entire life so believe me when I say to take a ton of measurements to make sure the final product will fit into your vat. I always subtract 1/2" from each side to make sure the cutter goes through easy and doesn't bind. It doesn't need to fit perfect. Plus it probably won't cost more to have it extra tall, that way if you go to bigger batches you can use it for that. They will have SS handles if you want.

chilipepper

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #26 on: January 02, 2009, 09:07:16 PM »
Cartierusm, what you've got going really sounds good. I can certainly understand your pain in individually tensioning each of those wires and then the stress on the frame makes it a serious task!

I can certainly understand the sanitization issue with the wire mesh and see where one might have to take some extra care when cleaning, sanitizing and storing.  I see that they do 'sell' samples for $8 each.  I guess that could be a good way to really analize the quality and usability before committing to the $75 order (or $150 for the 2 sizes).

I do agree that having the 2 sizes would be good and possibly the 3/8 inch might be nice but possible overkill.  However, if you do make and sell these, there may be some that would rather just compromise on the 3/8th inch and get one rather than buying the 2.  You may end up buying some 3/8th inch anyway. 

Did you speek to anyone at the TWP company?  I would also be somewhat interested if these are 'food grade' or if they use a sanitized weld to join those wires.  As for the sanitizing issue for the end user, if you have a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle that would probably cover you.  Unless your knife ends up larger that the dishwasher can handle! :)

Anyway, great info and if you would like someone to help 'beta' test I'd be very interested! Plus it would save me from having to brunt a minimum order and the R&D myself.  ;D ;D

chilipepper

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #27 on: January 02, 2009, 09:38:54 PM »
One other quick thought about the sanitization is that how would the sanitization issue be much different than they typical mesh strainer??

Offline Cartierusm

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,874
  • Cheeses: 21
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #28 on: January 02, 2009, 10:39:39 PM »
Sanitation wouldn't be an issue if you have a bucket of Star San to dunk it in or if you have a dish washer.

Here is what I came up with. Normally a set of 2 professional curd knives 24" x 36" are $2000. I'm only going to charge $1000. Who wants one? LOL Just kidding.

For the Dedicated Amateur #1: (cough under my breath "wayne")
1/2" Squares (.478") 316 Food Grade Sanitary Stainless Steel. 12" wide by 22" high. With angled Stainless Steel Handle. $100.00 does not include shipping.

For the Dedicated Amateur #2:
1/2" Squares (.478") 316 Food Grade Sanitary Stainless Steel. 6" wide by 22" high. With angled Stainless Steel Handle. $90.00 does not include shipping.

For the Home User:
1/2" Squares (.478") 316 Food Grade Sanitary Stainless Steel. 5" wide by 12" high. With angled Stainless Steel Handle. $85.00 does not include shipping.

A lot of this is just for the materials besides the mesh itself. There is a lot of construction in it as well. And even though the smaller ones use less material it still takes the same amount of time to construct. These Prices are only for Cheeseforum members that have joined up until today's date. These are labor intensive so I'm just making these at this price for the current members. I'm going to try to sell some to the online cheese making supply stores and those will retail for about $200 - $300 or so. Not sure yet on pricing.

Custom Sizes available but I recommend Pro Model #2 as it will be more versatile and easier to handle. If you notice online videos of cheese making they don't use a curd knife as big as their vats. The move the knife around until they get all the curds.

I will provide clear written instruction on how to use and care for as well as a warranty. I will also have an online video showing how to use it effectively.

I'm looking to manufacturing Cheese Presses for home and professional, hoops for cheese molding with customized followers.

*****ATTENTION I didn't join this board to make money or sell any of my items, it just came about because people were asking. I plan on being a contributing member of this forum as long as I'm making cheese. I don't want people to think I've had an ulterior motive. Work for me right now is so slow I'm on the verge of going broke. So it's something to do and make a little money. I also have honestly priced these items WAY below what I would charge the public.

I will repost this in the selling section, John (CH) if I have violated any rule let me know and I'll stop posting stuff for sale. Thanks.

wharris

  • Guest
Re: Curd Cutter - Carter's Build
« Reply #29 on: January 03, 2009, 02:52:29 AM »
I am going to wait to settle on a vat, then create my own custom cheese knives.


The thing with these knives are that depending on the cheese, you may need differently spaced knives. 

So,  I can see making both a 1/2" knife,  and a  1/4" knife.

Either way,  i will be going with the turnbuckle approach when I make mine.  This is for two reasons.

1> I can keep the SS wire tight
2> I do not need to weld. (I have no welder.)