How to make an apple press with your own hands?
Those who prepare juices for the winter or engage in winemaking know about fruit presses firsthand. No centrifugal or auger juicer can compare to the performance of a press and the quality of the juice obtained.
A press for apples and grapes can be made by hand from materials purchased at the nearest hardware store. Basic skills in metalworking and woodworking are required to make such a juicer, as well as, of course, a certain degree of ingenuity. In this article, we will try to describe the process of making a press, the materials for which can be found in a hardware store.
Choosing Materials
Any part of the press that comes into contact with apple juice must be made of natural wood, stainless steel, plastic, or painted metal.
It is best to use oak or beech, as these types of wood are characterized by high strength and do not release any harmful substances into the juice. Stainless steel grades 08X18H10 (AISI304) or 10X17H13M2T (AISI 316) can also be used.
For example: the press basket, piston, and juice collection tray, fasteners.
HOMEMADE HYDRAULIC PRESS FOR APPLES:
1. Press Basket
Start by making the press basket, and then select and make the frame according to its dimensions.
Cut a wooden slat to the height of the barrel, mill all the edges, and assemble the basket using perforated metal tape and self-tapping screws.You can also use a drum from a washing machine to make the press basket; however, due to its curved shape, it will be more challenging to make the pressing plate (piston).
Figure 1. Juice press with a basket made from a washing machine drum
2. Piston
After making the press basket, measure the resulting inner diameter and make the piston according to these dimensions, leaving a small gap of about 2-3 mm, as the wood absorbs moisture and expands during operation. The piston can be made from three separate wooden boards. Two boards should be semicircular, and one should be rectangular.
Figure 2. Piston of the hydraulic press for apples GBP-26 (Manufacturer: APPLE PRESS LTD.)
You can also cut the piston from a thick sheet of metal. If using carbon steel or aluminum, the piston must be painted to prevent juice from coming into contact with the metal.
3. Juice Collection Tray
The tray can be made from a plastic plate from a large flower pot. A round hole must be made in the plate, and then a plastic tube should be glued into it.
The tray can also be made from a stainless steel tray by welding a tube to it through which the juice will flow.
4. Frame
Weld a rectangular frame structure with a platform to which plywood can be attached, serving as a platform for the tray (for example, from two pieces of channel and two pieces of pipe). At the top of the frame, make a support for the jack rod. If you do not have a welding machine, cut 2 pieces of channel, drill holes, and fasten them with two bolts of sufficient diameter (M20 or M24).
Figure 3. Homemade juice press with a modular frame made of channel and a plastic tray
For the legs, you can use plastic door stops or rubber feet. After welding, be sure to clean the metal from rust and welding splatter. For painting, powder coating is best. You can also paint the frame with regular alkyd paint. For hand application with a brush, you can use hammer paint. Due to the texture of the paint, brush marks will not be visible, and the finish will look quite neat. If you paint the frame with regular alkyd paint, it is better to use a roller for application. Cover the surface in several layers, allowing each layer to dry for 2-3 days.
5. Tray Platform
Using a circular saw or jigsaw, cut a square piece of plywood 27-30mm thick, then level the sides with a planer or belt sander. Drill all holes for fastening to the frame, sand, and paint with varnish or oil with hard wax.
6. Juice Filtration Bag
To filter the juice, sew a bag from lavsan or natural linen. Lavsan is a special synthetic fabric for filtering juices and milk. It is strong and very reliable. It has a fine mesh, allowing for very clean juice. The dimensions of the bag should be larger than the internal dimensions of the barrel so that the apple mass can be covered from above. Additionally, this will allow the edges of the bag to be wrapped over the edges of the barrel.
Figure 4. Juice filtration bag, 100% polyester (Manufacturer: APPLE PRESS LTD.)
If no other materials for filtration are available, a sugar bag can be used.
7. Wooden Blocks
Since the stroke length of the jack piston is not enough for the entire height of the press basket, it is necessary to place wooden blocks during the juice pressing process. The blocks for the jack should be cut from pine timber, and the edges should be milled.
Figure 5. Wooden blocks of the hydraulic press for apples GP-26 (Manufacturer: APPLE PRESS LTD.)
8. Hydraulic Jack
For a press basket with a volume of 10-30 liters, a jack with a capacity of 2-3 tons is sufficient. For 50 liters – about 5-6 tons. To speed up the juice pressing process, it is necessary to buy a two-stage jack. This will eliminate the need to place blocks under the jack during pressing.
SCREW (MECHANICAL) PRESS FOR JUICING BY HAND:
Buy a long nut M20 or M24 and a bolt. It is best to purchase a trapezoidal bolt and nut, as it holds the load better and is less prone to wear. The nut should be welded to the frame structure, and the handle should be attached to the bolt. Also, weld a plate for the screw support and attach it to the piston. Do not forget to lubricate the screw with grease before the first use of the press (for example, Litol 24).
Figure 6. Screw press for apples VP-20 (Manufacturer: APPLE PRESS LTD.)
The company "Apple Press" is a manufacturer of apple presses. In our online store, you can buy individual parts of the press: juice collection tray, press basket, piston, filtration bag, and other spare parts. By purchasing components in our online store, you can save time on making the most technologically complex and labor-intensive parts. View the spare parts catalog
Blueprints for the apple press are the intellectual property of "Apple Press Ltd.", so this article describes only the basic principles of manufacturing. We are manufacturers of equipment for juice extraction, and in our online store, you can purchase ready-made fruit presses: from small countertop models for your kitchen or summer house to presses for a small line for producing natural cold-pressed juices.
Video on making an apple and grape press by hand:
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