Homemade press for apples and grapes. How to make a homemade grape press How to make your own grape press
Processing the harvest of berries and fruits is one of the most important tasks that not only farmers, but also owners of household plots have to solve. TO technical devices, which greatly facilitate this process, is a juice press, which allows you to quickly and without significant physical effort turn fruits and berries into tasty juice rich in vitamins. On modern market There is a wide variety of such devices, but those home craftsmen who want to save money on their purchase can easily make such a press with their own hands.
Operating principle and types
All presses for squeezing juice from various berries and fruits can be divided into four main types:
- mechanical devices;
- hydraulic presses;
- electrohydraulic models;
- pneumatic type devices.
The most common due to its low cost and simplicity of design is a mechanical press. manual type. One of the main elements of its design is a perforated basket, into which crushed fruits (pulp) or berries are placed to extract juice. Fruits and berries are squeezed in such a device using a piston, the lowering of which (and the creation of the required pressure) is carried out by rotating the handle that drives the screw mechanism of the press. The juice formed during the pressure of the piston flows through the holes in the basket into a special tray, from where it is then poured into another container.
To make a basket into which the raw materials for squeezing the juice are loaded, stainless steel sheets or hardwood (for example, beech) can be used. In the second case, the design of such a basket is drainage grate, consisting of two equal parts connected to each other by metal hoops.
Modernized and, accordingly, more efficient version hand-held device is a hydraulic press that can be used to extract juice from apples and berries. Instead of a perforated container, the design of such a press uses several drainage frames made of hard wood. The crushed raw materials from which it is necessary to obtain juice are placed in fabric bags and placed between such frames, on which significant pressure (1–5 tons) is applied from above, created by a manual hydraulic jack. Using such a squeezing mechanism, you can obtain up to 70% of the juice from the total mass of the processed crop.
A hydraulic press does not necessarily involve the use of a jack as a mechanism that creates the required pressure. Thus, in one of the designs of such presses, this mechanism uses an elastic barrel-membrane, which expands under the influence of water supplied to it under a pressure of 1.5–2 atm from a regular water supply network. Expanding, such a press membrane acts on fruits and berries placed in a perforated basket, squeezing out juice from them, which flows through holes in the walls of the basket into a storage tray.
A pneumatic press for squeezing juice also works according to the principle described above. The only difference is that the expansion of the membrane barrel, also present in its design, occurs not under the influence of water filling it, but under pressure compressed air supplied from the compressor.
Since individual species The raw materials from which the juice must be extracted are loaded into presses in crushed form; it is imperative to mention devices that help bring it into this state. The design of the simplest grinder is a steel drum, the walls of which are made in the form of a grater. Such a drum, which turns the raw materials loaded into it into fine crumbs, is placed in a casing with a loading neck. This simple and effective mechanism is activated by rotating a special handle. There are also more efficient and productive models of such units that are driven by an electric motor.
If we talk about the productivity of mechanical presses for squeezing juice, it is quite small and can be in the range of 10–30 l/hour. However, this performance is quite sufficient for devices used for domestic purposes.
In order to increase the percentage of juice yield from squeezed fruits and berries, as well as improve its quality, two methods are used:
- raw materials are loaded into presses in fabric bags that act as filters;
- squeezing out the juice is carried out using drainage grates made of wood, or using “pancakes” made of stainless steel.
The use of drainage grids or “pancakes” ensures that juice is squeezed not only from the upper and lower parts, but also from the middle part of the compressed volume. The bags, as mentioned above, act as filters and allow you to immediately clear the pulp from the squeezed juice.
In cases where the productivity of a hand press for obtaining juice is not enough, electrically driven devices are used. The electric drive can be seen at screw press for squeezing juice and for screw-type units operating on the principle of a conventional meat grinder. In the first case, the press drive is a pair of “electric motor – hydraulic jack”.
In screw presses, which are structurally reminiscent of a conventional meat grinder, the drive electric motor is directly connected to the working element - the screw. This press is used for squeezing grapes; it is also an excellent press for fruits, berries and squeezing juice from tomatoes. It works according to the following principle: the loaded raw material is crushed by means of a screw and pressed through a sieve with conical shape. This form of sieve allows not only high-quality extraction of juice, but also the removal of seeds. It should be borne in mind that grape or any other juice obtained at the exit from such a press differs a large number pulp.
Prices for production models juice presses depend on several factors:
- loading basket volume;
- device type;
- material of manufacture;
- press productivity in terms of juice obtained per unit of time.
Naturally, the cheapest option is a small-capacity home press operating on the screw principle. The cost of a hydraulic juicer is slightly higher. Next in the price category is a press juicer for processing apples and other raw materials, operating using compressed air. The most expensive ones on the market today are membrane-type hydraulic presses.
DIY juice presses
It is quite possible to make a juice press with your own hands, the main thing is to find operating diagrams and drawings of such homemade products, which will not be difficult. Many of those home craftsmen who already have experience in making such equipment are happy to share photos of their devices and even videos showing the process of their manufacture and the principle of operation in detail.
Most often they try to make screw-type presses with their own hands. Meanwhile, it should be borne in mind that it will not be possible to make a powerful screw for such a device without the involvement of a qualified turner. It can be made without third-party specialists if you replace the screw mechanism with a conventional jack (mechanical or hydraulic), which is in the arsenal of every car enthusiast.
The main supporting element of a homemade juice press is the frame. Its strength should be given special attention. To make a frame into which the jack will rest and create the required pressure, you can use a square metal pipe with a cross section of 40x40 and a wall thickness of at least 3 mm. When calculating the height of the frame of your homemade press, you should take into account the total thickness of the drainage grids, pads and bags of raw materials, as well as the height of the jack. The width of the frame can be chosen arbitrarily - the main thing is that a storage tray for collecting the squeezed juice is placed in the opening created.
When creating the design of an apple or grape press with your own hands, you should pay special attention to its stability. For effective solution For this task, three pieces can be welded to the bottom of the frame square pipe, which will serve as legs and ensure the stability of the unit. On top part legs, a stand made of boards or wood board is placed on which the pallet will be placed.
Drainage grates, complete with which your apple, grape or any other press will work, should be made only from hardwood (oak or beech). The thickness of the planks from which such gratings will be made must be at least 20 mm.
The press basket is made of oak planks (you can buy parquet planks), tightened with corners with small gaps and secured with stainless steel screws.
The bags in which apple pulp or other raw materials for squeezing juice will be placed can be made from various fabrics (the main thing is that such fabric is highly durable and the bags that are sewn from it do not tear under the influence of high pressure created by the jack). As such fabrics, in particular, you can use ordinary burlap, jute, cotton and linen fabrics, chintz and synthetic materials.
When growing grapes on summer cottage many gardeners process the harvest into juice, wine or vinegar. The tool required for this is a press or crusher. You can make this device yourself. Difficulties in the construction process usually do not arise if you follow.
What is a grape press
A press juicer makes life much easier for a summer resident or gardener. With its help you can squeeze juice from grapes and other fruits. The press consists of a frame, a juice tray, a barrel, a pressing element, a fine filter mesh and a power screw for squeezing.
For grapes it is better to use a screw press. White grapes must be pressed after crushing. It is recommended to perform this procedure with red grapes a few days after the start of fermentation. The operating principle of the press: grapes are loaded into a basket, then a screw mechanism squeezes the juice out of it.
In the future, you can make homemade wine, various drinks, and jelly from it. The crusher allows you not only to ferment grapes, but also to squeeze out the juice. Natural juice without water, added sugar, contains various. The juice can be stored for a long time after sterilization.
The device is constructed from environmental materials, which is very important, since there is contact with food products. You can make a press from stainless steel. This product will last a long time. The press has a number of advantages. When the press is operating, the contact between the juice and the press is weak and does not cause heating.
This is very important, since all the vitamins do not disappear, but remain in the juice. The output remains a cake. Thanks to the press, you can thoroughly squeeze the berries, which increases the amount of juice obtained. A self-made or purchased grape press is an indispensable assistant for winemakers.
Required tools and materials
Before making a juice press, you need to prepare necessary materials. For work you will need the following materials:
- Wooden beams
- Rolls
- Bolts and nuts for fastening
- Metal rod
- Bearings
- for working with wood and metal
Crushers can be made from any material: wood, plastic, stainless steel. The easiest way to make a press with your own hands is from wood. Stainless steel presses are of higher quality. It is very convenient to wash and clean. It’s not difficult to make your own press from wood or steel.
Manufacturing instructions
For the press you should take 2 pipe stands with a diameter of about 22 mm. Next, weld the U-shaped profile to the pipes. The profile height should be chosen so that the screw nut fits freely inside. Weld a clamp to each pipe at the base. Thanks to these clamps, the press can be attached to the window sill. To build the frame you need to take wooden blocks cross section 4*10cm.
Their length should be 60-70cm. The width of the device will depend on the size of the rollers. Optimal width 20 cm. The length of the rollers and the distance between the bars must be the same. For the press, it is recommended to use grooved rollers with a depth of 3 cm. The product should be directed to the axes of the rollers in a helical manner.
In this case, for every 10 cm of the roll it is necessary to make a shift of 2 cm. Next, this mechanism is fixed to the frame using bearings. The rollers will rotate with at different speeds, so gears must be used with different diameters.
A ladle is required to load the berries. It is desirable that it be pyramidal in shape. Install the bucket on the transverse rails of the frame. If possible, the distance between the wooden ladle and the roller should be a minimum of no more than 1 cm.
It is necessary to install a vessel at the base of the press where the juice will accumulate. For normal compression of fruits between the rollers, the gaps should be controlled. The gaps between the crushing rollers can be left intact. This is of great importance for obtaining tasty and high-quality wine. When damaged, the seeds impart bitterness to the drink due to their high content of tannins.
The press basket can be made of stainless steel, the thickness of which will be 2 mm. In this case, portions of raw materials can be separated by spacers. They are made of 2 stainless steel discs connected to each other spot welding. These discs should be drilled with 3mm holes.
Rules of application
Once manufactured, the press can be placed and secured to any support. Before use, the press must be placed on a flat surface and secured well.
The manual crusher must be installed on a container to collect pulp. To do this, you can use barrels or tanks made of plastic or stainless steel. To obtain juice, berries are loaded into the loading ladle. From there they are poured onto windrows. A strong napkin must be placed at the bottom of the basket, from which the pulp is then removed.
When rotated, the berries are crushed and then turned into a mass like puree, from which juice comes out. Before loading the berries into the receiving ladle, they are removed from the bunch and washed well. There is no need to remove the skin from the berries; thanks to it, the juice has a pleasant aroma.
After processing the crop, the device should be thoroughly washed and dried to avoid rotting. A homemade press greatly simplifies the work of processing berries, especially when harvested is about 200 kg.
Video about the principle of operation of the grape press:
Why do we need wine presses, what problems do they solve, what are they, and how to use them correctly? Today's lesson at the School of Crafting is dedicated to this topic. It is important not only to choose suitable design, but also understand how and why to use it. The bell rang - let's start the lesson.
This is how grapes were pressed in sultry Italy
Squeeze it dry?
The very name of the equipment makes it clear that it is used to extract moisture from crushed raw materials. You can squeeze both juice and wort in a press, depending on the technology you use to prepare the wine.
How long should the pressing pressure be? The pulp is squeezed out until the juice stops flowing from it. In some cases, it is possible to carry out a secondary extraction, but for this the mass is crushed a second time. Sometimes a small amount of water is added to it to “revive” the pulp. The resulting juice or second-press wine will be inferior in quality to the first.
Preparation for pressing
It is very important to properly prepare the material for pressing. Only crushed material is pressed. Even if you are going to make wine from soft berries, you need to crush them into pulp, and only then put them under pressure.
Why crush the berries at all?
- To squeeze out more juice.
- In order not to break the press. If you put in whole berries, then trying to squeeze out the maximum amount of juice can break the machine.
If you press the pulp, then before the first pressing it is not processed additionally, but for the second and subsequent pressings the pulp also needs to be crushed.
Stages of pulp pressing
I’ll say right away: the technologies for making red and white wine differ from each other. If you have the time, desire and inspiration to make real, proper red wine, you will have to work a little harder.
- First you need to make pulp and put it on fermentation along with berry peels and skins.
- After fermentation is complete, the pulp sinks to the bottom of the container with the wort.
- Part of the wine is drained by gravity, and the remaining pulp is unloaded from the container for pressing.
Pressed wines have a higher tannin content, minerals and have more bright color. To obtain pressed wine good quality, the wort must be constantly stirred during fermentation for better aeration.
The simplest option is to crush the berries, squeeze out the juice and put it on fermentation. This is what they do when you want to get homemade wine with minimal labor.
Separation of wort by gravity
From the very beginning of draining, the wort flows under gravity rather than under pressure. Gravity in Bordeaux is called “big wine”. It differs not only in the method of production, but also in its characteristics. It balances sugar and acidity. The taste is more subtle and soft due to less tannins. At the same time, the product has a weaker color and a reduced amount of anthocyanins, which are responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of wine. Gravity separated wines are more susceptible to developing yeasty and sour odors. That's why they are mixed with pressed wine to add depth of flavor and color.
First pressure wort
After the wine has been drained or siphoned off, we need to press the remaining must. The wort is removed from the vat or bottle, moved to a press and pressed. The result is pressed first-press wine. It contains a reduced alcohol content and an increased sugar content, but there is no excess sugar content. First pressure wort has a brighter color and a more tart taste due to high content anthocyanins and tannins. It does not contain malic acid, taste qualities appear brightly.
The wort can be blended (mixed) with “big wine” immediately after the end of the extraction. This is how young table wines are produced.
Second pressure wort
But the first pressing does not completely free the pulp from the wort. Therefore, a second and even a third spin is acceptable. Before each subsequent pressing, the residue is further crushed in order to achieve a greater degree of grinding of the material. Naturally, repeated crushing causes the destruction of the pulp material, releasing more bitter and astringent fractions. Second-press wort contains sugar, malic acid, and has a high tannin content. It is not blended immediately, but is allowed to mature separately, and only after that it is put into production. The second pressing must is used to produce dessert wine.
Third pressure wort
We grind the pulp again and put it under the press again. As a result of the third pressing, we obtain a wine with high acidity, high tannin content, but the level of sugars in it is minimal. The anthocyanin content decreases, as does color saturation. Third pressing must is not added to young wines. It is used to obtain vintage wines, as well as strong red wines.
If you continue pressing the wort, the resulting raw material can be used to prepare grape alcohol.
Living wood or cold steel?
No matter what technology you use to prepare wine, you still can’t do without a press.
What to prefer - a press made of wood or metal? For the manufacture of presses and their individual elements, hardwood is used. Beech is most common, as it is hard and relatively available material. It must be said that today presses made of solid wood are becoming less and less common, and they are expensive. The most common option is a combination of materials, when the frame is made of metal and the basket is made of wood.
If you come across a press made entirely of wood at a price below 6-7 thousand, then do not rush to grab your wallet, but check the material of manufacture. Most likely, the device is made of plywood and will quickly become unusable if exposed to moisture.
Metal presses have many advantages, which is why they are very popular. They are characterized by ease of maintenance and operation, they are sold in a huge range of volumes and prices. The main condition is that the metal for the press must have protective coating, which protects against rust formation. Stainless steel presses are not at risk of corrosion.
As a rule, we choose material for the press based on taste preferences and capabilities. In addition, if you are looking for productive automatic presses, the vast majority of them are made of metal and other lightweight modern materials.
Basic design of wine presses
The general structure of a wine press is well described by its colloquial name: a crusher.
There is a place for laying crushed raw materials, there is a tray for draining the liquid fraction. Pressure is applied to the plate or drainage grid, which is in direct contact with the pulp, using various mechanisms. For a screw press it is a screw, for a hydraulic press it is a hydraulic jack or a membrane. Liquid is squeezed out of the pulp under pressure. It flows into the pan, and from there into the prepared container.
There are other designs, for example, barrels with a membrane, popular in hydraulic and pneumatic presses. Expanding, it crushes the pulp, and the liquid is squeezed out of the barrel, flowing down the outer walls into the pan. The cake remains on the walls.
Even the simplest screw hand press turns out to be an order of magnitude more effective in spinning than manual labor. If we talk about automatic or mechanical presses, then spinning takes place literally “with one left hand.”
The main rule for the safety and security of the press is to add only crushed raw materials, since the pressure must be uniform. Adding unchopped fruits or berries is fraught with failure of the pressing mechanism.
Types of wine presses
As I said above, the types of presses are very diverse in terms of their operating principle. All of them are actively represented on the market and are intended to make the work of winemakers easier. Let's talk about the most popular and common types.
Mechanical hand press
Its structure and principle of operation will seem familiar even to those who have never dealt with pressing. Here are the main structural elements.
- Perforated basket for storing pulp.
- Cover or bag to prevent splashing.
- Screw mechanism.
- Pressing plane.
- Bed with receiving tray.
The pulp is loaded into the basket. Manual rotation activates a screw mechanism that lowers the plane onto the pulp. The descending piston creates the necessary force for pressure; under pressure, the liquid flows into the receiving pan, and from there into the collection container.
Design advantages.
- Easy to manage and operate.
- Cheapness
- Compact dimensions
- Variability.
- Relatively high productivity, higher than that of the same juicer.
- Maximum gentle and high-quality spin.
- It can be made of wood, which ensures the most natural taste of the future drink.
- Does not require additional water or electricity consumption.
One of the disadvantages is the need for significant muscular effort.
Best suited for small volumes of pressing, for example, for seasonal wine from a personal plot. Easily allows you to get from 4 to 15 liters from one batch of raw materials, depending on the model. Cheapest and economical option press.
Pneumatic press
In the design of this press, the force is created using compressed air.
The principle of operation is simple. The pulp is loaded into a barrel or basket. The presser is a membrane driven by compressed air. Under air pressure, the membrane expands, squeezing juice out of the pulp.
Advantages of a pneumatic press.
- High performance.
- High efficiency.
- A minimum of effort - even a woman can work with the press.
The downside is the rather high cost, which is increased by the need to additionally connect a compressor as a source of compressed air.
A pneumatic press is suitable for those who plan to engage in winemaking on a relatively regular basis or create a family business. Of the mechanical and manual presses, it is the most expensive. Even higher are the prices for pneumatic membrane presses.
Hydraulic press
As the name suggests, the pressure is provided by a hydraulic mechanism. This may be a hydraulic jack, as in some hand presses. Or maybe an expanding membrane.
Among hydraulic devices, there are designs that use drainage frames rather than a plate or membrane. Between them are placed raw materials packed in fabric bundles or bags. Using a hydraulic jack, the device is driven, developing great force and showing excellent efficiency.
Advantages of a hydraulic press.
- Efficiency.
- High performance.
- Does not require electricity, which means there are no additional costs for it.
- Presented in various options, so you can choose what you need.
The downside is the rather high price, water consumption, and placement of some structures, for example, a hydraulic drainage press, requires quite a lot of space.
Hydraulic press provides high performance. Many models yield 30–40 liters from one pulp. Suitable for trying your hand at craft winemaking on an ongoing basis. Costs less than pneumatic models, but more than manual screw models.
Electro-hydraulic press
A productive and powerful device that is used in cases where the power of mechanical and, especially, manual models is not enough. The design of the device resembles a hydraulic screw press, which is driven by an electric motor.
Among the advantages, I note high productivity, ease of operation, and spin efficiency.
The disadvantages include the high price and additional costs for electricity. The electro-hydraulic press is heavy. It cannot be transported like a conventional manual device. But it saves your energy and time as much as possible. Its use is justified in cases where you want to make your own wine on an ongoing basis. Well, or if you are a champion of ergonomics and want your every movement to bring maximum effect.
What to look for when choosing a wine press?
What criteria should be used as the basis for choosing a press?
Mounting location: floor or tabletop
For large premises It is logical to choose a floor press. As a rule, such devices have a large capacity.
If the size of the room is limited, you need to place the equipment compactly and conveniently, then opt for tabletop presses, especially since among them there are capacious models for 8–10 liters of the finished product.
Volume
The press has two volume characteristics - loading (basket volume) and output.
The basket volume shows how much raw material the press can accept at one time. The second is how much juice or wine the press produces in one cycle of operation with a full load.
Thus, a press with a 20 liter basket produces 8–12 liters of product. Equipment for 10 liters of raw material loading will produce 4–6 liters of juice.
The choice depends on what volumes you expect to work with. Take the press not “for growth”, but based on real needs.
I draw your attention! It is impossible to achieve the same juice yield for all types of raw materials. If it is said that a press allows you to get 4-6 liters of juice from 10 kg of product, then this is an average figure. Pressing, say, grapes will give you this volume, but from currants there will be much less juice. Therefore, I give average figures for the output volume.
Automatic or manual
I have already spoken about this above. The greater the volume of raw materials for processing, the more work. Therefore, to obtain wine from your own grapes or apples, you can use a hand press. If you have plans to process hundreds of kilograms of fruit and berry products, then it is worth investing in a productive automatic press.
Material of manufacture and price
Depends on your tastes and capabilities. Moreover, the majority modern models they still have a stainless steel working part.
Practical part
To reinforce the theory, watch the video, which will help you understand the issue.
Homework
Send me a photo of the press you use or the one you have planned for yourself. Explain why you like this model.
In this lesson we got acquainted with wine presses, learned about different types presses, what tasks they solve, how to use them correctly and understand the intricacies of pressed wine.
Add hashtags to your homework projects. #craft_school #cosmogon
Kira Stoletova
Grapes are a common plant whose fruits are consumed raw or processed into other products. Juices, preserves and jams are made from the berries. Wine is also produced from the fruits. For the convenience of squeezing juice from berries, use a grape press, which you can buy or make yourself.
Operating principle
Types of grape presses:
- mechanical (screw, auger);
- pneumatic;
- hydraulic;
- electric.
A popular type is a manual mechanical grape press with a screw mechanism and a container with holes. Its advantages are simplicity of design, low cost and ease of use.
Operating principle of manual screw press grape juicer:
- the berries are crushed and placed in a container with holes;
- through the rotation of the handles, a screw mechanism is driven, which lowers the piston down;
- the juice is squeezed out of the berries, it flows through the holes into a pre-set tray;
- The product is poured from the pallets into containers for storage.
For making grape press use stainless steel or wood. It is better to take hard wood, such as beech. The materials are used to make a drainage part, which is connected with metal rings.
Other varieties
There is a modernized mechanical press for squeezing grapes. It is distinguished by the absence of a container for releasing juices. Instead, several wooden beams are installed in a checkerboard pattern, which forms a drainage frame. Berries are placed between them.
To squeeze, use a hand jack, which develops a force of 2-4 tons. The advantage of this mechanism is the large amount of juice obtained. 70% of the product comes out of the total volume of berries.
The hydraulic grape press has a similar design. Instead of a jack for squeezing out juice, a barrel-shaped membrane is installed. It expands when water is supplied to the system, which causes a pressure of 1-2 atm. The juice comes out through holes on the surface of the casing walls.
The operating principle of a pneumatic juicer is similar. The difference is the use of compressed air to create pressure, which is supplied using a compressor.
Preparation of raw materials for grinding
All types of presses for grapes and other fruits that are used to obtain juice require additional preparation of raw materials. To prepare the berries, they use choppers, which you buy or make yourself.
The principle of operation of the device is to rotate the drum inside the casing, which turns the fruit into a fine pulp. It is possible to do like manual option, and modernize it by installing an electric drive.
Making a crusher at home
To make a grape press with your own hands, you will need:
- wooden blocks;
- metal plates and rods;
- bearings;
- bolts, washers and nuts;
- rolls;
- drawings;
- wood and metal working tools.
When making a homemade grape press with your own hands, it is better to use environmentally friendly clean materials, because their surface acts directly on food. To create a container, stainless steel or a drum from a washing machine is suitable.
Presses are also made of wood and plastic. Flaw wooden mechanisms is that they are difficult to clean and do not last long.
Manufacturing process
Press assembly sequence:
- Installation of racks. To create them, take 2 pipes with a diameter of 2.2 cm and weld a U-shaped profile to them. Its height should ensure free movement of the screw nut.
- Welding clamps. This is an optional part of the mechanism, which makes it possible to mount the mechanism on a table or window sill.
- Creating a frame. They take wooden beams 2 cm by 10 cm and no more than 80 cm long. The width of the press depends on the size of the rollers.
- Installation of rollers. To create a grape press, rollers with a grooved surface are used. Their axes are directed to the axes of the screws. Every 8 cm, a shift of 1.5-2 cm is made on each shaft. The mechanism is attached to the main part using bearings. To rotate the shafts at different speeds, gears of different sizes are used.
- Installing the bucket. Take a pyramid-shaped container and place it on cross beams frames The distance between the bucket and the shafts should not exceed 12 mm.
- Installing a juice container. It is mounted at the base of the entire mechanism. It is better to make the container from stainless steel.
Additions to the design
To make pressing the juice convenient and the squeezing speed easy to control, it is possible to change the gaps between the shafts. This is important if the product will be the basis for creating wine.
At correct selection gap, the grape seeds remain intact. Damaged seeds give the drink a bitter taste due to the presence of tannins.
Homemade press for squeezing apple juice.
Manufacturing of drainage grating
To do homemade press For grapes and other fruits to be as productive as possible, you need to make a drainage grid. It is made from natural wood. Beech or oak works well. It is prohibited to use OSB and similar materials with a low price, because they contain toxic substances.
The thickness of the grid segments should not be less than 2 cm. When using the grid, bags for raw materials are required. They are made independently at home from strong fabric.
To sew the bags yourself, use:
- burlap;
- synthetics;
- linen fabric;
- cotton;
- calico;
- jute.
Conclusion
The use of grape presses is rational only when small volumes of production are needed. Their productivity is 10-30 l/hour, depending on the drive and the size of the container.
Industrial presses are used to obtain large quantities of juice. In order for the crusher to serve for a long time, it is regularly washed and cleaned of residual raw materials.
The end of summer and the beginning of autumn is the period of mass harvesting of vegetables, fruits and berries. A bountiful harvest is great, but it all needs to be processed. For example, preparing juice from grapes or apples is a labor-intensive process. You can get by with a regular juicer, but if there is a lot of raw materials, it will take quite a lot of time. It is better to use a special press. Let's figure out how to make a grape press with your own hands.
Grape press: simple design
Those presses that are sold in stores are diverse; one significant disadvantage of such mechanisms is the high price. If you have some skills, you can make the device yourself, saving a lot of money. In particular, the grape press will indispensable assistants for winemakers.
The simplest homemade grape press is screw design, consisting of the following elements:
- base (frame and basket);
- pressing device (jack or shaft);
- pressing piston.
To make a grape press you will need the following items and equipment: welding machine, drill and grinder, 50 liter tank, metal channel (10-12 mm; 150 mm), angle (40-50 mm; 3200 mm), wooden slats (40x25x400 mm) - 50 pieces, jack, fabric ( square meter), 2 mm fishing line - 3 meters, crane.
Manufacturing process
Work should begin by preparing the base of the entire structure.
Frame. This element must meet high strength requirements, since it will bear the main load. The side parts are made from corners, the height of which is 85 cm. The lower and upper parts are a channel 70 cm long. Welding is used to connect the frame elements.
Advice! To enhance the strength of the structure, you can additionally weld a gusset between the channel and the corners.
The finished frame is sanded and coated with metal paint.
The tank must be made of stainless steel. At the bottom of the tank you need to drill a hole in which the tap will be attached.
Advice! Instead of a tank, you can use a stainless steel pan of suitable size.
A grid of wooden slats. The height of the slats should be equal to the height of the tank. Holes (2-3 mm) are drilled at the ends of the slats, through which a fishing line or stainless steel wire is pulled. The result should be a kind of basket through which the juice will ooze. The gap between the slats should be no more than 2-3 mm.
You don't have to use the tank at all. The slats are tightened with a galvanized hoop, the basket is installed in a tray where the juice will drain. You can use a stand from under the big pot for flowers or kitchen sink made of stainless steel.
The grape crusher can be framed; installation of a basket in this design is not provided. The grapes are placed in a multilayer fabric bag between the grates and crushed in this form.
The piston for the press is made of wood (preferably oak), you can take the remains of the slats. The main thing is to get a round part that will fit into the basket in diameter. The slats are folded together, a circle is cut out, and the parts are connected with screws or wire.
The power mechanism is a jack or a screw. You need to place several boards under the jack during the spin cycle.
Filtration bag. Here you should pay attention to the structure of the fabric. Nylon, lavsan, polyester, propylene, durable cotton or linen fabric are suitable. The main thing is that the bag does not tear while squeezing out the juice.
Operating principle
A basket is inserted into the tank and a filter bag is placed. Berries are placed here, a piston and a jack are installed. The tap needs to be opened and a receiving container placed. Giving should be done carefully; sudden movements may damage the frame or fabric bag. You need to squeeze out the juice by doing several pumping motions intermittently.
