Cider press

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Does anyone here own, or has used in the past, an "antique' apple/cider press? I know there are many different types. The one I remember is an "all in one" - the grinder would chop up the apples which would fall into a basket; the basket would slide down a 'chute' to underneath a press, which would squeeze the juice out.

ah.....fond memories....I must be getting old. LOL.

anyways - I'm wondering what sort of wood could be used for such a machine if I found one that needed to be rebuilt. it'd have to be strong since I imagine that press would exert a lot of force. also have to be somewhat rot/decay resistant. I'm thinking maple or white oak.

any thoughts?

[Joe Pelonio]

My parents' neighbor has one of the all-in-one type.

Every year a bunch of them get together and grind all their apples together, then share it. They say that many varieties together are better than 1-2. It's great tasting stuff though.

Theirs looks like maple.

[Lee Schierer]

My dad rebuilt one that we still use and the slats are made of maple. He also found some mesh bags that go inside the slat hoop and hold the crushed apples making the removal of hte waste easier when teh pressing is done. We've used the same bag for years. The bottom board he made from two layers of 3/4" plywood glued together with a maple border. He varnished the bottom board and slats prior to assembly to keep tehm from soaking up juice and making them easy to clean with a hose.

[David G Baker]

I have a neighbor that makes cider every year and I always buy a couple gallons. They have a pretty good sized orchard and this year was not a good apple year so they have a large supply of cider. They freeze it and drink it all Winter long. They can't sell it to stores because it is not pasteurized. Sure tastes good.

[James Ashburn]

I would use maple, beech or something without tanin in it. I would not use oak or anything else that turns black from contact with iron when wet. From what I gather from the research I did before, the tanins can give the juice an off taste.

[Greg Cole]

I forget whom, but someone made one and posted the build tutorial here.... sorry but can't remember whom for the life of me, then again twas a year or so ago. John Bailey maybe...?
We used to go to orchards when I was a kid and pick up drops for use to make home made cider as Gramma had one of the old presses in her barn.
Those nasty 1/2 rotten looking apples sure make good cider....

Greg