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My daughter asked for a cheese press for Christmas. So I went searching on the web and found a picture of something that looks like this.

It's a wooden frame with a series of pegs that allow you to move the paddle up and down and press the curds that you hope will become chese in a future time.

it seems that the harder you press the curds then the harder the cheese becomes. So if you want soft cheese you don't press it so hard, but if you want well aged cheddar cheese you go to the store. They estimate 1 lb of cheese for 1 gallon of milk so you do the math.

This is made out of Cherry. I select that wood because I had some boards that were almost totally white on one side and cherry color on the other. in my mind a great choice for a non furniture item.

The dowel pegs are 3/8" Oak dowels with some Texas Ebony glued on the end and turned to give a knob effect to remove them when necessary.

The arm can be started at the top and pressed down to remove the Whey and them remove a dowell and replace it above the press arm repress it down.

I've seen pictures where someone has tied a 20lb weight from a weight set to keep the pressure on the cheese.

They haven't determined what the mold is going to be but I could see a 4" plastic pipe with holes in it to allow the liquid to drain out. It could also be put in the dishwasher to clean afterwards. I saw a stainless steel one advertised for $75.00. I'd go with the pipe.

The glue joints are all reinforced with Stainless screws

It's about 6" wide, 16" tall and the arm is 18" long. 7/8" thick Cherry.

I thought of the third one but it's not made of wood.

Updated 2/16/2014
Well I got a birthday present today s block of cheese made from this cheese press. My daughter used a can with both ends cut out to hold the curds and then pressed it.

This would be like a Cheddar cheese after its been aged. It's about 8 days old now and it's dipped in wax to keep it from drying out.

Gallery

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that is a very cool contraption. we let the cheese just sit in the cloth and let it's own weight push it down, but we do make soft cheeses only… and do go to the store for aged cheddar :)
 

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Nice job, young fellow!

Lee
 

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Looks good to me…
 

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Hey Karson,
That's neat. I learn something every day.

Steve
 

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Cool press, Karson.

If the cheese doesn't work out, maybe it can be used to tortillas ;^)
 

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Nice contraption. It probably can be used to make tortillas also.
 

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Mmmm, I'm tastin some good Munster right now. Nice press. Good luck with pressin the cheese.
 

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Demonstration with cheese is in order for show and tell at Mason Dixon Woodworkers. And don't for get the crackers.

Nicely done.
 

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Karson, that is rather cheesey :)). Great looking project, should make some great tasting cheese. Well done!
 

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well this is a first for me. never heard of a cheese press before…it looks good i know that, i really loved the clocks…., i guess i need to comment about those in a different place, now i need some crackers and cheese …
 

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Good one Buddy. Well thought out.
 

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knowing your work karson

i have no doubt this one is better
than the one you found on the web

it looks great

i like to eat around the holes in swiss cheese
maybe you will make something for that soon
 

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Very informative. While I donot make cheese, but it's nice to know that a press like this is used.
 

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She makes cheese?!

Say Cheese… LOL

COOL!
 

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Nice job Karson!
Could it double as a Grape Press for Wine making?
Or an Apple Press for Cider?
 

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this looks like you had fun! I hope she liked it ( I am sure she did!)
 

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Well Well I got a birthday present today s block of cheese made from this cheese press. My daughter used a can with both ends cut out to hold the curds and then pressed it.

This would be like a Cheddar cheese after its been aged. It's about 8 days old now and it's dipped in wax to keep it from drying out.

 

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congrats it sounds good, lets get out some salami and some crackers…..and talk wood…a party to me
 

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I finally cut the packages open on 5/3/2013. So it aged in my fridge for almost 3 months. it was a nice flavorful hard cheese. it had shrunk some in it's aging and it was starting to get a blue mold speck in the top.

So I guess it's called blue cheddar

Great tasting cheese..
 
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