# Any small scale cheese processors



## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

I am in the process of building our cheese room. I am having trouble finding reasonably priced cheese presses. If buying just one the nice stainless ones for $90 are great but if I am going to make 10 gallons of hard cheese at a time I will need 5 presses going at once.
If you have any ideas or know of a small cheese factory that I can contact let me know.
Thanks


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## goto10 (Oct 5, 2009)

I've seen a lot of variations of this type of homemade press:

http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/cheesepress.html

I don't know if that is too crude for your purposes or too much to deal with. I guess you'd need a lot of weights if you were had 10 going at a time.


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

I put together three 4" x 8" (inside measurements) presses for under $30. Not as fancy, but I can add the support later if I want to. Home Depot has 24 inch long, 5 inch outside diameter PVC pipe, and 24 inch long, 4" OD PVC, and end-caps for the 4" PVC. Cut the 2 pieces of PVC into 8" lengths, sand down the edges, put the end-caps on the 4" pieces, and you have 3 presses. I use a gallon milk jug with water in it for a weight, and put the press on an upside down dish so the whey flows away from the cheese. The press either has to be in a place no one will bump it, or it needs to be supported. I put it in one of the tall pots, so if it leans, it won't fall over. If you're going to do 5 all at once, it would be easy to use a bungee cord and strap them all together. They would keep each other from falling over.

If those dimensions aren't right for you, check out a pipe company for larger diameter pipe. If you can't find an end-cap that fits perfectly, you can cut a follower out of a cutting board and skip the end-cap, but then I would have had to cut an accurate circle! I liked the end-cap!
Kit


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## robinthegeek (Nov 18, 2004)

I came across this link with a photo. It's basically a very simple cheese press, but they've stacked the cheese molds in it, pressing several cheeses at the same time. Maybe something like this would work for you?

http://www.cheeselinks.com.au/cheesepress.html


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

That one is very interesting but I forgot to mention the inspector wants no wood.
Has anyone made an "off the wall" press with stainless steel pipe instead of wood?


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Hoegger goat supply http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/home.php?cat=35
Has a 2-size stainless steel press for $100. It is made the same as the PVC-styled one.

Do you have to have stainless? Can you use plastics?


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## woodsman (Dec 8, 2008)

I made my presses with 4 and 6" pvc pipe and 3/8" thick plastic cutting boards.
I even routed followers from the same material.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

PVC isn't considered to be a good choice for making molds as it is suspected of leeching chemicals on contact. PLastic molds are made of food grade polypropylene , stainless is best of course. 
But the discussion was on presses..not molds and followers. 
Have you looked at the pictures of Emily's cheese making operation? lots of stainless molds held together and under pressure from something very similar to a car jack.


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

Emily as in Ozark Jewels?


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

She has way bigger of an operation than I plan. I would be doing 10 gallons of any one cheese at a time. But thanks.
We think we will try the off the wall press out of PVC. With the followers and moulds being stainless.
http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/p/50-Off-the-Wall-Press-Plans.html


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

Curious as to what part you are planning to use pvc for...I'd imagine that it'd break or bend under the pressure if you are hanging the weights off it. The plan you linked uses a hardwood for the lever.
Yes...Emily's operation is rather large...I was thinking that something along those lines could be made to suit you. I see things like this being sold 

http://www.ullmers-dairyequipment.com/cheesemolds.htm

Some of the larger ones are of course larger than you are going for...but maybe some of the smaller ones would work.


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