North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Don Yellman <dyellman@earthlink.net>]

For Tom Olenio:  I looked at that picture of a press for quite a while,
and could not figure out why it was so different from mine or how it
could work.  Then I saw Claude's msg and realized it operates in a
completely different way.  I don't know how you could make such a press
work with finely ground apples unless you were able to arrange the
pressing bags around the sides.  However, if  a nylon bag comes in
contact with any sharp metal object, it will be damaged and quickly rip
open.  I really don't understand how a press of that design could work
with either apples or grapes without pushing fruit out through the
slats, unless you are able to get a bag in there.
I certainly agree with Claude's view that nylon is the only practical
material for a pressing bag.  The old fashioned stacked presses used
coarse cotton or linen cloth, and before that even straw was used.  But
with those stacked presses, the pressure exerted was almost entirely
downward.  When you are using a pressing basket,  some pressure develops
on the sides, which might blow out cotton material or even lightweight
nylon.  For ease of cleanup and durability, there is nothing to compare
with nylon.  Looking around on the net, I found a number of sources for
nylon bags under "beer and winemaking supplies", and one large Canadian
firm (Spagnol's) with dozens of retail outlets in Ontario.  Happy Valley
Ranch also sells them.  It remains to be seen what quality these bags
are, but be sure to get bags a bit larger than your bucket so that they
do not fall in when filling with pomace.  I put a heavy rubber band
around the rim of the bucket while filling just to be sure.
Hope you are able to find some way to make your system work, but with
that particular press I am not sure that a disposal grinder would be
good for you.  You might be better off with very coarsely ground apples
and just accept the lower juice yields.    Rgds, Don Yellman, Great
Falls, VA


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