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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => EQUIPMENT - Forming Cheese => Topic started by: Annie on June 11, 2012, 04:26:47 PM

Title: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Annie on June 11, 2012, 04:26:47 PM
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: (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1751.0;attach=11475;image)

(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!
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: hoeklijn on June 11, 2012, 05:37:01 PM
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.
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Annie on June 11, 2012, 08:35:43 PM
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 :)
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Val on October 22, 2013, 03:17:41 PM
I like the press in the picture above and understand the math to make it.  What I want to know is if I had this type of press could I make it double barrel and would the weight applied be the same for both cheeses?  Or would I have to double the weight?

Val
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Sailor Con Queso on October 22, 2013, 03:25:29 PM
By double barrel, if you mean two molds side by side, then yes, you have to double your weight. Half of the weight goes to one wheel and half goes to the other. If you stack the molds on top of each other, then you just use the same weight that you would use for a single wheel.
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Val on October 22, 2013, 03:28:44 PM
OK thanks for the info :)  But..... wouldn't the cheese on the top add to the weight the cheese on the bottom has?  :-\

Val
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Sailor Con Queso on October 22, 2013, 03:40:47 PM
No. Think of 2 molds on top of each other as 1 extra tall mold. Or think about 2 large wet sponges on top of each other. If you place a brick on the top sponge, both sponges will compress and expel water at the same rate. It all equals out. Commercial producers press stacked molds all the time. We have had many discussions here on the Forum about the physics involved.

If you want to press 2 wheels side by side, you don't need a "double barrel" press. Just place a board across the top of the 2 molds and press on the center of the board.
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Val on October 22, 2013, 04:42:49 PM
Great!!  Do I still need to double the weight?  like if I am pressing 40lb do I need to use 80 if doing two side by side?

Sorry for all the questions  :-\

Val
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Spoons on October 22, 2013, 04:53:32 PM
Hi Val,

Yes. If you press 40lbs on 1 cheese, then you need to press 80lbs on 2 cheeses side-by-side. Nut you you only need to press 40lbs on 2 cheeses on top of each other.
Title: Re: I want to make Coffee Joe's Dutch cheese press
Post by: Val on October 22, 2013, 06:17:12 PM
Ok I got it now :)   Thanks Spoons and Sailor

Val