Will I need my disposal with a new press?

[tstorm]

Hey all -

My current cider setup includes a crusher (this one) which I've motorized. I pass the crushed apple through a garbage disposal and into a homemade basket press (similar to this one, though I think mine's a bit larger as I get about 3-4 gallons from each batch.) I've experimented with skipping the garbage disposal step and found I get about half of the yield, which I attribute to not being able to get very much pressure in my homemade press.

I'm considering upgrading to a Lancman bladder press (like this). My question is this - would this press give me enough pressure to be able to skip the garbage disposal, and go straight from the apple crusher to the press? Or will I still find that the press can't give me good yields from the rough crush? The disposal is so painfully slow and I want so badly to get rid of it...

Thanks in advance!

My current crusher:

A press somewhat like mine:

A Lancman bladder press:

 

[gregbathurst]

I have a lancman, you will still need fine pomace. If you go to the expense of a water press you should get a decent apple mill.

 

[WVMJ]

The difference in yield is due to the difference in the finess of your pulp not the press. Is your apple crusher a real apple crusher or is it made for something else? It looks like it has some adjustments on the side, can you adjust it to make a finer grind? WVMJ

 

[tstorm]

Thanks for the responses - what apple mill do you guys recommend, with a Lancman bladder press in mind?

The crusher is made for apples. It's by a company in New York called Raw Rutes (http://www.rawrutes.com/collections/juicing/products/apple-crusher). As far as I can tell the distance between the roller and the wall can't be adjusted, the only adjustable part is the chute on the bottom.

 

[WVMJ]

What does the little black knob do? If it can adjust the distance between the blades and the wall the apples are pressed against you might be able tomake the grind smaller. You really want to do just one round of crushing otherwise you are really going to oxidize everything with the double handling. WVMJ

 

[gregbathurst]

Proper apple mills are all stainless steel, I don't know what models are available in the USA. I use a garden shredder which works quite well but I have to keep repainting the internal parts because they are mild steel, the paint stops the steel reacting with the juice. You need a model that is well made and easy to take apart for cleaning. It should be easy to get one secondhand on craigslist.
If you buy claude jolicoeur's book he has instructions for a home-made scratter, these are a good option made from timber but require some skill to make.

 

[tstorm]

The black knob on the bottom adjusts the chute that guides the "pomace" (if you can call it that as coarse as it is). It can scoot forward or backward, or even removed to let the pomace fall straight down (which is how I use it).

This thing is all stainless, which is why I splurged on it. Unfortunately the pomace is unacceptably coarse... really hoping it's not wasted money, though I'm thinking it is.

I have Claude's book and it's fantastic, though I don't have the tools (specifically a lathe) needed to build a mill myself. So, I'm open to recommendations. How's the Spiedel one?

 

[gregbathurst]

you might be best to try cider workshop

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/cider-workshop

for reviews of the speidel, but I understand it works well.

 

[chevalcider]

I hi-jacked a garbage disposal thread a few weeks ago with video of my Jolicoeur inspired grinder. I don't have his book. I based mine off of what I saw in the pictures and video that he posted online. I feel that this conversation has sufficiently deviated from the OP that I can post without feeling I'm crashing someone's party!

I don't feel that I have all that much skill, perhaps more than average. I built mine without the use of a lathe. I just used a router mounted above and spun the disk by hand (after it was mounted in the bearings) to get a rough shape. Then I connected to a drive motor and used a chisel to true it up. Most everything was built from scrap I had in my garage or was able to scrounge in the community. I have a few changes in mind, namely a guard that will prevent the belt and pulleys from eating my crotch.


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPBp-dZG5f4[/ame]

 

[tstorm]

That's very nice! The pomace you're getting is a bit finer than I get out of my stainless steel crusher, though not quite as fine as what I get when I pass that crushed apple through the garbage disposal. But for the simplicity of a single step, I might be willing to accept a slight reduction in yield. How fast is the scrapper spinning? By the looks of it I'm guessing you only have a 50% reduction, so ~600 RPM. Is that too fast?

How much would you charge to build me one?

 

[chevalcider]

That's very nice! The pomace you're getting is a bit finer than I get out of my stainless steel crusher, though not quite as fine as what I get when I pass that crushed apple through the garbage disposal. But for the simplicity of a single step, I might be willing to accept a slight reduction in yield. How fast is the scrapper spinning? By the looks of it I'm guessing you only have a 50% reduction, so ~600 RPM. Is that too fast?

How much would you charge to build me one?

People in the know would say that the pomace I am getting is too fine for decent yield. I'd estimate I'm getting somewhere around 65-70% on most apples.

I'm sorry, I don't have specs in front of me right now. I figured out my RPM last fall as well as cuts per second. I am wanting to pull it out of storage and do a little work on it soon as apples are starting to ripen up here in the northern Prairies.