23 gallon batch of Cheddar

[TroyG]

Here are a few pics of my cheddar this weekend. Did 23 gallons into two 10 pound Kadova molds.

I went up to 40 psi just to see what happens.  I will take the next one to 60psi.

[TroyG]

So if my mold has a diameter of 10" I am looking at 78.539 square inches correct? Which mean 40psi = 3,141 pounds? That cannot be right.

[Alex]

That's correct Troy!
What bothers you?

[Michael_A]

Troy,

The 40 psi is working on the area of the piston in your air cylinder, assuming your gauge is showing the air pressure you are applying to the cylinder.  That force would be 40 psi x area of the piston (calculation 1, answer is pounds force).  That force is then transferred to the follower in the mold.  The force in psi on the follower would be (the answer of calculation 1)/78.539 sq. in.  I think that's right, my math skill are a little hazy.

M

[FarmerJd]

Michael is right and this is what I was wondering in another thread you posted, Troy. I started posting there and got distracted and forgot about it.


If you are just reading the psi to your air cylinder you still have some math to do. You need to know the area of your piston in the cylinder. They look like 3" cylinders from the pic. If so, the area of the piston is 7.65 sq in. At 40psi, your cylinder is exerting a force of 306lbs (40x7.65). This means the psi on the cheese is 306 / 78.5 = 3.9 psi.


About the best your piston can do is probably around 12-15 psi on this hoop assuming 120-150 psi coming to the piston. I may have the cylinder size wrong so let me know if I need to refigure it or if something I typed doesn't add up. It would be good for you to have a spreadsheet with the values for each hoop size you use. I don't mind helping if needed. I hope that makes sense.

[TroyG]

Okay that sounds better. I could not see how I was getting that much pressure on there. I will measure the cylinders and post it up here.

I think they are about 3" in diameter and 8" tall.