New lever press use didn't go well

[Meadow Creek Mama]

I used the Dutch style lever press for the first time and it didn't go well.  I did an easy recipe I'm familiar with for the first round so I would know how much pressure I would be adding as I went.  The problem really showed itself by the first flip, 15 minutes after going in the press.  The second press should have just been around 8# of pressure, but there was no whey sepage at that amount.  The press seemed like the system could not overcome the friction of the plyban in the mold.  I added more weight until I got the whey sepage I needed to see but I had to have about 15# of weight hanging off the end of the arm, which equals about 60# of pressure if I go off of how the press is designed to calculate the pressure.  

The second issue was that by the second flip, there was a huge slant to the top of the cheese.  It is very awkward to get the lever that actually goes down onto the follower to go straight down.  It is very clumsy.  From there I put it into my original press to straighten it out.  Overall, there is not wonderful knitting from the pressing being screwed up.  It's out of the brine right now and air drying, hopefully it doesn't crack apart as it dries.  

My DH saw it in action and thought it was weird that the lever arm does not go straight with the press but actually swings off to the side, it's worse when weight is hanging off of it.  This is part of why it is clumsy.  

One reviewer on website had the same issue with the uneven pressure.  I contacted the cheesemaking.com and they are willing to replace/refund but suggested I talk with their tech guy Jim who is familiar with the press.  I'm not really excited about giving it another go to see if I can make it work, but thought I'd see if anyone has any tips working with this style of press.  

This is a picture of the press...


cheesemaking.com/collections/cheese-molds-and-presses/products/dutch-style-cheese-press

[Kelsey]

Can write more later. What was the old press that you had been using?

[milkmachine]

I'm following this because I've also been thinking about a Dutch style press. I was looking at the one you got. I also saw this one:
www.sausagemaker.com/Deluxe-Dutch-Cheese-Press-p/24-2216.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1Ki2sOWK7QIVxMDACh2qGQHrEAQYAiABEgJ-gfD_BwE

It costs quite a bit more but maybe it is worth it? There is an extension kit sold separately that makes it possible to expand your operation.

[milkmachine]

Here is the user's manual for the deluxe cheese presscloud.tapatalk.com/s/5fb5643fa1db7/Cheese_Press_Operating_Manual_2020.pdf

[Kelsey]

What size cheeses are you two planning on pressing (diameter)?

[simplynaturalfarm]

I had those same issues with mine. I had to spend a lot of time adjusting it - you need the arm as close to level as possible or the arm twists as soon as you put weight on. The top was always slanted to some extent.

[Meadow Creek Mama]

I do 5-6 gallon batches, so the mold is about 8-10"

The other press I was using was by cheesemaking.com also, the one with two metal bars on the sides and springs between two pieces of wood that get fastened down. It can't go over 65#, otherwise I like it a lot.

[Meadow Creek Mama]

Nov 18, 2020 14:05:54 GMT -5 simplynaturalfarm said:

I had those same issues with mine. I had to spend a lot of time adjusting it - you need the arm as close to level as possible or the arm twists as soon as you put weight on. The top was always slanted to some extent.

Bummer.  Is yours the one I linked above?

[rosalind]

That was my thought in seeing the photo - are you adjusting the arm up or down from the stem as the cheese presses?

[Kelsey]

Nov 18, 2020 17:31:16 GMT -5 Meadow Creek Mama said:

I do 5-6 gallon batches, so the mold is about 8-10"

The other press I was using was by cheesemaking.com also, the one with two metal bars on the sides and springs between two pieces of wood that get fastened down. It can't go over 65#, otherwise I like it a lot.

cheesemaking.com/collections/cheese-molds-and-presses/products/cheese-press

This one? Strange, mine goes up to 120# on the little gauge. I love this press. It works great but only presses one wheel at a time
Have you had issues with the curd not knitting? I've found that with this press I can just press down until I feel the right amount of pressure - I never paid attention to what the number said (didn't believe it was accurate) but never had trouble with knitting.

Lever presses can be a pain to use. They do usually wobble a little bit so it takes some trial and error (and close monitoring) to get the wheels straight.
I still have to be careful with my commercial C van't Riet press or my wheels will be crooked.
That said, unless it's really well built a lever press will wobble too much and can drive you crazy.

[Kelsey]

Nov 18, 2020 13:09:06 GMT -5 milkmachine said:

I'm following this because I've also been thinking about a Dutch style press. I was looking at the one you got. I also saw this one:
www.sausagemaker.com/Deluxe-Dutch-Cheese-Press-p/24-2216.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1Ki2sOWK7QIVxMDACh2qGQHrEAQYAiABEgJ-gfD_BwE

It costs quite a bit more but maybe it is worth it? There is an extension kit sold separately that makes it possible to expand your operation.

What size wheels will you be making?
That press doesn't look like it can handle a very big wheel without the costly extensions.
The press that I linked above is my favorite, but you're limited to an 8" mold (8# max weight).

I don't like how that press doesn't list the size of the mold allowed, arm ratio (looks to be only 2:1 - you want 4:1 or 5:1).
It also looks like the arm/stamp can really pivot, which would likely make for lopsided wheels.

[Meadow Creek Mama]

Nov 18, 2020 17:45:49 GMT -5 Kelsey said:

Nov 18, 2020 17:31:16 GMT -5 Meadow Creek Mama said:

I do 5-6 gallon batches, so the mold is about 8-10"

The other press I was using was by cheesemaking.com also, the one with two metal bars on the sides and springs between two pieces of wood that get fastened down. It can't go over 65#, otherwise I like it a lot.

cheesemaking.com/collections/cheese-molds-and-presses/products/cheese-press

This one? Strange, mine goes up to 120# on the little gauge. I love this press. It works great but only presses one wheel at a time ;)
Have you had issues with the curd not knitting? I've found that with this press I can just press down until I feel the right amount of pressure - I never paid attention to what the number said (didn't believe it was accurate) but never had trouble with knitting.

Lever presses can be a pain to use. They do usually wobble a little bit so it takes some trial and error (and close monitoring) to get the wheels straight.
I still have to be careful with my commercial C van't Riet press or my wheels will be crooked.
That said, unless it's really well built a lever press will wobble too much and can drive you crazy.

Yes, that's the one I have.  But my gauge goes to 80# but bottoms out at 65#.  They said they can sell me replacement springs.  
I don't have trouble with knitting Gouda, which is what I tried with the lever press.  It's not really unknit, but more...not smooth like I can do in the small press.  It looks like once cut into, it will have a lot of mechanical holes.  

Yes, this lever press is a pain to use.  I'll probably return it and get a refund.  I'm grateful they are willing to do that.  

[Meadow Creek Mama]

Nov 18, 2020 17:33:32 GMT -5 rosalind said:

That was my thought in seeing the photo - are you adjusting the arm up or down from the stem as the cheese presses?

Yes, you have to adjust it otherwise the arm will be too unlevel and the weight that is hanging will slide towards the cheese.  

[simplynaturalfarm]

I am sorry to say that is the exact one I bought. I wish I had mentioned something before you bought it, I didn't even see the thread.
I actually stopped making press cheeses because both of the presses were driving me crazy. You really do have to watch and adjust that lever arm and I got so frustrated with myself when I would forget to adjust and have extremely wonky cheeses that you can't flip upside down and press straight

[Kelsey]

Try consolidating the curds under the whey, and doing the initial 10 minute pressing under the whey (just stack a couple cans or something on top, then move to the press after flipping). That will eliminate most of the mechanical holes.
You actually don't need very much weight for most cheese varieties, except Cheddar. Most of the curd structure - holes/no holes - comes from how compact the curds are as they leave the whey.
If you drain the whey and then hand fill your mold, no amount of pressing (within reason) will overcome the porous configuration of curds.
However, if you consolidate the curds under the whey, any gaps are filled with whey vs air. When pressure is added and the whey exits, it creates a vacuum and the curd moves to fill those cavities. The result is an extremely uniform hole-less cheese.
Do a YouTube search for the process of making Parmigiano or any Alpine cheese and you'll see the cheesemaker gathering all the curds in one piece of cloth at the bottom of the vat before pulling them out. These cheeses use very little weight during the pressing phase.

[Meadow Creek Mama]

Nov 20, 2020 16:22:43 GMT -5 Kelsey said:

Try consolidating the curds under the whey, and doing the initial 10 minute pressing under the whey (just stack a couple cans or something on top, then move to the press after flipping). That will eliminate most of the mechanical holes.
You actually don't need very much weight for most cheese varieties, except Cheddar. Most of the curd structure - holes/no holes - comes from how compact the curds are as they leave the whey.
If you drain the whey and then hand fill your mold, no amount of pressing (within reason) will overcome the porous configuration of curds.
However, if you consolidate the curds under the whey, any gaps are filled with whey vs air. When pressure is added and the whey exits, it creates a vacuum and the curd moves to fill those cavities. The result is an extremely uniform hole-less cheese.
Do a YouTube search for the process of making Parmigiano or any Alpine cheese and you'll see the cheesemaker gathering all the curds in one piece of cloth at the bottom of the vat before pulling them out. These cheeses use very little weight during the pressing phase.

That is what I always do with Gouda and did with this cheese as well.  Hopefully it's just surface wrinkles.  As it dries it doesn't look that bad.  I'm in the process of returning the press.  The tech guy thought my curds were too dry and that is why it didn't work.  I'm quite confident that was not the issue.