I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press

[Annie]

My cheese press makes me crazy--I have to undo the little wing nuts every time I want to change the cheese and the whole thing is kind of corroding... I feel bad because my husband fisrt made me one, and then bought me this one, but they're not really practical for several times a week cheesemaking, iyswim.

So I don't want to spend a lot of money, and while I have a basic knowledge of how to do things, I dont' know how to make wodden things I make look really nice, so I want to make this one:

(Oh, my! That image actually showed up!)

To be honest, I am very confused about all the discussion of weight and pulleys  What?!?!? a whole nother branch of science I have to learn? But overall...

1. do I have to use a 4" thick piece of wood for the base, or could I use a 2" thick piece?

2. he said the angle irons could be replaced by 2x4--could I use something not so thick?

3. Any possibility of using a hinge to attach the uprights so I could swing them back around underneath, with the weight arm tucked inside, for storage (this is not necessary, but would be very helpful ) (I guess that would take a huge hinge to do.)

Thanks very much!

[hoeklijn]

The science is not so hard: If the distance on the lever between hinge and the vertical "stamp" is e.g 2 inch and from the stamp to the point where the weight is attached is 10 inch, every pound will give a pressure on the stamp of 10/2 = 5 pounds. If you use a pulley like on the picture, you multiply that with the amount of strings, so 5x2 =10 pound. If you use a double pulley and three strings, it's 15 pounds.

[Annie]

The science is not so hard: If the distance on the lever between hinge and the vertical "stamp" is e.g 2 inch and from the stamp to the point where the weight is attached is 10 inch, every pound will give a pressure on the stamp of 10/2 = 5 pounds. If you use a pulley like on the picture, you multiply that with the amount of strings, so 5x2 =10 pound. If you use a double pulley and three strings, it's 15 pounds.

Wow! That is amazing! I have to think about this stuff...

Thanks very much for that siimple and clear explanation