North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark or Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

Hi Don,

I've only been on this list for 3 or 4 months and have never heard the
description of your grinder.  Thanks for giving it again.  I have seen this
topic in the archives and I read a question from one of the members about
grinding up the seeds.  I never recall seeing the answer.  Does the grinder
grind up the seeds?  If so, is there any off flavor from them?  Also, what
do you use for a press?

Thanks,
Mark Angermayer
Zone 5 Kansas


Don Yellman wrote:

> Kevin:
>
> 1.  The prototype disposal apple grinder resides in my basement.  It is a
simple but functional unit.  Since 1996, when I built it, I have described
it a number of times on this list and a cidermakers list called "cider
request".  I'm not sure I would elevate these descriptions to the level of
"plans", since this is an adaptation, not an invention, and the dimensions I
used need not be repeated precisely.
>
> 2.  The table, built from scrap lumber, is 36" tall, countertop height,
which is a comfortable working height for me.  A piece of new countertop was
used for the top (in fact, the cutout from installation of a new sink), with
dimensions of 20"X24".  You could use other materials for the top, such as
marine plywood, but it should be something that can be used to cut apples
when needed.  2X4's were used for legs, and a skirt of 1/2" plywood was
screwed around 3 sides, to about a foot from the top, to make the table
rigid and strong.  The center of the countertop was cut out with a sabre saw
to exactly the circular dimension of a kitchen sink drain.
>
> 3.  Because I was not sure how well it would work, I used the cheapest
model of disposal I could find, a 1/3 hp. Badger from the Insinkerator Co.,
available at any Home Depot or Lowes.  A steel switch box is installed on
the side with an ordinary wall switch controlling the hot leg of a 3-wire,
16 gauge outdoor extension cord, which continues on to the motor.  It is
important to utilize the ground wire of the cord since you will be working
in a damp outdoor environment.
>
> 4.  Discharge is into standard 5-gallon plastic buckets, lined with heavy
nylon pressing bags from Happy Valley Ranch, which fit the buckets
perfectly.  There is no need to add anything to direct the slurry into the
bucket, since the discharge tube on the grinder is sufficient to put the
apple slurry right on target.  I fill the buckets about half full of slurry,
then twist the tops and lift them to the press.  About 3/4 gallon of clear
juice will be left behind in the bucket before pressing begins.  I generally
press two bags at a time, one on top of the other.  The slurry that is
produced by the disposal is much finer than that of the hand-cranked
grinders sold with most presses, and will give you at least 1/3 more juice
per bushel of apples.  Average apples will give you about 3 gallons per 54
lb. bushel; more with very juicy apples.
>
> 5.  There are two problems with the disposal grinder which prevent it from
being an ideal apple grinding solution.  First, the opening of a standard
kitchen disposal is too small to allow insertion of a whole apple of any
real size, requiring the operator to cut the apple in half.  However, this
does provide the opportunity to inspect the interior of each apple, and
discard those that may be wormy, infested with moldy core, or otherwise
substandard before grinding.  Apples that are cut in half will go through
the disposal very quickly.  Ideally, the operator has enthusiastic
assistants scrubbing the sooty blotch and flyspeck from the apples, and
bringing continuous quantities of washed fruit to the table.  Sadly, the
assistants tend to become listless and disinterested after a certain number
of bushels, requiring their replacement with fresh, energetic assistants,
when available.
>
> 6. Secondly, because the motor of a disposal is a sealed unit, with no
provision for cooling other than the liquid passing through it, most
disposals will operate continuously under load for only about 20-25 minutes
before popping the motor overheat protector.  At that point is is necessary
to allow the unit to cool down for about 15 minutes before pressing the
reset button.  Repeated overheating does not seem to damage the disposal,
but a larger disposal with a more powerful motor than 1/3 hp. may suffer
less frequently from this problem.  Cheaper disposals are constructed with
cast zinc housings, but the more expensive models can be all stainless steel
as well as more powerful.  If you plan on doing a lot of apples over many
years, investment in a better quality disposal may be justified.
>
> 7.  The disposal grinder should be operated in an outdoor environment, on
grass, a driveway, or other surface where cleanup with a hose is easy.
Cleaning the disposal is a simple matter of running the hose into the
disposal while operating the motor.  I dismantled my disposal after several
years of use, and found no deterioration from corrosion or accumulated fruit
remains, and was satisfied there are no hygiene problems with the grinder.
>
> 8.  I once heard from a fellow in Oregon who purchased what he described
as a commercial garbage disposal on E-Bay.  Apparently, it has a larger
throat and a humongous motor, and will process whole apples as quick as a
flash.  I think his was used, and imagine that buying one of these large
units new would be pretty expensive.  But it might overcome both the
drawbacks of the smaller domestic disposals.
>
> 9.  Give it a try.  If you can build your table from materials you have
lying around the shed, the cost of even a good quality disposal compares
favorably with that of the "apple eater" hand-crank grinders, and the
disposal works better and faster.  Over the years, I have had some positive
feedback from people who have built one, and have never heard from anyone
who says it doesn't work.
>
> Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
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