Round bamboo cheese box for hoop?

[Screaming Eagle]

     I've got two round boxes made of bamboo? that were used to ship cheese bricks.  Thin flexible wood tacked together.  I'm wondering if they could be used in place of cheese hoops or if the hoops have to be metal.

Thanks

[Ken]

I would think that if they are sturdy enough it would be ok. They never used metal in the good ol' days. I say go for it. What are the dimensions?

[zenith1]

My two concerns would be that they would not stand up to the pressures that are commonly used(unless you are doing say a blue that is unpressed), and how do you clean them between makes so you don't wind up with all kinds of contamination.

[Screaming Eagle]

Keith,  Good question about the cleaning.  I'd planned on using them for aging.  I'm making a few simple presses now.

Ken,  It's probably 9" or so in diameter and 4" or so deep.  I think they're sturdy enough.

Any suggestions for homemade hoops?  Get the jigsaw out and go to work?  I guess they wouldn't have to be round, eh?

[windowater]

I've made a couple out of used straight sided 2 liter pop bottles.  They are only about 4" across and I've only used them for blues.  Easy to poke holes with a hot nail for drainage.  Don't know how much pressure they would take but might be worth a try.