Time for a new press

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grapeman

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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)

lancman-vspix250.jpg
 
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!!!!
 
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!
 
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?
 
Very very nice!!!!!! That will surely take a load off your shoulders, literally.......
 
Rice hulls main propose is to help retrieve more juice from the grape
 
Very, very, very nice!

Congrats on a steadily growing business.
 
Nice Rich!!!

I would like to get a bladder press one day as well - need to save up some money though!!
 
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.
 
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!
 
400 gallons is just a warmup huh!

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