Need Help! Cheese Press

I recommend you just buy a drum shell. You’ll find making a
shell like this yourself is a lot of fuss to make just the one
for a one-time project.

Actually, the press is used over and over again. My last one was over 50 years old, but when I moved from Washington state I gave all of my equipment to a friend and haven’t gotten another one.
Once the whey is pressed out of the curds, the wheel is removed from the press and covered with cheese wax so it doesn’t get hard and put in an aging room for a number of months to age and gain flavor, being turned over every day.

That’s why when you see those big wheels in the mall or the super market they are covered with wax.

DF

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

You’re misunderstanding me.

Perhaps I am. My personal take is that if I’m going to do it, I might as well make all of it I can. After all, there isn’t any hurry.

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

Okay, so you are up for the challenge. If I understand your needs it will be a box that is round on the inside (16”) across and it will be 4 to 6 inches deep. There is some kind of lid on the top and another on the bottom. I have never seen one of these so bear with me and modify as needed. I think I would get some good plywood and cut it into 24 inch squares. Then I would set up a router and cut the circle the diameter I needed. I would use one of those attachments that either replaces the base or attaches to the base with the long arm sticking out. You pin the center an cut the groove until it is cut through then you have a piece of plywood that is 24” sq with a 16 inch hole through it. I would glue another piece of plywood to the first piece and let it sit overnight then I would cut the second piece with a flush trim bit. this would reach through the second sheet and a bearing would follow the first cut. The second piece would probably work best if you cut it close with a sabre saw (jig saw to the newbies) and then you have less to trim with the router. After I achieved the sesired thickness I would clean up the outside like I wanted it and I suppose you know how you want the lids attached. There was a man on this site a few weeks ago that was making wood threads. You might find him and talk to him about wood threaded rods if you can work that out. I think this would work best if you lines the inside of this press with acrylic. I think it would make the cheese slide out without destroying the block. I f this is what you have in mind I like cheddar….LOL If it is not forgive me for taking up your time.

do you have a band saw?

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Grandpa, Thanks, you’ve given me an idea, I may modify what you came up with, Cheddar is only a year away!

cr1, yes, I have a band saw.

Here is a cheese press somewhat similar to what I need, except that I prefer to use wood.

Basically, most cheese presses are alike, however using certain kinds of wood can impart different flavors. The other thing to watch out for is bacteria. Using the plywood probably wouldn’t be good because of bacterial build up, even with acrylic or formica lining it.
I was considering using white oak and charring it before using it. This is the way they age bourbon. Which just gave me another idea, (DOoh!), I could make staves and build the press like a barrel with metal stays around it. Hmmmm.

Keep the ideas coming! This could get interesting and expand my wood working abilities past the making a truly square box stage!

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

Grandpa, Thanks, you’ve given me an idea, I may modify what you came up with, Cheddar is only a year away!

cr1, yes, I have a band saw.

Here is a cheese press somewhat similar to what I need, except that I prefer to use wood.

Basically, most cheese presses are alike, however using certain kinds of wood can impart different flavors. The other thing to watch out for is bacteria. Using the plywood probably wouldn’t be good because of bacterial build up, even with acrylic or formica lining it.
I was considering using white oak and charring it before using it. This is the way they age bourbon. Which just gave me another idea, (DOoh!), I could make staves and build the press like a barrel with metal stays around it. Hmmmm.

Keep the ideas coming! This could get interesting and expand my wood working abilities past the making a truly square box stage!

Oh, and just for comparison, 1 gallon of milk yields around one pound of cheese on average. A 16”diameter X 6” tall cylinder will yield about 20 lbs of cheese. Yumo!

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

I was going to suggest solid wood because wood is supposed to have some properties that prevent bacteria growth. that is they reason they are used for cutting boards. The problem is if you use wood like I was thinking it required laminating several pieces and you would have a lot of joints to deal with. You are going 16 inches tall and 8 inches in diameter? That changes things. You can cut the inside and outside of that ring with a router. the first is the pattern and it needs to be perfect so a router would probably work best. A band saw requires a jig or a good hand eye coordination. I would use a router. That press int he photo something you could do in a home shop without much effort. Cost effective…...?? I don’t know. Like Loren said it might be better to buy one but hey if you want to make a cheese press then that is something else you like to do besides making cheese. I know people that make dowels. I buy them in large bags so I have more time to do what I want. You can make this because this is what you want. I say go for it!!! Glad I might have sparked and idea.

Why not make round cutting boards cut with a router and then laminate those together to get your height of 4” – 6”. Put them in your cylinder.

-- mrg

You might look at using the PVC and lining it with what ever wood you like. you could cut a tenon on the top and bottom and radius the inside and outside slightly. Cut a groove in the bottom and top to hold them in. You could change wood as often as you wanted and take apart for cleaning. kind of a take off on the barrel stave idea. Just a thought.

-- Stay busy....Stay young

You mentioned making it like a barrel but the barrel shape will not lend itself to straight sides. Barrels are smaller at the top and bottom and flare in the middle so that the staves are basically double wedges. That is what holds the barrel together, that and you have to keep liquid in the barrel or the wood will shrink and the hoops will fall off.

-- ♫♪♪♫♫ Saddletramp, saddletramp, I'm as free as the breeze and I ride where I please, saddletramp ♪♪♪♫♪ ...... Bob W....NW Michigan (Traverse City area)

I made a cider press years ago. Now I understand that the cider press didn’t have to be round inside but you could stave build the drum the same way, out of oak because it has the higest amount of tanic acid which kills bactirea, then mount it on a piece of 3/4” plywood and turn the inside round. Now remember to band the outside with steel bands because the pressure you exert will surely blow the staves apart. You can bend your own out of 1/8” steel or just go someplace where they use steel packing bands and have them band it up for you. Just my take on the project.
MIKE

-- See pictures on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/44216106@N07/ And visit my Facebook page - facebook.com/MTEnterprises

OK Great, Set the saw to cut wood as thin as 1/8” thick and resaw off some lumber of your choice.
Could be a little thicker but eighth is good

Make them long enough to describe the circumference of the diameter you want

Feather one end edge ( sander or hand plane) that’ll be the inside of your basket.

Toss ‘em in a tub of water for the night.

Next day set up a pipe with a propane torch inside to heat the metal. Use any size of 2” or larger but not bigger than the diameter of your press. I like it to hang over the edge of a bench.

Scribe the diameter you want on a piece of paper.

Heat the pipe take the wet wood and gently run it over the pipe t ill you get the wood to form the shape you desire checking it against the drawing. If the wood dries out from the heat just wet it again. A few moments in water is plenty. Make sure the feathered edge is facing the correct direction Sanded or planed side facing inside the basket.

When you have the shape you desire (you can make any shape you please) clamp it and let it set. When dried off fully glue it together and VIOLA.

Plus you will have mastered the skill set to make the side bouts of an acoustic guitar.

.

-- When the moderator chooses sides, his site sucks.

Hey cr1! Great idea. That’s the way they use to make the “drum” for banjos. I watched my grandfather make one for a banjo-ukelele I inherited from him!

I’ll get the stuff together and start on it after Christmas.

Thanks All, it’s been a great way to share ideas.

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!