# finished cheese press with instructions and pictur



## scotty (Dec 6, 2008)

Parts needed
2--- 12 12 1/2 in food grade cutting boards9 One for the upper and one for the base
1 food grade board((thin))tat will enable you to cot 1 4 inch and one 6 inch circle
2 36 in by 5/8 dowels cut in half to from 4 vertical guide posts
1--2 in schedule 40 PVC pipe cut to exactly 9 inches in length
1--4 in schedule 40 PVC pipe cut to exactly 9 inches in length
1--6 in schedule 40 PVC pipe cut to exactly 9 inches in length

Weights as needed. A pot of water will do it.

drill 4-- 5/8in holes in the base about 1 1/4 in in from each corner

Drill 4--11/16 holes in the top piece about 1 1/4 in from each corner
























I'm not a carpenter sorry


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## Rocky_Top (Dec 6, 2008)

Looks Great!! Just a thought? Keeping in mind that I have never seen a cheeze press!
#1 ) If you had a third boardon top or the large caseing with a hole the size of the smallest casing and holes for the dowels it might be more stable
#2 ) If you bolt (w/ss bolts) a low presure pvc cap to the top board that fits the smallest casing. (the low presure cap is flat on the end.)
#3 )If you had Wade's Router skills you could route a groove for the pvc to slide into on the boad. 


Second thought I am not sure how the hand gun is used in this project??



*Edited by: Rocky Top *


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## scotty (Dec 6, 2008)

Its actually stable its just crooked. My talent is with engines.
Try and steal my cheese and find out what the gun is for


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## JWMINNESOTA (Dec 6, 2008)

Looks good Scotty, the only thing I would recommend is some very fine holes in the press plates, to let whey escape when the curd is pressed. Good Job!


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## Rocky_Top (Dec 6, 2008)

I love cheeze. 
I think I'll steal my cheeze from some place else. 
See the gun was not fired and the crime was averted. (or deverted)


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 6, 2008)

Scotty...now you need to get a cow for fresh milk....


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## scotty (Dec 6, 2008)

JWMINNESOTA said:


> Looks good Scotty, the only thing I would recommend is some very fine holes in the press plates, to let whey escape when the curd is pressed. Good Job!



Do you mean the little round disks???


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## Wade E (Dec 6, 2008)

Is that a gun powder activated press?


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## JWMINNESOTA (Dec 6, 2008)

Yes, then you can simply tip it over to pour excess whey off, we actually use something very similar, only much bigger of course, and pull the excess out with vacuum. In the old days barrels were actually tipped on there sides to pour it out.You will control the moisture in your cheese by how much weight (pressure) you press with, that will determine how much whey comes out.The whey needs somewhere to go.


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## scotty (Dec 6, 2008)

JWMINNESOTA said:


> Yes, then you can simply tip it over to pour excess whey off, we actually use something very similar, only much bigger of course, and pull the excess out with vacuum. In the old days barrels were actually tipped on there sides to pour it out.You will control the moisture in your cheese by how much weight (pressure) you press with, that will determine how much whey comes out.The whey needs somewhere to go.




I thought that the whey would drain from the bottom


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## scotty (Dec 6, 2008)

wade said:


> Is that a gun powder activated press?



This is the south and florida to boot.

Most folks exercise the right. Both rocky and I have concealed carry permits


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## JWMINNESOTA (Dec 7, 2008)

Scotty, maybe at this small of scale, and depending on how much curd you are dealing with, and how tight your press plates fityou will have enough drainage, try it first to see.


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## scotty (Dec 7, 2008)

JWMINNESOTA said:


> Scotty, maybe at this small of scale, and depending on how much curd you are dealing with, and how tight your press plates fityou will have enough drainage, try it first to see.



i made the plates loose and they are rough around the edges just like me.

BTW I really appreciate the input. I never made cheese before.
I'll do a soft cheese or 2 first


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## rgecaprock (Dec 7, 2008)

*Scotty,*


*That looks pretty ingenious*.






*Ramona*


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## scotty (Dec 7, 2008)

Thanks

Its a shame that i cant cut or drill straight


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## PolishWineP (Dec 7, 2008)

Scotty, 
This is so cool! Bert and I were just talking about this last weekend!



Our son-in-law now knows someone with a dairy farm, so we may have a place to acquire fresh milk! We were discussing presses and containers on the whey home! Thank you for the pictures and supply list. And we promise, we would NEVER think of stealing your cheese.


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## Waldo (Dec 8, 2008)

Ahhhhhhh fresh cheeses with crackers, a glass of wine and a breeze blowing off Lake DeGray.....Can you picture that scotty ?


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## scotty (Dec 8, 2008)

Waldo said:


> Ahhhhhhh fresh cheeses with crackers, a glass of wine and a breeze blowing off Lake DeGray.....Can you picture that scotty ?



Well Waldo I can but better than that will be our DJDEBBIE GROUP along with you and a couple of folks from the FINEVINE WINES group.


My friends are all tickled about your santa video and also want to get you back for the turkey call sucker trick.


HMMMM SMOKED AND SEASONED WALDO


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## Waldo (Dec 8, 2008)

scotty
If I see anyone coming at me with an apple in their hand I may have to open me a can of "whoop ass"



*Edited by: Waldo *


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## grapeman (Dec 8, 2008)

I never have made cheese before. We used to make butter though. Mmmmm butter and crackers with wine - just doesn't sound as good as crackers and cheese with wine.


Let us know how the cheese comes out and if it's any gooda. If the pressing doesn't work well you can start a new cottage industy making cheese.


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## scotty (Dec 27, 2008)

*http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=making+butter&amp;search_type=&amp;aq=f


butter is on the short list

Here are you tube lessons. It's so simple


*


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## Okie1 (Dec 27, 2008)

Is the gun not there for making swiss cheese?


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## grapeman (Dec 27, 2008)

Scotty the butter thing is great. Nothing like fresh butter. Just be sure you at least lightly salt it or it won't be as tasty. 


If you want to really get into it, all you need is a small shed, some hay and a Guernsey or Jersey. They are high butterfat and yield a very nice golden colored butter. Then you even have skim milk. Just remember they need milking at least twice a day- 7 days a week, about 10 months out of the year! As an added bonus you will get plenty of fertilizer. When old Betsy gets too old, then you can have plenty of briskets and round steaks, lots of hamburger and plenty of t-bones!


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## scotty (Dec 27, 2008)

Buzz off appleman-- I cant stand dogs droppings.
Moooooooooooooooo BANG BANG


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## Waldo (Dec 27, 2008)

"Milkers, hit the floor" was the sound me and my 3 brothers heard every morning at 5am. Two of us would hit the floor, while one chunked up the fire in the fireplace ( during the winter) the other would get a fire going in Moms cookstove and then it was off to the barn to milk the two cows we had. It was always with the cats in tow, just meowing, knowing they were going to get some fresh milk. Albeit sprayed in their faces, fresh from thje teat they still loved it. After the milking it was bak to the house with the buckets and time to strain it through cheesecloth into the gallon glass jugs. There it set while the cream rose and from there to the churn and transformed into butter......on fresh hot biscuits...with homeade jams and jellies.........ahhhhhh what memories !!! Thanks for reviving them appleman


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jan 8, 2009)

How's the cheese adventure coming Scotty? Just cut open a small round of Wine infused Ched I made a few weeks back. A little age and it should be a good one!


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## scotty (Jan 9, 2009)

Boy that che



ese looks good

I'm waiting for the 24th of this month when we are having a driveway BBQ and my friend nick is bringing the cheese press back to me. It was too crooked for my liking so i asked a talented friend to make a few adjustments.
We are keeping ourselves busy with brining a pork loin to turn it into a boiled ham and we are curing another loin to turn it into a buckboard bacon.

Someone gave me a king Arthur sour dough kit and i have made a few loaves this month. Also i have been spreading the starter culture to anyone who wants it.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?select=C74&amp;byCategory=C89&amp;id=8999


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## jobe05 (Jan 10, 2009)

I have tried sour dough starters and just can't seem to keep them going. I just don't have the time to spend with them, but would love to.

The cheese looks great JW. I'll have to break my press out again......... I'm feeling the itch!


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## Dean (Jan 11, 2009)

Jobe, until a sourdough starter gets quite old and adapted to your area, the only way to keep them going is to bake bread daily. After they are well established, you can put them to sleep in the fridge, but you have to wake them up at least once a month to keep them going, or you can always freeze a bit of it too.

If you make a starter on your own, it's best to use organic rye flour to start, as rye has the most active natural yeast all over it. I've actually had some that I had to get rid of because they became too sour. Too much lactobacillus in it. That one was a slow riser too. I've had cultures that would rise in 2 hours, and other that would take 8 hours to rise. Sourdough is really a beast you must keep feeding. Think of it like a pet.


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## jobe05 (Jan 11, 2009)

Feeding it is the problem. Every day your suppose yo dump 1/2 and feed the remaining starter. You di this for a week or 2 ??? I forgot the exact directions. Right now with the new company going, I just don't have the time to watch it....................

Speaking of Pets..................


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