Dutch cheese press

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Dutch cheese press

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Nakipa

Joined: 01 Apr 2006
Posts: 20
Location: France

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 10:00 am Post subject: Dutch cheese press

I have a dutch cheese press for making my hard cheeses but the only way I can stop it being pulled over by the weights is by jamming one side of it under my kitchen cabinet. Am I missing something obvious here in how to use it? Surely it is made to use heavy weights as up to 30+ kilos is required for pressing some cheeses.
If you use a dutch cheese press how do you keep its feet on the ground?

Nakipa

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 10:09 am Post subject:
Not familiar with the exact design, but I'm imagining an arm on top that you hang the weights off. Is there no way you can add a counter balance?

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Dutch cheese press

Nakipa wrote:

Am I missing something obvious here in how to use it? Surely it is made to use heavy weights as up to 30+ kilos is required for pressing some cheeses.
If you use a dutch cheese press how do you keep its feet on the ground?

Nakipa

I think you may be overdoing the weight.
What matters is the *pressure*.

30 kg force applied to a big (wide) cheese is equivalent to much less force applied to a smaller one.

Pressure is the force divided by the area (of the follower, contacting the cheese).
Area of a circle is pi (call it 3) times the radius times the radius.
Force. For a typical dutch press, the weight is hung on the end of the arm, while the piston acts perhaps half of the way along. This multiplies the force - the principle of the lever. Measure the distance from the hinge to the weight attachment. Measure the distance from the hinge to the piston. Divide the weight distance by the piston distance. Multiply the weight you are applying by that factor (the ratio of the distances) to discover the force you are actually applying.

Look at the recipe you are using and the size of the cheese mould being used. Calculate its area. Divide the force by that area to find the pressure that the recipe is calling for.

Because a small reduction in radius makes a big difference in area - AND the leverage of the dutch press, you likely need massively less weight than you think you do.
Example:
Imagine you are following a recipe using an 8 inch mould, but you are using a 4 inch one. The recipe just puts weight on top of the cheese.
Now, a 4 inch mould has only 1/4 the area of an 8 inch one. (Check it!)
Using a dutch press with the piston half way along the arm, gets you a leverage factor of 2.
Hence you'd only need one eighth (half of a quarter) of the weight called for in the original recipe...
So 32 kg in the recipe would mean you needed just 4 kg...

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 10:37 am Post subject:
Ah, so a Dutch press is a lever mechanism, rather than a screw method?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 12:28 pm Post subject:
I don't suppose theres any way to bolt it down or fix it to a ply base etc?

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 12:32 pm Post subject:

Northern_Lad wrote:

Ah, so a Dutch press is a lever mechanism, rather than a screw method?

Something like this?

https://www.thesustainablevillage.com/servlet/display/product/detail/32973/

Nakipa

Joined: 01 Apr 2006
Posts: 20
Location: France

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 12:45 pm Post subject:
That is exactly what it is like Behemoth. I knew about the multiplication factor and the square inch/poundage ratio. It just seems that no matter how little weight over about 2 kilos it tips over. Maybe I had better have another look at it. I can't screw it down to anything as I have to put it away when not in use but maybe I will have to look again at that. Thanks for your replies. Nakipa

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 12:49 pm Post subject:
Could you use something like a G-cramp to fasten it to your tabletop or worktop when the weight is applied? Better than drilling holes in your table.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 12:52 pm Post subject:
or have a sheet of ply you can bolt it to and remove for storage?

Nakipa

Joined: 01 Apr 2006
Posts: 20
Location: France

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 1:36 pm Post subject:
thanks to all f or replies. I was using too much weight anyway as my recipe refers to weight but not specifically to the mould size as well. i do need only about 3-4kg as my press has a 3:1 ratio arm and i am using 110mm moulds. Thanks Dougal. It still tips over though! have sorted it now by attaching the opposite side of the press to a fixed point on the wall or wall cupboard.

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 2:33 pm Post subject:

Nakipa wrote:

... I was using too much weight anyway as my recipe refers to weight but not specifically to the mould size as well. ...

It still tips over though! have sorted it now by attaching the opposite side of the press to a fixed point on the wall or wall cupboard.

I was astonished at just how many cheese recipes talk about the force, seemingly without realising that its the *pressure* that's important.
And its not much pressure really.

I'm glad to hear that you've engineered a solution!

There are plans somewhere for making a Dutch Press, posted by ErikHT - who uses such a thing. You could do worse than PM him for other ideas regarding such presses.

I'm sure there are plenty of other cheesemakers (novice and expert) here who'd like to hear more about your experiments!

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 06 2:38 pm Post subject:
Here's the My First Cheese thread from last year... There are probably others. https://forum.downsizer.net/about7655.html

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