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Hey Folks
I was a member here years ago my old username was Bill from Vancouver.  I had just started the cheese making then and unfortunately am still pretty much at the same stage of cheese making. A bout with leukemia and subsequent issues including a hip replacement (another due in August 2018) changed my priorities a bit. I have collected a few cheese making supplies and built myself two cheese presses one being a dutch style that still confuses me when I try to calculate the actual weight being delivered to the cheese, hopefully some more time in the forum will clear that up for me. I have no sources for any real "exotic" milk but there are retail stores with raw cow and goat milk available so my efforts will be focused on pretty basic stuff for awhile. I have purchased a commercial food warmer and hotel pans (11qt &21qt) to use as a cheese vat, my intention is to control the temps in a water bath with a PID controller and a solid state relay but am still researching those to find equip. that functions well but won't break the bank.
Hope everyone has a great day!
By The Way I'm in Vancouver Washington USA

Welcome back Bill. The weight from the press is easiest to figgure out by using a bathroom scale in place of the cheese with your weight hanging on the press. Have you considered a Sous Vide for your heater and control all in one? Some good posts on using them lately

LOL...I destroyed our scale years back testing this thing I guess I know its working ay? And yes I have looked at Sous Vide pumps but am drawn to the PID idea mostly because its more of a project and I do love to solder

LOL that's awesome busting that scale. Just picturing the press settling down on it and the scale giving way. I caint blame you on the make it yourself plan, I like to solder too. Currntly my setup is a pot on the side of a 100 year old wood stove and a big fan of water if things get too warm. I've had good luck with it so far surprisingly but a Pid and relay would be better likely.