Apple Press Conditioning - How to?

[GreenCoyote]

Hello All,

I just saved an apple press from a barn scheduled for demo. It's in very good condition except the basin is slightly oxidized. I can't find a food safe paint to paint it with... That's OK... Maybe I can treat it with mineral oil?
Conditioning / maintenance suggestions?
Photos are attached...
Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

I'm not sure how to get the rust off, maybe steel wool and a good rinse? Then some mineral oil. I know barkeeper's friend works great on stainless, so maybe that would work for you as well.

 

[rowan57]

Awesome find


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[GreenCoyote]

Thanks! - I also found the apple grinder....

 

[wilserbrewer]

Power washer...done!

 

[GalvinBrew]

Use some coca cola and steel wool, that would probably do it!

 

[orangehero]

You can go at it with a wire brush in a drill, but then you still have to problem of exposed steel and you probably don't want to get mineral oil in the apple juice.

Easiest would be to get the whole thing sandblasted and repainted (ideally powdercoated) at a body shop.

 

[GreenCoyote]

Thanks...
I'm thinking that maybe I'll just paint it with regular paint. but when I use it, I'll lay a piece of plastic over the tub so the juice just runs over it... Although I'm not sure if plastic is any better then cured paint...Maybe it doesn't matter...

 

[rowan57]

You could use the hammerite straight to rust paint?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[gx37987]

I agree with the powder coat idea but it could get a little pricey, I have the same style of press and have the same bit of rust in the pan, what I do is give it a good cleaning just before I use it and after wipe it with some vegetable oil just like a cast iron frying pan.

 

[TeeJo]

There are a couple different ways to strip it, if you wish to do a total rebuild on it.

If you don't mind knocking it apart, you can derust with salt and Vinegar, Evaporust, or a couple other methods, like elecrolytic de-rusting.

Personally, I'd pressure wash the crap outta it, spray the wood with sanitizer, and a rattle can of cooking oil spray for the metal and store it. Grind some green apples and press them, and the acids in them will like as not clear the rust. Chuck that juice, eh.

TeeJo

 

[UpstateMike]

you can derust with salt and Vinegar

Not sure I can recommend using vinegar. I want to keep acetobacter as far away as possible from my cider.

 

[orangehero]

You do know white vinegar is distilled?

 

[GreenCoyote]

I like the idea of leaving it alone, and giving it a good cleaning before I use it... And a coat of oil between uses.... I'll probably paint the exterior just to keep it nice...
I went back to the house where I found this one, and there was another one in the basement, along with several barrels... Problem is that the house is going to be knocked down very soon (dumpsters already in front) and they started to just push dirt into the basement... not safe to crawl down there - I don't feel like having the house fall on me or something....

 

[UpstateMike]

You do know white vinegar is distilled?

Uh huh. But if I am going through the effort and expense of crushing and pressing my own cider (which I do every year) I am not willing to take the chance.

 

[TeeJo]

Salt and vinegar de-rusting involves dissolving as much salt as will, in household vinegar. You leave the metal parts fully submerged in the stuff (or an etch line forms that you can almost WATCH eat the clean metal!) until the rust is dissolved.

I would casually suggest that you would, among other things, have to be about nine kinds of slob, for there to be any traces of vinegar, let alone the acetobacter, on the bare metal, after washing it thoroughly in hot water, scrubbing it down, priming, and painting it.

To be clear, it is a process for treating rusty steel, not wood. Read up on the various de-rusting processes, if it matters, otherwise, ignore this process at your leisure.

I can think of a LOT of things that are a bigger concern. Like, washing one's hands, or keeping the chickens from helping themselves to the apple pulp!

TeeJo