# Used wine press and crusher.



## saddlebronze (Dec 20, 2011)

I got a lead on a used press and crusher. Since I am preparing to grow grapes next year, i did not want to pass up the chance to get a press and crusher since price is right. Question is, any watch outs on old presses and crushers? How important is de-stemming? I am only going to plant 25-30 vines, so volume won't be an issue. Thanks.!


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## ibglowin (Dec 20, 2011)

Manually de-steming is not a fun thing to do. A crusher only might make it easier to get rid of the stems but you will have to pull them out by hand and remove any stuck on grapes as well. As long as it works you should be able to clean it up and sanitize it properly for use.

Oh and trust me volume will be an issue. I de-stemmed 200lbs by hand last year and it took me 9 hours. Never again!


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## UBB (Dec 20, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Manually de-steming is not a fun thing to do. A crusher only might make it easier to get rid of the stems but you will have to pull them out by hand and remove any stuck on grapes as well. As long as it works you should be able to clean it up and sanitize it properly for use.
> 
> Oh and trust me volume will be an issue. *I de-stemmed 200lbs by hand last year and it took me 9 hours. Never again!*



so you'd recommend a crusher/destemmer?


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## grapeman (Dec 20, 2011)

Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ibglowin (Dec 20, 2011)

Yep, there is a reason you can find used "crushers" for cheap! Only 1/2 the work is done! 



UBB said:


> so you'd recommend a crusher/destemmer?


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## Rocky (Dec 20, 2011)

Saddlebronze, I don't want to burst your bubble, but if you are planting grapes next year, you will probably not be making wine from them until 2015. I believe it takes three good years to develop vines enough to produce wine grapes. Others on the forum may have different information. This is not to say you could not buy grapes and use your new equipment.


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## UBB (Dec 20, 2011)

Rocky said:


> Saddlebronze, I don't want to burst your bubble, but if you are planting grapes next year, you will probably not be making wine from them until 2015. I believe it takes three good years to develop vines enough to produce wine grapes. Others on the forum may have different information. This is not to say you could not buy grapes and use your new equipment.



Rocky is correct. My vines were planted in 2009 and I am only expecting a partial grape crop next fall. With that said, if you can score a sweet deal on equip you know you'll need then...............


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## buddy (Dec 20, 2011)

The old trick to destem your grapes after they have been crushed is to put the crushed grapes inside a plastic milk carton. The milk carton has holes in the bottom so it acts as a giant sieve. 
Once the grapes are in the carton give them a vigorous shaking with your hands and the grapes will fall through leaving most of the stems in the milk carton.
The few smaller stems that make it through the milk carton shouldn't be too much of a problem since some people like to leave 20% of the stems for the added tannin that they will give to the wine.


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## jdrum (Dec 20, 2011)

don't forget you can press a lot of other fruits with that press, don't get stuck just on grapes. start looking around for people with fruit trees, there a a lot of people who have apple trees that would love to split the crop for a few gals of juice. get the word out to frends that you have the press and you could have more stuff to ferment than you want.

jim


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## Runningwolf (Dec 20, 2011)

buddy said:


> The old trick to destem your grapes after they have been crushed is to put the crushed grapes inside a plastic milk carton. The milk carton has holes in the bottom so it acts as a giant sieve.
> Once the grapes are in the carton give them a vigorous shaking with your hands and the grapes will fall through leaving most of the stems in the milk carton.
> The few smaller stems that make it through the milk carton shouldn't be too much of a problem since some people like to leave 20% of the stems for the added tannin that they will give to the wine.



Buddy how many grapes are you pressing. It sounds like just a few pounds. I cannot imaging processing 500 to 2000 pounds through a gallon jug,


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## buddy (Dec 20, 2011)

Runningwolf said:


> Buddy how many grapes are you pressing. It sounds like just a few pounds. I cannot imaging processing 500 to 2000 pounds through a gallon jug,



Sorry after rereading my post I should have called it a plastic milk crate instead of a carton. Like these. 
http://www.google.ca/search?q=plast...ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=853


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## Runningwolf (Dec 20, 2011)

LOL Ok now that makes a big difference. Thanks for posting the tip!


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## joea132 (Dec 20, 2011)

Drive to M and M in Hartford and go drool over the amazing equipment they have. You can buy a painted crusher/destemmer for somewhere around 800 I think. The presses run around $350 to start I believe. Nobody ever said it was a cheap hobby!


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## ibglowin (Dec 21, 2011)

The Wine Makers Toy Store has the painted manual crusher destemmer on sale for $399.


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## timber (Dec 21, 2011)

Hey Joe,

That "Grifo Crusher/Destemmer" sure does look like a great (and handy) machine to have.

Simple, long lasting and efficient ... 

... nice.


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## rob (Dec 21, 2011)

I would check out Midwest wine supplies, they have the destemmer for 339.00 I have found in the past that they are usually a little cheper than everone else


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## saddlebronze (Dec 21, 2011)

Great trick with the milk crate! I have one left over from the college days from my LP's and was wondering what to do with it. (for you kids, LP's were those big plastic music thingys that had real cover art). BTW, the master plan is to do frozen juice this year (underway), convert to merchant grapes next year and then transition to my own when the vines are ready so I will need a press and crusher next year. hope to check them out today, for a couple of hundred bucks I probably cant go wrong. If they are junk, I will lowball the guy and use them for decoration.


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## Rocky (Dec 21, 2011)

_...hope to check them out today, for a couple of hundred bucks I probably cant go wrong. If they are junk, I will lowball the guy and use them for decoration._ 

You also better "hope" that he is not on this forum!


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## saddlebronze (Dec 21, 2011)

I think not. BTW, does anyone know how the de-stemmer part works? Is it just a large screen like a milk crate? I have never seen one, but I am a severe tinkerer and if it can be made up and added to the crusher, I would do that....


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## Rocky (Dec 21, 2011)

SB, here is a write up from a catalog:

Italian Crusher Destemmer - Manual, Painted 
WE270
This hand-cranked Crusher/Destemmer is perfect for the home winemaker processing small batches or is working in conjunction with friends who don't mind a little manual work! *As the unit is cranked, the grapes are pulled by the agitator into the aluminum rollers where first the grapes are crushed. Next, they fall into the stainless basket where a rotating shaft with spikes separates stems from grapes. The crushed and de-stemmed grapes then fall through the basket while simultaneously the stems are pushed out the end and into a refuse can.* All our units feature removable-to-clean stainless baskets (grates) where the grapes fall through after having been crushed.

Features:
1) Enamel coated body, bin, and agitator 
2) 304-Type Stainless Steel Basket (can be removed for easy cleaning)
3) Painted manual fly-wheel
4) Nylon Rollers
5) Output is speed is as fast as you can crank!
6) Grate slides out for easy cleaning
7) Deburred metal edges to reduce the chance of getting cut when handling
8) Super high-quality units made to MoreWine specifications by a small manufacturer in Italy 
9) Backed by our own three year parts warranty (unheard of for these type machines.) 
10) Replacement parts are available
48"Lx27"Hx20"W


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## ibglowin (Dec 21, 2011)

Here is a god pic of the operation. You can see the stems come out the side. This is a motorized version but the manual version works much the same. You just turn a big wheel on the side.


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## saddlebronze (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks for the description, I will have to look inside one and see if it is worth imitating, I like projects, but you know there are projects and then things that get to Be a project!


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