Author Topic: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?  (Read 6906 times)

Missy

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Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« on: January 25, 2009, 02:21:37 AM »
Where can I buy a good quality stainless steel cheese mold and follower?  I want to rig up a cheese press.

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2009, 02:27:57 AM »
Hello and welcome, I manufactuer cheese presses and such, not trying to promote myself or anything just want to know a few questions.

What size mold (diameter and height) and why do you want stainless as opposed to Plastic? Thanks.

Missy

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2009, 02:34:56 AM »
Hi.  I really do not like plastic touching food because of the chemicals.  Do you work at all with stainless steel?  I don't necessarily have any sizes in mind, but I was thinking it would need to be large enough to hold between 3-5 pounds of curds.  Do you have a website of your work?

Can you tell me if I making hard cheese like colby, should I only have holes at the bottom of the mold or are side holes okay too?

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2009, 03:02:01 AM »
My website is brand new and should be completely up and running by end of next week, but some stuff is on there now. My web address is at the bottom of this post, my signature.

As far as stainless to hold 3-5 pounds of curds I take it your making 3-5 gallon batches? Honestly the plastic I use and the other cheese making supply places use are fine, but if you want stainless you'll have to have a mold 8" diameter and 6" high. But then I use plastic, actually HDPE which is what cutting boards are made out of, for the bottom and follower. If you wanted everything out of Stainless it's going to be real expensive. If you PM me with what you want exactly, you can use the measurements I gave you here, and if you need a press I can quote you, but I don't want to promote myself in this open forum out of respect for my fellow cheesemakers.

As far as hole on the side or not to. It's a tough question, if you use cheese cloth then there's no reason not to have holes, if you, like me, hate cheese cloth, then I wouldn't have holes in the sides.

wharris

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2009, 03:11:25 AM »
Carterism is our local Stainless Steel expert. If he can't build it,  well, it can't be built. 
That being said, my 5 gallon batches of Cheddar yield about 5 lbs of cheese.

That is an 8in dia cheese about 3 in high. (after pressing.)
I would recommend a mould that is 8"X6" (DXH).
If you wanted a food grade plastic mould, I would recommend somthing like this:


Stainless Steel moulds or hoops are going to be significantly more expensive.  You might consider used equipment, or improvise with something like SS cake rings...

I have seen presses with SS moulds and followers,  but i have no opinion on those. 

Carter is our resident metalworker and i am sure he has lots of ideas here.

Missy

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2009, 04:16:01 AM »
I found this one : http://www.caprinesupply.com/shop/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=513&category_id=a88879cd693b102666ef2eccfab21a38&ps_session=aa1cc3220f4af065fb70c4697969ecc5

But I can't figure out how the whey will drain if the mold is pressed down with 45 pounds of weight, how does the whey escape to the drip pan?  This mold appears to not have ends, is that okay to use?  Is the thingy with the one hole the follower then?  Sorry if these questions have obvious answers but this is my first time making hard cheese. 


Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2009, 04:30:58 AM »
Thanks Wayne, Missy everyone is here to learn, don't applogize for having questions..trust me, we are all in the s*** here.

Personally have no idea of how it drains...excellent find on the website. Give them a call on Monday and let us know or drop them an email. As far as the metal disc, I would say that is the follower, so maybe they have an end on it with holes. As far as price for a stainless steel mold, if it's really that thick of walls, it's a good price, cheaper than I could make it for. The only problem is you won't get 5 lbs. / 5 gallons into this, I don't think.

And I hate to bring this up, but the bigger the mold is the more weight it needs. Please search our site there are quite a few pages of Q & A on this subject and how to compensate. Then if you have questions by all mean let 'er rip.

Cheese Head

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2009, 05:01:04 AM »
Hi Missy and welcome to the forum.

Carter is great at making things and I hate to take away from any potential business, but I have noticed a stainless steel press on sale at eBay in US where I am (just search on "Cheese Press"), I have no idea how well it works, what grade of SS, and follower looks like plastic, but the seller does say they will ship worldwide to where ever you are located.

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Mold For Pressed Cheese - Where Buy Stainless Steel Ones?
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2009, 05:18:09 AM »
John, thaks for the consideration, but I'm not here posting to make sales, I was here first to learn more about cheesemaking and that's the way it'll stay. If I find a better deal I'll let people know.