I built my own Cider Press for Cheap!

[HowToLou]

Hi Everyone - I wanted to share this before your apples all fell and went to waste. A hand-powered apple grinder/masher and cider press can easily cost you $700. I built this motorized grinder and press for under $75, with a ceiling fan motor and a few plastic buckets. The grinder is made by forming two 6-inch PVC end caps into a drum and studding it with stailless steel screws. This is attached to and driven by a fan motor. The press container is made with 5 buckets, one inside the other, for extra strength, and drilled with 100 holes to let out the cider. A threaded rod is used to press a wooden plunger to squeeze the apples. Here is a video to show how I did it. -Lou

 

[Denim Deb]

It looks interesting. I've wanted a cider press for years, but can't justify putting out the money they want for one.

 

[HowToLou]

We just inherited a farm and it had two apple trees. I could not stand for all those apples to go to watse, but like you, I did not want to spend all that money on a masher and a press.

 

[Joel_BC]

Thanks for posting this. I like, very much, your re-use of the ceiling-fan motor. Also, your videos are very well made! (I've started checking out your Youtube channel.) Clearly explained with the voice-over, and the visual aspect itself is well shot and explanatory.

I hope you're aware of the thread I started on SufficientSelf's DIY subforum:
http://www.sufficientself.com/threads/upcycled-repurposed-projects-many.11661/

Feel welcome to post any of your repurposing projects that have a self-reliance or homesteading sort of application onto this thread.

 

[Mini Horses]

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

Such precision and excellent verbals suggest to me me you must me in the teaching & engineering realm. I'm impressed and find this easy to follow, although it may be less easy for fumble fingers to perform.

If I drank cider often and had apple trees, I'd do this. My compost pile is currently some little pigs...they'd love those.

Otherwise, with the press portion, I'm inclined to make a cheese press using your info, principles and smaller containers. So, thanks!

 

[tortoise]

Thank you! We tried to make apple juice without a press.

 

[Denim Deb]

I take it it didn't work that well?