Uncle Walter and friend Tom helped me build my first cheese press. I used the plan on Fias Co Farm website – a very simple design that would be easy to store between uses.
I’d picked up the materials and contacted Walter for drilling assistance. After discussing the press Walter provided a much more robust pair of boards (maple butcher block) and dowels (1″ maple).
Walter cut the boards to size and drilled the holes. I did lots of sanding. Tom cut a couple of followers to go with the cheese mold.
I did a bit more sanding, screwed the bases to the dowels, and assembled it after EKA went to bed tonight.
I need to make the holes in the top board significantly larger so the top board floats down freely. And rub some linseed onto it. And manufacturer a whey catcher.
I love that the whole device collapses down. The maple is heavy. One board is over eight pounds.
Walter suggested using a five gallon bucket with appropriate quantities of water as weight. It is certainly robust enough.
Almost ready to attempt cheddar.
