[castletop]

Does anyone in the Cromford or Matlock area of Derbyshire have an apple press we could borrow or hire for a couple of days? We picked our apples today as they have started falling off the trees. The press we have was adapted from a stone cheese press and it simply doesn't exert enough pressure on the pomice. We tried it with all our pears last week and only got 5 litres of juice.

[Bodger]

You haven't got your pommice right. Over half the juice comes out from our pommice from its own weight as we build it up into a cheese prior to us exerting any pressure on it. If anyone is ever visiting our neck of the woods, then we'd only be too pleased to show you what we do.

[castletop]

We put it through a scratter but I think the problem is the stone cheese press doesn't exert the pressure needed as the block is only probably 1/4 ton at the most and the mechanism on the cheese press only lowers it up or down so it only relies on the weight of the stone. It just ends up sitting on the cheese. I've noticed that people are using 4 ton car jacks to exert pressure.

[little blue]

I've seen a cider press at Wirksworth farmer's market, and Cromford community event .... but can't think where they come from!
might be worth an internet search

I'll ask round

[castletop]

Thats great thanks!