fruit press

[lennyantonelli]

Hi there,

Feel a bit guilty joining a forum just to ask for a favour but I'm a bit stuck and didn't know where else to turn. Have a large quantity of recently-picked apples in my back garden and nothing to press them with. Had hoped to borrow a press from someone I know but he can't find his now. Had also asked Home Brew West but they don't rent them out any more, and I'm not really in a financial position to buy a good one (and I wouldn't want to buy a crap one).

So I'm looking to borrow an apple press for a few days, essentially. I live near the city centre and am happy to meet with anyone who might have one so you know that I'm legit. Also happy to collect/ drop off (with a few bottles of whatever we make in tow to say thanks).

If anyone thinks they can hep or has any ideas, let me know,

Thanks for reading,

Lenny

[Drum]

Dont have one myself but one of the lads made a simple enough diy job from pallets and a car jack, picture in this thread http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php/topic,10834.0.html

Might be an option if you cant find a press locally

[Leann ull]

Feel a bit guilty joining a forum just to ask for a favour

Indeed, and they are expensive bits of kits to be loaning to a walk in I'm afraid but get yourself a garden shredder sterilise blades, a car jack and a couple of plastic breadboards and a hessian sack and away you go.
Come back and join us once you have fermented 

[Will_D]

Would help your case if you said where you are!

[Leann ull]

In Galway Will

[lennyantonelli]

Thanks for the replies guys. As I said I live near the city centre, just off Sea Road to be exact (Palmyra Park). Happy to give my phone number and address by PM to anyone who thinks they can help, feel free to call around to see that I'm legit. I'll even show you my apple pile. 

But I can of course understand why anyone would be reluctant to lend a nice piece of kit to some noob on a forum. I like the look of the car-jack setup, if I don't find a press I reckon I might try something similar but even more rough and ready (ie without the purpose built frame) — I'm thinking just the car jack, a vegetable chopping board, and a basin with a few holes in it, sitting on my garden table above a large bucket.

Lenny

[shweeney]

you need the frame so you have something to press against - it'll generate a lot of pressure so the frame needs to be strong.

[lennyantonelli]

Gotcha, thanks

[Leann ull]

Just saw hessian sacks in B&q builders section
Give them a wash first

[Bubbles]

Just saw hessian sacks in B&q builders section
Give them a wash first

I've seen, on TV of course, the cheeses being layered with straw, instead of hessian. Think I saw it on Edwardian Farm.

If you want to be traditional like? 

OP, can you use a domestic juicer? How much apples are you dealing with?

[lennyantonelli]

Straw-filtered cider eh? I like the sound of it. 

Have about a full wheelie bin worth of apples. I don't have a juicer but could probably buy one. I do have a blender and had considered chopping, blending and then straining. It'd just be a long job and if there's good weather this weekend it'd be nice to do the work outside. I guess I know my options now at least, just a matter of getting it done!

[Bubbles]

Ok, that's a lot of apples.. 

You'd probably knacker the motor in a domestic juicer or blender with that kind of workload.

You could ask a commercial cider maker if you could use their press, for a fee of course. But I don't know if they do that kind of thing.