Comments on: Inexpensive, homemade PVC cheese press

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:12:43 +0000

Cool design but when making hard cheese in a press using weights, how much weight is used for ‘maximum weight load’ when pressing cheese in its final stages?

Thanks
Mark

By: J Eisen

J Eisen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:40:16 +0000

I liked this design so much I made one myself. I have a number of barbell plates of varying weights from small 2 1/2 lb plates up to 25lb plates that fit inside the frame. I drilled a series of holes in the top cross bars where I can insert wooden “pins” to keep the plates, which come in various diameters, from being able to slide from the center balanced position. Works great!!

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:23:50 +0000

Nice design! I especially like the fact that I can use a 5 gal bucket in the weight holder, adding as much as 40lb of water. I am not in an area where garage sale weights are available (Costa Rica). Might possibly be able to put another gallon pail on top of the bucket lid for a bit more pressing power. I like the waterproof, easy to clean aspect – it can be put into a dishwashter, disassembled a bit.

By: ty

ty — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:23:40 +0000

A comment was made about food grade: your local health inspector will probably not let you use this in your commercial cheese manufacturing operation, but it is completely safe for home use. A study done at the university of Wisconsin studied PVC for use in home cheesemaking, and it passed HOME USE saftey with flying colors. Commercially, it does not work.

Glengarry Cheesemaking in canada has a hard-cheese mold that is based on the Kodova type molds, but instead of 100 – 250 bucks, it is 20, and includes a cloth liner. best deal I have found for a hard cheese type mold.

For soft molds, I bought cups that had a shape I liked, and a 7 dollar soldering iron, and burned the holes, less mess than drilling. and I know the cups are food grade.
A good plastic colander with LARGE holes works great to line with muslin and use as a mold, can even hold up to a light press, 20 – 30 pounds, I use a wood papertowel holder to line up Garage sale free weights.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:36:01 +0000

This looks like an improvement over the wooden press i use. I think sizeing it to friction fit an 8 inch tile top and bottom might fit my molds better, and the whole of it might fit into a 10 inch square cake pan to catch the whey. Let me know if you have figured a pole set-up for stacking the weights.

for cheep molds, check the plastic ware in your local thrift store for the cast-off innards of salad spinners, or other food grade square sided colanders.
thanks

By: Billy

Billy — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:56:27 +0000

were can I buy plastic moulds with followers with out a cost of both arms and legs I found one on the web , but lost address

By: jabbett

jabbett — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 23:38:11 +0000

Dennis– None of the parts in the press come into contact with food, so any PVC should do.

By: Dennis Patterson

Dennis Patterson — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 05:21:07 +0000

No one has mentioned if ALL materials used are food grade, pvc, etc. Diaden Enterprises
diaden@ihug.co.nz , has developed a food grade plastic, and stainless steel press that will press cheese, soft fruit, and herbal tinctures.
Cheers,
Dennis

By: craigP

craigP — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 17:02:02 +0000

Great idea. Simple but works good.
I plan to scale it down to use a 4″ mold only.
I may make several of them.

By: jabbett

jabbett — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 12:56:51 +0000

Joseph-- See my earlier post about getting consumer quantities of rennet from Kelley Supply.