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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => EQUIPMENT - Forming Cheese => Topic started by: Screaming Eagle on March 09, 2011, 09:08:05 PM

Title: Round bamboo cheese box for hoop?
Post by: Screaming Eagle on March 09, 2011, 09:08:05 PM
     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
Title: Re: Round bamboo cheese box for hoop?
Post by: Ken on March 09, 2011, 11:52:41 PM
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?
Title: Re: Round bamboo cheese box for hoop?
Post by: zenith1 on March 10, 2011, 12:11:53 AM
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.
Title: Re: Round bamboo cheese box for hoop?
Post by: Screaming Eagle on March 10, 2011, 08:38:16 PM
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?
Title: Re: Round bamboo cheese box for hoop?
Post by: windowater on March 10, 2011, 10:53:03 PM
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.