Press Too Small - Recommendations?

[nikro000]

Hi, I am new to cheese making and made my first (hard) cheese a week ago. I pressed it with a can as a follower and paint cans as weights. To make my second cheese easier I bought a simple cheese press on ebay: a board on the bottom, a bar on top, side rods, a high cylindrical mold and a rod that screws a follower into the mold. My problem is - the mold is only 4 inches across and I didn't realize how small that is. The press came with a recipe for a 1 gallon milk cheese (probably bc the mold is only 4" across, BUT all my other hard cheese recipes are 2 gallon milk recipes. Here is my question: the mold is high, so I have no doubt I can fit the curds for a 2 gallon recipe into it. BUT the resulting cheese will be a wheel that is less wide and rather high (like the cylindrical mold). Is that in any way a problem when the cheese dries and ripens?

[stratocasterdave]

You'll be perfectly fine with a 2 gallon recipe.  Might be a little taller, yes.

[Boofer]

BUT the resulting cheese will be a wheel that is less wide and rather high (like the cylindrical mold). Is that in any way a problem when the cheese dries and ripens?

Here's an example and accompanying pics of Fourme d'Ambert which has a similar form factor.

-Boofer-

[BobE102330]

Can the press handle a different mold?  Lots of sources, including our own iratherfly. 

[nikro000]

You'll be perfectly fine with a 2 gallon recipe.  Might be a little taller, yes.

Thank you!

[nikro000]

BUT the resulting cheese will be a wheel that is less wide and rather high (like the cylindrical mold). Is that in any way a problem when the cheese dries and ripens?

Here's an example and accompanying pics of Fourme d'Ambert which has a similar form factor.

-Boofer-

Thank you for the example. I feel better about the press!

[nikro000]

Can the press handle a different mold?  Lots of sources, including our own iratherfly.

Unfortunately the siderods are too narrow to support a bigger mold and the follower is a perfect fit too.