# Time for a new press



## grapeman (Sep 10, 2012)

As production keeps edging up at our vineyard, I find I spend too much time cranking on the double ratchet #45 press. Today I ordered a new bladder press in a size I hope will speed things up a bit and make life easier. I ordered a Lancman 250 liter press which is around 60 gallons- quite a bit larger than the 25 gallons of the #45 press.

Being a bladder press, it will be gentler on the seeds as well as pressing more completely in about one third of the time. It is also a lot easier hooking up a hose and turning a valve than it is to crank the ratchet handle for three hours per load.

Here is a picture of the press- all stainless steel and alloys.



Here is a description on the press.

_*European Juice Press w/ Basket Capacity of 250 Liters*_

These top-quality juice presses come from Slovenia. They are easy to use and efficient. Pour ground fruit into the press, close the cover and connect the press to your garden hose. Using household water pressure, the rubber bladder expands outward, pressing the fruit evenly against the inner surface of the basket. 

The pressure gauge allows for accurate monitoring during pressing. A pressure limiting valve allows for long, slow pressings. A pressure dump valve prevents over-pressurization.


*Note 1: *Tree fruit must be ground and grapes crushed and de-stemmed prior to pressing.


Basket, lid and carriage of stainless steel
2 fixed + 2 swiveling wheels for easy transport and maneuvering
Basket capacity: 250 liters (dry capacity). Holds 14 bu. apples
Pressing time: apples = 20 min., grapes = 50 min.
Estimated yield (apples): 65 gals. per hour (est. 2 pressings per hour, 2.5 gals. juice per bu.)
Dimensions: 35 in. x 35 in. x 61 in.
Empty weight: 242 lbs.
Max water pressure: 36 lbs.
Press tilts 90° for easy cleaning
Food grade rubber bladder has 5 year life expectancy (we stock replacement bladders)
Includes polypropylene pressing bag (sleeve)


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## Runningwolf (Sep 10, 2012)

Rich that's pretty exciting. Are you going to use water or air to fill the bladder? You might also want to consider using rice hulls with this press. 

WOW, she sure is purty!!!!


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## grapeman (Sep 10, 2012)

This one is only supposed to use water so that is what I will use. I also plan on using rice hulls like you suggest.


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## Runningwolf (Sep 10, 2012)

I like the way it tilts to dump. I think Mike is going to have to kick it up a notch to catch up to you now. I see some nice SS tanks next in your near future!


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## ibglowin (Sep 10, 2012)

Very nice! This will make life a little easier for sure during crush. Will you be able to get it in time for this years crush? Did you have to go very far to find him?


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## Runningwolf (Sep 10, 2012)

ibglowin said:


> Very nice! This will make life a little easier for sure during crush. Will you be able to get it in time for this years crush? Did you have to go very far to find* him*?


 Him????? it's a girl silly boy!


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## GreginND (Sep 11, 2012)

Well that's sure going to come in handy!


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## Wade E (Sep 11, 2012)

Very very nice!!!!!! That will surely take a load off your shoulders, literally.......


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## FTC Wines (Sep 11, 2012)

Will some please explain what the "rice hulls" would be used for. Thanks, Roy


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## rob (Sep 11, 2012)

Rice hulls main propose is to help retrieve more juice from the grape


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## BobF (Sep 11, 2012)

Very, very, very nice!

Congrats on a steadily growing business.


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## winemaker_3352 (Sep 11, 2012)

Nice Rich!!!

I would like to get a bladder press one day as well - need to save up some money though!!


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## FTC Wines (Sep 11, 2012)

Thanks Rob, I'll have to research that one. Roy


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## ffemt128 (Sep 11, 2012)

That is a sweet press. I can only dream about getting to the point where that was needed.


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## grapeman (Sep 13, 2012)

The new press arrived today in it's own shipping cage. It seems to be a pretty slick unit and will take it's maiden pressing tomorrow. I hope it is ready, because I have about 400 gallons to press tomorrow and Saturday. Then I will be getting serious after that.

I do need to make a minor fix to it. Part of the frame that controls how far the cage tilts is not rivetted well on both sides of it. I spoke with their tech support today and the guy said they had to fix another one before. Just drill out the rivets, clamp the unsecured peace together and put new rivets in it. That is an easy fix for us so we will do it to save the company sending a man a few hundred miles for 10 minutes work.

I will get some pictures and maybe a video soon of it in action.


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## Wade E (Sep 13, 2012)

They should hook you up with something for sending a shotty product out the door. Is there such thing as quality control and inspectors anymore? Hope it exceeds your expectations Rich!


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## ibglowin (Sep 13, 2012)

400 gallons is just a warmup huh!

Sounds like a great harvest. Wishing you all the best for a fantastic 2012 CRUSH!


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## robie (Sep 14, 2012)

ibglowin said:


> Sounds like a great harvest. Wishing you all the best for a fantastic 2012 CRUSH!



I agree! Glad you got that tasting room up and running last year; I know it and all the required licensing was a big effort. Wish you could sell your Marquette in Colorado; would love to try some. I've heard some good things about it.

And grape growers everywhere thank you for your contribution at the University. You have to know you are making a difference.


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## grapeman (Sep 14, 2012)

Well we got the press piece fixed today. We tried stainless steel rivets, but broke the rivet gun. Since the press was in pices and we needed to use it, we just put in regular ones today and will replace with stainless when we can.

Wade they told me they would give me a credit for the fix. The guy said they should have checked it before sending it to me, but I realize it was packaged so well from the factory they probably didn't want to. It was shipped in a custom steel cage surrounding the press on a pallet.

We had a bit of a learning curve. I hooked up the water, we filled the press with a half ton of crushed St Pepin and turned on the water after securing the cover. The press has an automatic pop-off relief when it hits 2.5 bars so what was to wory about. I cranked open the water valve and let er rip. The juice was really flowing and was super clear. All of a sudden my helper hollered shut it off! Must spurted out from under the cage and bounced up taking his hat off and showering him and the ceiling- probably only a couple cups- but what a surprise. After playing with the shutoff valve I realized it would pop off, but only after the cake (pressed grapes) get a bit more solid. Before then, you don't want over 1.5 bars or it will find every possible leak there is. By the end of the first press (which took an hour total to fill the press, press it and clean the press afterwards) we have it pretty well figured out.

I AM going to like this machine! We already have a juice sump built with a float valve to turn on and off the transfer pump for the pressed wine and juice.


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## GreginND (Sep 14, 2012)

Pictures or it didn't happen!


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## grapeman (Sep 14, 2012)

I did get pictures and even some video, but just too tired out after the long hard days while battling kidney stones at the same time. I'm getting a bit anemic from all the blood loss and the danged nurse I spoke with today said I need to wait until Tuesday for painkillers until my next doctors appointment........................The sonogram probe yesterday really hurt when the tech pushed on the kidney and that made the blood loss worse.


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## Runningwolf (Sep 14, 2012)

LMAO, you tell him Greg! 

Rich you want to add that water slowly which I'm sure you know. Depending how large your press is, after the first press we remove the lid, knock down the cake from the sides and fill 'er back up with more grapes instead of cleaning it out every time. Each load getting two presses (30psi and then 25 psi). Ours is quite old and pictured below.


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## Runningwolf (Sep 14, 2012)

grapeman said:


> I did get pictures and even some video, but just too tired out after the long hard days while battling kidney stones at the same time. I'm getting a bit anemic from all the blood loss and the danged nurse I spoke with today said I need to wait until Tuesday for painkillers until my next doctors appointment........................The sonogram probe yesterday really hurt when the tech pushed on the kidney and that made the blood loss worse.


 
WOW that's the pits! Been there done that. Hope you're feeling better soon.


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## GreginND (Sep 14, 2012)

grapeman said:


> I did get pictures and even some video, but just too tired out after the long hard days while battling kidney stones at the same time. I'm getting a bit anemic from all the blood loss and the danged nurse I spoke with today said I need to wait until Tuesday for painkillers until my next doctors appointment........................The sonogram probe yesterday really hurt when the tech pushed on the kidney and that made the blood loss worse.



Oh man. Take care. Hope you get that resolved quickly. Kidney stones really suck.


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## grapeman (Sep 14, 2012)

I'm sure it will be worked out in the end or at least at the end like they always have been. Getting too many to count now..... Batting about 1 in 4 to need removal by the doctor. One of the main reasons I bought the new press. The old ratchet press just beat me up too badly.


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## ibglowin (Sep 15, 2012)

Take care of yourself Rich!


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## Wade E (Sep 16, 2012)

Oh I feel your pain Rich. I used to get a lot of kidney stones when I was younger! I havent yad any in years now thank God. I stopped drinking a lot of milk and drink a lot of citrus juice to alleviate it and irs worked really good for me.


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## ceramicbrad (Nov 19, 2013)

*Lancman Press Apple Bushel Capacity seems wrong on Oesco website as of 11/19/2013*

Grapeman:


****
Hi I believe the bushel capacity is wrong as listed on the Oesco website for all models.(see http://www.oescoinc.com/orchard-nursery/lancman-water-presses/lancman-vspi-x250-water-operated-bladder-press.html
Take for example the 250L model...
1 bushel = 35.2 Liters. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_measure

or see the conversion:
http://www.traditionaloven.com/culinary-arts/volume/convert-liter-l-to-bushel-bu-us.html


Therefore, 250L/35.2L = 7 Bushels about half of what they post on their website...
I have emailed them but they have not responded yet..
My 90L bladder press only holds about 2.5 bushels of apples(crushed) and this makes sense: 90L/35L =2.5 Bushels
...
Brad Harper, Sparta, Wisconsin


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## grapeman (Nov 20, 2013)

I can't speak for the company so I don't know for sure, but I assume they are giving the capacity of bushels of fresh apples that can be added to the press after grinding. There is a lot of air space between the apples that will be eliminated upon grinding. In other words you could begin with 10 bushels of apples, grind them and have it all fit in the press. For example this year we took 20 bushels of apples and ground them. They easily fit in two pressings.


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## ceramicbrad (Nov 20, 2013)

*Dry Measure to Wet Measure*

10 bushels of crushed apples fit into the press? Perhaps there is a dry to wet conversion needed.That is interesting. What type of consistency do you have coming out of the crusher(scratter)? Better yet could you let me know what brand of crusher you use? Mine is an E.C. Krause stainless.http://www.eckraus.com/stainless-steel-fruit-crusher.html

I crushed about 10 bushels a few days ago and could only fit about 2.5 bu in my 90L Speidel press. Of course I did not try and jam them in the press. I will attach a photo of the size of the material after it was pressed. Note that the whole apples and some of the larger chunks were rejects not put in the crusher.


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## grapeman (Nov 21, 2013)

What might make a difference could be the fact that we let the crushed fruit macerate with some pectic enzyme and then some yeast for a few days. The resulting mash is then pressed out and fermentation continued. I think you might be asking for a concrete answer when there really isn't one for all situations. 

If you feel this is too small for your requirements, then look at larger more expensive alternatives.


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## AppleValley (Dec 5, 2013)

ceramicbrad said:


> Grapeman:
> 
> 
> ****
> ...



Brad, there is a fundamental problem with your logic and it is that you can't directly convert liters to bushels of apples. There are a lot of ways one could look at this but try thinking about it this way. It is certainly an approximation but the Federal standard for the weight of a bushel of apples is 48 lbs (http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/scales/bushels.html).

Now -- and again this is an approximation because it varies by state -- but a bushel box contains approx. 2150 cubic inches. Convert that to gallons and you come up with 9.3 US gallons. So, if you filled that bushel box with water it should hold 9.3 X 8.3lbs/gallon = 77+ lbs. Which is a lot more than 48 lbs.

What that tells you is that a bushel box of apples contains a lot of air -- both between the fruit and within the fruit.

When people talk about a bushel of apples it is generally accepted that they are talking about a bushel of WHOLE apples - not ground apples as you seem to be implying is the correct way to think about it. This is why you can't make the math work.


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