# Quirky and quickie fruit presses



## jswordy (Jul 18, 2013)

Rather than further hijack Lon's thread "First Time Pressing Fruit," I'll start one off for quirky and quickie presses that have been crafted by WMT members. 

Please post yours here so we all can see your creation.


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## berrycrush (Jul 18, 2013)

Here is my $20 quicky wine press:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157634694965242/

nothing fancy, but it works...


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## JohnT (Jul 18, 2013)

They always has one at the Georgia Mountain Fair. 

This was a trough dug out of the center of a log. 

two small fences with fly-screen slipped into the trough to form the "basket" at one end. 

a thick board covered the "basket" and a couple of blocks were placed on top of the board. 

A mason plank (chained to one end of the log) was positioned over the blocks and then used as a lever. 

Amazing just how well this worked. I wish I had a picture. I will be going there in a couple of weeks, if they are there I will post a picture.


So the cost.. 1 log (free) several blocks (free) some fencing and screen (scavanged), a length of chain ($3) and a mason plank (found laying about). 

Total cost $3.


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## Boatboy24 (Jul 18, 2013)

I can't take credit for the idea, but I think I just might use it in the fall:



GreginND said:


> Actually a paint straining bag and a sanitized mop wringer works pretty good in a pinch.


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## wood1954 (Jul 18, 2013)

Here's what i did, not too quirky , but it was quick and cheap to build. 4x4s and 2x4s and OSB glued and screwed together, it creaks a little but hasn't broke yet.


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## Winofarmer (Jul 18, 2013)

Boatboy24 said:


> I can't take credit for the idea, but I think I just might use it in the fall:



Whish I had seen this last year when I was given 75 lbs of grapes that I crushed all by hand...



wood1954 said:


> Here's what i did, not too quirky , but it was quick and cheap to build. 4x4s and 2x4s and OSB glued and screwed together, it creaks a little but hasn't broke yet.



Mine creeked and cracked a little on the first run I think it may be normal...


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## jamesngalveston (Jul 18, 2013)

i did something the same as wood1954, but i love the mop bucket idea.


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## ThePlantGuy978 (Jul 19, 2013)

Great ideas!!!


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## csmithbass (Jul 27, 2013)

*Berry/stone fruit press*

So I used this one on my recent plum wine, although i had originally designed it for blackberries. I successfully pressed about 30lbs of plums, with the only snag being seeds getting caught between my plunger and my bucket walls. The seeds caused my plunger to unscrew itself when i tried to back it off, so I grabbed my sanitized paddle, that i use for mixing must/wine, and simply slipped it in between the plunger and bucket wall to knock seeds back down.

Cost was ~$20 from the big orange hardware store
Supplies: 2x4 stud, 1/4"? plywood (more than i needed), 1/2" threaded rod w/ hexbolts/locking washers (got these from a pack of 6)

I started with measuring my bucket diameter and height. Don't forget to at somepoint drill holes in the bottom of your bucket for juices/pulp to drain.

Built a rectangle-frame to go around it and drilled a hole in the center/top for my threaded rod. I glued a nut in place, but it pulled out during my first run, so I clamped a second 2x4(scrap from my project) with a hole drilled for the rod. Thus keeping my nut 'secured' to the frame [note my last photo vs. previous 'complete' photos]. 
I also measured and added small chunks of wood to the inside of frame, so that I could clamp and secure bucket; thus avoiding spinning.

Cut two circles from the plywood, at the approximate diameter of the bottom of my bucket. Cut a hole in the center of one for a nut. Bracketed and glued them together and hammered/glued a nut into the one w/ hole. A locking washer did with second bolt, back tightened down, did a decent job holding it to the threaded rod. Glue did not pull loose like in my frame.

Attach a 3/4" hex-socket to your ratcheting socket-wrench and viola. Pressin' time!


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## LoveTheWine (Jul 27, 2013)

Also not-so-quirky
Only took a few hours to make and pretty cheap too!
Works for apples and grapes.


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## RotGut76 (Oct 20, 2013)

Here's mine. Less than $20.









I still have to modify it a little bit but it came out alright.


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## RegionRat (Oct 20, 2013)

berrycrush said:


> Here is my $20 quicky wine press:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157634694965242/
> 
> nothing fancy, but it works...



I like it.

_"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." - Archimedes _

RR


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## Logwerx (Oct 20, 2013)

Here is mine, first use this year.


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## jswordy (Oct 21, 2013)

Keep 'em coming. These are great ideas, and I need to build one.


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## Kraffty (Oct 21, 2013)

Mine looks similar, probably since I stole my ideas from this site. I used the bench screw from Grizzly at about 30.00 and had to buy all the wood just for this so my total was about 50.00. Used it for the first time yesterday on about 40lbs of red grapes. Used it to crush the grape as a test and it worked great. Plan on actually pressing about 150lbs of white grapes next weekend, we'll see how that works out.
Mike


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## wineforfun (Oct 21, 2013)

RotGut76 said:


> Here's mine. Less than $20.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Where exactly is your juice going?


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## RotGut76 (Oct 21, 2013)

wineforfun said:


> Where exactly is your juice going?



Oops! I didn't post a picture the finished product. I'll snap some later.

I have a plastic tub with a spout that slips under the bucket. When its up off the ground the juice flows from that to another bucket.

I also modified the top so the bolt stays still while cranked.


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## wineforfun (Oct 21, 2013)

RotGut76 said:


> Oops! I didn't post a picture the finished product. I'll snap some later.
> 
> I have a plastic tub with a spout that slips under the bucket. When its up off the ground the juice flows from that to another bucket.
> 
> I also modified the top so the bolt stays still while cranked.



That would be great thanks. I have seen a setup like this on the internet, just curious to see if yours is the same or different.


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## tatd69 (Oct 21, 2013)

Wow I must say I have seen some great ideas.


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## geek (Oct 27, 2013)

Boatboy24 said:


> I can't take credit for the idea, but I think I just might use it in the fall:



Jim, did you press? If so how? I'm thinking about going to Walmart and checking this mop thing....for now.

No way I am going to effectively press by hands, I gotta find another way for these 3 lugs.


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## Boatboy24 (Oct 27, 2013)

geek said:


> Jim, did you press? If so how? I'm thinking about going to Walmart and checking this mop thing....for now.
> 
> No way I am going to effectively press by hands, I gotta find another way for these 3 lugs.



I was fortunate to find a good deal on a press very close by back in August. So I jumped on it. I was all ready to use the mop bucket though.


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## Wade E (Oct 28, 2013)

Here is the 1 I built years back awhile back.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f3/homemade-fruit-press-plans-7900/


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## geek (Oct 28, 2013)

Hey Wade, since we're in town I wonder if I can pay you a fee to use it at your place.

This week I don't have much time to start building something.

This is only 3 lugs I have. I started with 3 lugs as I want to do an experiment of the whole process and then get ready next year and buy/make my own stuff.

I pitched yeast Friday night so I think I may be ready to press by this Friday.

Thanks..


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## jswordy (Nov 2, 2013)

Hope it worked out for you. For others who do not have a press, put your grapes in a 5-gallon paint straining bag, tie the top to a dowel or stick, put it in a bucket, and start twisting. Not as good as a press, but it does work. If you go too far the bag will burst, so slow and easy is the ticket.


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