A cider Press

[burywoodturners]

I have had some odd requests as a woodturner and one of the oddest was to make a drum for a cider press. I was sent some decent photo's but I soon decided that a closer look was needed. The request came from someone nearby so I went to look at it. It turned out to be a 100 year old apple slicer/crusher amd a monster,

We got the part off, we took the bands off and it fell off!, and after some checking it turned out to be elm.

So where  do I find the elm to make a 12"long by 10" dia, to create a replace ment, the roller was made in two parts so two pieces 12" by6" should be ok.
Hopefully someone will have some, or suggest a suitable replacement.
Let me know if you can help with either some wood or a suggestion.
Before you ask, no I am not banging in the nails!
Ron

[bodrighywood]

Finding elm that size nowadays coud be a problem. Would beech or sycamore be of use? You don't want a wood with tannin like oak as that would react with the acid in the fruit

Pete

[Twisted Trees]

I would agree with Pete, it was probably only Elm as up until the 1970's if you wanted a large piece of timber Elm was plentiful and easily available. I would be inclined to add Maple to the list, doubt that many timbers available now will last 100 years soaked in apple juice, but that just makes work for another turner in 50 years or so...

[Derek]

I would agree with Pete, it was probably only Elm as up until the 1970's if you wanted a large piece of timber Elm was plentiful and easily available. I would be inclined to add Maple to the list, doubt that many timbers available now will last 100 years soaked in apple juice, but that just makes work for another turner in 50 years or so...

Could chestnut be a suitable timber not sure how much tannin is in that unlike Oak

[bodrighywood]

I would agree with Pete, it was probably only Elm as up until the 1970's if you wanted a large piece of timber Elm was plentiful and easily available. I would be inclined to add Maple to the list, doubt that many timbers available now will last 100 years soaked in apple juice, but that just makes work for another turner in 50 years or so...

Could chestnut be a suitable timber not sure how much tannin is in that unlike Oak

Chestnut used to be used in the tanning of leather so I would imagine it is pretty high.

Pete

[seventhdevil]

I have had some odd requests as a woodturner and one of the oddest was to make a drum for a cider press. I was sent some decent photo's but I soon decided that a closer look was needed. The request came from someone nearby so I went to look at it. It turned out to be a 100 year old apple slicer/crusher amd a monster,

We got the part off, we took the bands off and it fell off!, and after some checking it turned out to be elm.

So where  do I find the elm to make a 12"long by 10" dia, to create a replace ment, the roller was made in two parts so two pieces 12" by6" should be ok.
Hopefully someone will have some, or suggest a suitable replacement.
Let me know if you can help with either some wood or a suggestion.
Before you ask, no I am not banging in the nails!
Ron

that is a barrel from an "Apple Scrater". used to obliterate the apple before they get pressed.
i made one of these a few years back but they wanted a different size to what yours is.
i used Beech and i had to laminate mine as i couldn't find a bit of wood the size i wanted either. it ended up with stainless steel screws rather than nails as they are easily adjusted.
i covered mine in a couple of layers of beeswax so the apple did not stick.

[Bryan Milham]

Other woods have been suggested, but if you want Elm, it is still available.

The bug that destroys it has not got all the way north yet and Elm does still grow in the North of England and Scotland. Try finding a timber supplier further up, I think I saw some from a supplier near Aberdeen a couple of years back.

[Percy]

I have a couple of very thick rounds of recently felled elm if that's of any interest? If you don't mind that its green wood, then let me know and you can have a lump. It will be more than big enough to turn a new barrel in a single piece.

[burywoodturners]

Thanks to every body who replied to my request, I have two offers, one in the Peak District and on in Kent! so delivery will have to be sorted.
I will contct the potential 'suppliers' when I have spoken to the owner of tis wonderful machine
Ron

[Bill21]

We have a small cider press in the shed, it’s made of Stainless Steel! 

[burywoodturners]

We have a small cider press in the shed, it’s made of Stainless Steel! 

Now that spoils the fun!
Ron

[Bill21]

It was cheaper than the wood clad version, doesn’t rot and is easy to clean. So yeah, I guess not as much “fun”! 

[Twisted Trees]

It was cheaper than the wood clad version, doesn’t rot and is easy to clean. So yeah, I guess not as much “fun”! 

But if you wanted cheaper and easier, you could just buy cider... though personally I just drink beer can't stand cider any more.

[Bill21]

We bought it because we had lots of apples in our old garden.

[burywoodturners]

Thanks to seventhdevil and Percy for their offer of elm for the cider press (which is in fact a scarifier) I have today collected a piece of elm from another club secretary and hopefully it will do the job. I now need to find the right nails to put in, I have some farriers nails froma retired farrier great but thewy are too soft
Ron