New Dutch cheese press - how to set up the right pressing weights

[honeybee]

Hey

I have just got a brand new Dutch cheese press made for me and I thought I could put my kitchen scales in there and then set the weights but it only goes up to 5kg. Is there a way of trying to set the pressure? Not sure how to attach a photo?

[rsterne]

Bathroom scale?....That's what I used on my cheese press....

Bob

[honeybee]

The bathroom scales don't fit in where the basket sits

[Bantams]

Multiply your hanging weight by the arm length ratio.
Say the distance from the stamp to the fulcrum is 5" (A ) and the distance from the fulcrum to your hanging weight is 25" (B), then B/A = 5. Multiply your weight by 5. 
So if you hang a 6# weight, your press is at about 30#.

And while it helps to have a general idea of the weight used, most often it is best to adjust weight based off observation of the cheese. Don't follow instructions that specify a general weight without taking into account the diameter of the mold.
The goal is to start off lightly so the cheese can gradually lose whey, then increase the weight incrementally so that you maintain a steady seeping of whey for the first hour or so.  Also really depends on the type of cheese and how dry the curds are already. Press too firmly to start and you will essentially trap a bunch of whey within the curd because the rind has been overly pressed and whey cannot escape.
The exception would be cheeses/curds that are already salted, like a true milled curd cheddar.  Press heavily from the beginning.

[mikekchar]

I like how Bantams explains in 2 sentences what takes me pages to explain 

[honeybee]

Cool thanks for that reply. Just one question... what's the fulcrum..

[mikekchar]

Imagine a teeter totter

Code: [Select]


-------------
      ^

The fulcrum is the "^" in my diagram.  It's the point where the teeter totter rests.  The ends go up and down, but the fulcrum doesn't move -- it just rotates.

One of these presses is a bit like half of a teeter totter

Code: [Select]


  ------------ fulcrum
  |
  v
   
  ------------  this end goes up and down
  ^         |
  |         o    <--- weight
  |
  |
---------------  <--- stand

The amount of force is dependent upon the length of that top arm (from the fulcrum to where the weight hangs) and the amount of weight.

Edit:

I forgot to add the stamp

Code: [Select]

  |- A -|
  |---- B ---|
  ------------  this end goes up and down
  ^     |    |
  |     |    o    <--- weight
  |     |
  |    ---         <--- stamp
  |
---------------   <--- stand

One would think I have too much time... Or I'm procrastinating....  Hmmm...

[Mike Cross]

Multiply your hanging weight by the arm length ratio.
Say the distance from the stamp to the fulcrum is 5" (A ) and the distance from the fulcrum to your hanging weight is 25" (B), then B/A = 5. Multiply your weight by 5. 
So if you hang a 6# weight, your press is at about 30#.

Also, do not forget about the size of your mould.  If your mould has a 6" diameter, the above example presses the cheese at  1.06 psi.  If your mould has an 8" diameter, at only 0.60 psi, a huge, and significant, difference for using the same weight a the same arm length.

[rsterne]

It is also helpful to know how much force the arm, by itself, puts on the follower.... If you are using a 4 ft. long 2x4 that weighs 5 lbs, with the fulcrum only 6" from one end, will put about 20 lbs. of force on the follower, without any weight on the end.... 

Bob