Temperature control during pressing : seedling heat mats?

[Spoons]

I'm looking to improve my pressing methods by creating favorable ambient temperature around the mould. I had something this in mind: pressing inside a large storage container lined with thermo bubble wrap (the one used to insulate pipes) with  light bulb inside attached to a Johnson single stage temperature control thermometer.

But then came Sailor Con Queso's idea : Seedling mats... So Sailor, a few questions for you (or anyone else who've tried this) : would you like to share your thoughts on those? Are they effective? Some mats don't require thermostats. Are they reliable? effective?

And finally, have you thought of using those mats as heat source for your vat during cooking time?

[ArnaudForestier]

Thinking on this, too - so, Pav, or Sailor - care to opine, exactly what you do? 

<<Le bump>>.

[Sailor Con Queso]

I use them all the time. Just wrap loosely around your hoop and clip with a clothespin. Mine never get over around 82F. Not nearly enough heat to use for vat heating. Would take all day to heat a pot of milk.

[Scarlet Runner]

This might be off the wall- but I read in a Gardening mag a while ago that somebody uses those LCD rope lights  as seedling germination mats (apparently they put out enough heat).  Maybe a string of rope lights coiled around the hoop would work too?  i haven't looked into this enough to know whether this is cost-effective or not...or just plain effective!

[Sailor Con Queso]

The nice thing about the germination mats - they're waterproof, easy to clean, and easy to sanitize. I think rope lights would give off uneven heat.

[Scarlet Runner]

Yes- I think the germination mats are probably the way to go. How do you sanitize them- can you steam it, or douse it in a ~1% bleach solution?  I just decided last night to go with the germination mat and ordered one from amazon...

[Sailor Con Queso]

I use Star San but bleach will work. There is no direct contact with the cheese, so they don't have to be "sterile", just really clean.

[ArnaudForestier]

Sailor, I had presumed that though the mat is loosely wrapped around the hoop, it nevertheless is in contact with the hoop, at least in part; if in contact, had presumed the whey would be a transfer mechanism for any contamination, through the holes in the mould, and through the pool of draining whey on the bottom, for instance.  Is this not a correct assumption, so diligence should be taken to sanitize the mat?

[Sailor Con Queso]

I do Star San, so mine are pretty sanitized. The whey should not be "pooling" under the hoop so it needs to be drained off. That will eliminate most potential for contamination. Because there is positive pressure and the whey is flowing out of the hoop, the mat is considered "downstream" of the cheese by my inspectors.

[ArnaudForestier]

I do Star San, so mine are pretty sanitized. The whey should not be "pooling" under the hoop so it needs to be drained off. That will eliminate most potential for contamination. Because there is positive pressure and the whey is flowing out of the hoop, the mat is considered "downstream" of the cheese by my inspectors.

Thanks, Sailor.  I had thought of the outflow, just wasn't sure it was enough positive pressure to prevent some sort of issue at nucleation sites (e.g., envisioned the mat touching the mould, near an exit hole...so some whey would get stuck in an eddy, of sorts, and make for a trap).

Actually looking locally for a seedling mat - most seem to be around 9" x 20", not quite enough to wrap around my tomme mould fully.  I'm also thinking on just placing a couple of lights in range (not directly heating, just enough to warm the air)...something perhaps on like what I've seen and read (e.g., thermostatically controlled drying room, as seen in Jean Claude Le Jouen's book). 

The elegance and cost of your solution is appealing - hope to find something local, because....well, my first primer culture of MA4001 is about 5 hours into its ripening, and I will be making tomme this weekend.  Thanks for the virtual assistance!

[Sailor Con Queso]

I tried heating lights, but I feel that the heat is really uneven.

If you have seen pictures of my 6 station Dutch gang press this might make sense. What I do is clothespin several seeding mats together and go around the entire circumference of all 6 hoops with a big oval - like circling the wagons. I keep it loose to avoid overheating and hot spots.

If the mat doesn't go all the way around your hoop you are still getting a lot of coverage.

[ArnaudForestier]

Thanks, Sailor.  I tried to find a local source and struck out.  On the other hand, our kitchen rides right around 82-84 degrees - must be the warming of the oven?  I will press this first tomme on the counter overnight, and monitor pH drop.