Setsumi's corn press

[Setsumi]

So I live in South Africa. Maize meal or corn meal is a staple diet item. In any groceries store you will find up to 10kg bags and in bigger stores up to 25kg. The meal is very refind.... lots of starch less the protiens and bran. It is easy for me to get to 1.07 with Booners recipe and enzymes. I ferment on the grain and use GA Flatwoods geotechstyle method to filter.

BUT corn does not like to give you back your likker.... so I build myself a press. It is based on a dutch cheese press style.

set

The fulcrum, lever mechanical advantage is just above 4 and the pullys takes the advantage above x6. With 20kg water and 10kg weights I am pressing above 180kg. The weak point at this time are the crates... and although I get more likker back corn is an absulute BITCH.

[Yummyrum]

Nice work

[Jack C]

I use a Dutch press for cheese making and had not really thought about using it for squeezing grains. Really simple and very effective. Great job.

[8Ball]

I like the way you did that. Bet it works great.

[Yummyrum]

Setsumi , how long do you leave the press apply pressure for ? ... I mean how long doss it take to do a successful squeeze?

[cob]

reminds me of a biomass fuel maker. http://leehite.org/ewb_project.htm

[Setsumi]

Setsumi , how long do you leave the press apply pressure for ? ... I mean how long doss it take to do a successful squeeze?

Yummy, if mashing foodgrade corn meal (20kg) i will filter half of the meal and then start pressing. when the rest is filtered about 4 hours later i will add it to the press for a total of about 8h in the press. this way i can press and charge in a day. but it is very hands off. for cattle feed grade corn meal I press 2 sepparet pressings and try to do it 8h each...

it works, it is low tech and does not cost an arm or leg. on foodgrade meal I recover between 5 and 7 liters extra form a 80lt water 20kg meal. cattle feed not as much.

[Setsumi]

reminds me of a biomass fuel maker. http://leehite.org/ewb_project.htm

cob, that is interesting. yes indeed it is the same principal. as Jack C says, it is so simple and one can make it low tech or have extra fulcrums and levers as in the biomass presses.

[HomerD]

Can you post pictures of the parts inside the crates?

Homer

[Setsumi]

Can you post pictures of the parts inside the crates?

Homer

in the bottom crate i have a spacer from stainless steel square tube. this helps to reduce the pressure on the bottom crate sides as well as the bottom of the top crate.

spacers

i use a chopping board ontop of the grains with a piece of ss tube to spread the pressing presure

[HomerD]

Great idea. Thank you!

Homer

[Setsumi]

well after a while my top crate's seam tore. it was always the weak spot and i have been looking for a while to upgrade my press. a while back i installed a bottom drain on my 60lt stainless steel mushtun, bingo.

made a plug from some oak, i put the plug in a refuge bagg during the pressing.

the maize meal is wrapped in geotextile fabric. i recover from 83lt water and 20kg meal 70lt beer after fermentation and pressing.

at this time i use the original crate's bottom as false bottom but will find something better.

and after fermenting and pressing the organic matter only weighs about 13kg.

[EricTheRed]

I use a fruit press
not fast - but i can squeeze maize to a dry pulp
SWAMBO made up the bags for me
The colander gets another cheese cloth covering when pour fine washes through it

[bluc]

I have been squeezing by hand i have had 3 scorched in 18mnths. Moving to steam and I agree corn is a BITCH!!!

[Biker24a69]

Just got a 5 gallon fruit press and absolutely love it even easier than mob bucket squeezing

[Setsumi]

Just got a 5 gallon fruit press and absolutely love it even easier than mob bucket squeezing

Feel free to share n photo

[HDNB]

very ingenious. nice work Setsumi!

[Biker24a69]