The owners of orchards, vineyards and berry plantations are well aware of the problem of crop processing. An effective way to solve it is cold pressing the juice. This process allows you to save the vitamin value of fruits and berries for a long time without building a bulk storage.

The main mechanism of the country "canning shop" - a press for squeezing juice. It helps to process hundreds of kilograms of a ripe crop quickly and without loss.

We will talk about the existing varieties, principles of operation and the cost of equipment for obtaining juice in this article. For home craftsmen, information about the features of self-manufacturing a powerful "juicer" will be useful.

Types and principles of operation of juice presses

Juice extractors are divided into mechanical, hydraulic, electro-hydraulic and pneumatic.

The most common mechanism is a mechanical screw press.

Juice screw press is simple and reliable

The principle of its operation is clear at a glance: crushed fruits are placed in a container with holes, grapes or berries are poured. After that, by turning the handle, the screw is driven, lowering the flat piston. The squeezed juice flows through the holes in the casing into the tray, and from there it enters the jars or other containers.

In addition to stainless steel, solid beech wood is used to make the casing. They make a drainage grate out of it. It consists of two halves connected by metal hoops.

A modernized version of such a device is a manual hydraulic press for apples and grapes.

It does not have a perforated container to separate the juice. Instead, several wooden drainage frames are used. Between them, bags with crushed raw materials are placed. A manual hydraulic jack develops a large force (from 1 to 5 tons). Thanks to this, the volume of juice obtained reaches 70% of the volume of the fruit.

The original method of squeezing is implemented in the Grifo hydraulic press. It does not have a hydraulic jack, but a powerful “barrel” membrane is installed. It expands under the pressure of tap water (1.5-2 atm.) and squeezes the juice through the perforated wall of the casing.

Hydropress Grifo - connected to the water supply and squeezed the juice

A pneumatic press works on a similar principle. Only the membrane crusher in it is filled not with water, but with compressed air from the compressor.

Pneumatic juice press. Screw piston replaced by rubber diaphragm

Since all juice presses are paired with choppers, a few words must be said about these devices. The simplest mechanism is a steel grater drum placed in a casing with a loading neck. By turning the handle, the chopper is activated, turning the fruit into small crumbs-pulp.

A more advanced option is a device with an electric drive. A minimum of physical effort and a maximum of productivity are the main arguments in its favor.

It should be noted that the productivity of mechanical presses is low (10-30 liters per hour). However, for most summer cottages it is quite enough.

To improve the quality and increase the yield of juice, two methods are used:

• Container bags for crushed fruits.
• Wooden drainage grates or "pancakes" made of stainless steel.

Both methods improve the removal of juice from the middle of the compressed volume. Without such drainage, the middle layers of crushed fruit are squeezed out worse than the upper and lower ones. An additional plus from the use of bags is the release of juice from the pulp.

Large volumes of processing require the use of an electric drive. Two types of equipment can be distinguished here: a traditional screw mechanism driven by a pair of “electric motor-hydraulic jack” and a screw press operating on the principle of a meat grinder.

Screw press juicer with an electric motor is designed for processing berries, grapes and tomatoes. Grinding raw materials, the screw pushes it through a sieve and produces juice with a large amount of pulp.

Screw press - a relative of a household juicer

Estimated prices

The cost of manual screw presses for squeezing juice directly depends on their capacity. The price of devices with a working volume of 10-15 liters is in the range from 9,000 to 15,000 rubles. For a manual press, which holds 25 liters of raw materials, you will have to pay at least 20,000 rubles.

The average price of home "juice presses" powered by a hydraulic jack is 19,000 rubles. A pneumatic press for squeezing apple juice can be bought for 34,000 rubles. For a membrane-type hydraulic device, sellers are asking 94,000 rubles.

How to make a juice press with your own hands?

The most complex assembly of a manual juice press is a powerful screw. It is impossible to make it without the help of a qualified turner. At the same time, each car owner has a mechanism that is perfect for squeezing juice. This is a hydraulic or mechanical jack. Using it, you can make a good homemade juice press.

The main task is to weld a solid frame from a metal profile, into which the jack will rest. For this purpose, you can take scraps of a square pipe (section 40x40 mm, wall thickness of at least 3 mm).

When making a drawing of the press, the height of the frame is chosen based on the height of the jack, the thickness of the linings, drainage grates and bags of raw materials. The width of the frame is made such that the juice tray fits freely into it.

In order to make the do-it-yourself juice press as stable as possible, three pieces of a square pipe (length 15-20 cm) must be welded to the bottom belt of the frame on both sides. A stand made of boards or OSB boards will rest on these “legs”.

The drainage grate should be made only from natural wood (oak, beech). The thickness of the planks of the drainage grid must be at least 20 mm.

For sewing bags, you can take different fabrics (burlap made of jute, linen, cotton calico, synthetics). The main thing is that it be strong enough so that it is not torn apart by the pressure of the jack.

In conclusion, let's look at photographs of a working sample of such a press. Without resorting to welding, the master decided to make a bolted frame using a powerful corner and a profile pipe.

For the bottom base plate, a piece of laminated chipboard worktop was used.

But the master chose the material for the drainage grate incorrectly. Instead of natural wood, he used OSB board, making cuts in it to drain the juice. We do not advise you to repeat this mistake, because particle board contains toxic phenol-formaldehyde glue.

The drainage grate for the press is only wood, not chipboard!

In general, the homemade juice press turned out to be simple, reliable and efficient.

But a more complex design of a do-it-yourself hydraulic press. Here the craftsman decided to use the screw as a retainer for the fruit bookmark, placed in a perforated stainless steel casing. He placed a hydraulic jack under the frame. The support platform is made not stationary, but sliding. The jack moves it up the frame profile.

In this press, the screw does not squeeze the juice, but only fixes the bookmark

When growing grapes in their summer cottage, a large number of gardeners, after receiving berries, process the crop into juice, as well as wine.

To get these drinks, you need a tool such as a press. You can even make it yourself.

There are no great difficulties in creating a wringer, the main thing is to follow the instructions clearly.

What is this device

Such a press juicer makes the life of summer residents easier. Using it, you can not only squeeze the juice from the same grapes, but also any other fruit.

The manual crusher consists of a wooden frame, a pallet where the juice will flow, the pressing element itself, a special network for the filter, a barrel, and also a power screw. To squeeze grapes, it is best to use a homemade screw press.

White grape varieties can be pressed immediately after cutting. A similar procedure with red varieties is best done a few days after fermentation has begun.

Its essence lies in the fact that the grapes are first loaded into a special basket, after which the screw mechanism begins to squeeze out the juice. Further, homemade wine can be made from the resulting, as well as other drinks or jellies.

Such a crusher makes it possible to obtain natural juice without any additives in the form of water, sugar or flavoring additives. At the same time, such juice contains all the vitamins of a natural product. After sterilization, such a drink can be stored for a very long time.

It's important to know: the device itself can be made from environmentally friendly materials. This is important enough, because food products will be processed in them.

Usually they make options from wood (basket) and stainless steel. Such models serve for quite a long time, and in the process of their use there is no heating of the material, which in turn allows you to save all the vitamins in the juice.

At the exit, after squeezing, pulp is also obtained, which can be used as a fertilizer. A home-made mechanical apparatus is also a wine-making device.

materials

For many people, the material from which such a press will be made plays an important role. Most often they are made from:

1. wood. Such models are considered the most environmentally friendly and at the same time the safest. However, in fact, after each extraction of grape juice, you need to very carefully clean the wooden press, and then degrease and dry it.
2. Metal. It is made from cast iron as well as stainless steel. The advantages of such options are hygiene, ease of maintenance, as well as durability. In addition, the metal does not absorb and does not give off any odors or tastes. Therefore, even large industrial presses after cleaning can be used even for domestic purposes.

Manufacturing process

Often a good screw press is replaced at home with some kind of food processor or electronic juicer.

However, in order to get normal grape juice using them, you need to buy very expensive models. The main problem of modern electronic devices is that after processing fruits or berries they give juice, in which there is a lot of sediment.

Of course, you can purchase a ready-made screw assembly made at the factory, which will work great for many years. But spending so much money on something that you can easily do yourself is not advisable. Therefore, using drawings, photos, as well as various video instructions on the Internet, you can easily make a homemade press.

Often, even improvised materials are enough to assemble it:

1. First you need to prepare a container that is suitable in size, as well as the volume, where the berries will be loaded in the future. To do this, you can use the drum from the washing machine. It will be necessary to make holes in it in a checkerboard pattern.
2. After that, you need to find a container that is slightly larger than the previous one. It should not have a bottom and holes must be made in it at the bottom.
3. Now you need to insert the first (smaller) container into the second (larger), and then install a medium-sized wooden block to make a gap between them.
4. Next, you need to find or make a U-shaped frame. In this case, it is necessary to install the working part itself on the frame crossbar. In this capacity, a pancake made of stainless steel can act. It is fixed with an additional lever, by drilling a hole in the frame.
5. The next step is to place these containers in a special large basin, which is made of food-grade polymers. Already in it you need to make a hole to which the hose is connected. It is through it that grape juice will leave in the future.
6. The U-shaped horizontal bar itself needs to be concreted into the ground. It will be the basis for the main mechanism. The whole structure will be mounted on it.
7. The second end of the hose coming from the basin must be placed in the container where the juice should drain.

Such a device will work as follows:

1. Grapes are first loaded into the drum, after which it is covered with a wooden shield (this can also be a stainless steel option). A cast-iron pancake is lowered onto it, which is controlled by pressing a lever, and a kind of vise is obtained.
2. The juice begins to stand out due to the pressing of the grapes, and through the hose it will flow into the container.
3. Pressing the pulp is worth no more than three times.

You can make moonshine from juice with the addition of honey. This drink is called mead. How to make a grape press with your own hands, see the instructions in the following video:

After the summer struggle for the harvest comes the autumn struggle with the harvest. A juice press is a device that can greatly simplify this task. It is used both in summer cottages and for industrial purposes. Has several configuration options. You can even create a simple device with your own hands. In different regions of Russia, it is most often used when picking apples, grapes, carrots, and other vegetables and fruits.

How a juice press works

The device has a mechanical type of control. Consists of:

1. Baskets for loading vegetables or fruits. Depending on the model, it can be made of metal or wood.
2. Press. He descends into the basket and squeezes its contents.
3. The filter through which the squeezed product passes, leaving pulp, seeds, etc. in it. It is made of burlap and wooden gratings.
4. Pallet where the finished product flows. It is made from different materials, up to plastic.

If the juice press is manually operated, it takes a lot of effort to extract the juice. Especially when it comes to vegetables, herbaceous plants or hard fruits (). Therefore, it is better not to consider it as a gift for a woman. Only if a small volume is required for use in the kitchen.

How the device works:

1. Before starting work, the products from which it is planned to make juice are cut into small pieces (or crushed).
2. They are placed in a basket, distributing evenly over the entire plane (some devices use a special filter bag).
3. Gradually, a press is lowered onto the basket, which compresses the contents.
4. The drink is cleaned, passing through the filters and enters the tray.

This principle is called the cold pressing method.

The press does not heat the products, thereby preserving all the useful substances that were laid down by nature.

Advantages and disadvantages

What are the advantages of this type of product processing:

• all vitamins and minerals are preserved;
• the minimum amount of waste is only 5%;
• does not make noise when used;
• simple design, easy to repair in case of breakage;
• long work without spending resources;
• is inexpensive;
• can be easily carried from place to place.

Minuses:

• if the volume of products is large, then the extraction will take a lot of time and effort;
• you have to deal with the preliminary processing of vegetables and fruits (for small models, in addition to cutting, you also need to peel the fruits and remove the bones);
• a lot of juice from one serving of the product does not work.

Before choosing, you need to decide on the criteria by which you need to evaluate the device.

Juice Press Control Types

Manual presses require the direct participation of a person in the pressing process. Automatic devices begin to operate after pressing the button. The latter include hydraulic or pneumatic presses. Their purpose is to process a large volume of products, they are most often used in farms where a large crop is harvested or in production workshops.

For an ordinary summer cottage, an automatic juice press is not suitable, since there is no large volume and the cost of the device is above average (about 500,000 rubles).

Types of presses

They differ in the type of mechanism and the nuances of assembling the device. Presses with mechanical control have a small production volume, up to 30 liters per hour. The units are simple, you can make your own. Well suited for use at home and in the country. The main structural element is a steel frame. It holds the device in place during operation.

Manual screw press

This device is the most simple and very convenient. A screw press for squeezing juice is elementary: it is driven by a screw. Under its influence, the piston is lowered. These units are inexpensive. The only negative is that sometimes they require considerable physical strength.

Hand press models are designed for approximately 2.5 liters of vegetables or fruits.

Jack press for juice extraction

They are easier to manage than screw. Fix the device on the floor, set in motion with a jack. Physically, this is much easier than turning a screw. It can be used in the country, right on the street. A jack press costs about 15,000 rubles and can produce up to 3 liters of juice in one full load.

Pneumatic press

Works in automatic mode. Sets in motion through the action of compressed air, which creates a compressor. It is advisable to use it in large farms, farms or in several areas. Able to process a large number of vegetables and fruits. Its price is approximately 80-90000.

The pneumatic press produces up to 14 liters of finished juice in 1 cycle.

Hydraulic

Looks like a metal basket with holes. Inside there is a rubber bag into which water is supplied under pressure. The bag is filled and presses on the raw materials that are in the basket. The juice flows out through the holes into the lower reservoir.

There are mechanical, automatic and electric models. The device is driven by fluid pressure on the piston. And it is created with the help of controls.

There are two types of hydraulic juice presses:

Due to the complex design of the hydraulic press, its price is above average. In the private sector, it is used less frequently than screw.

Belt press for juice extraction

Used in the factory. Fully automatic, performs all functions independently. The automatic machine works from electricity, makes juice of a direct extraction.

Combined

Here, a screw and a jack are tried on together. Initially, the juice is produced using a screw mechanism. After it, the remains are squeezed with a jack. Effective on small garden plots, convenient and easy to use.

Differences by type of raw material

In most cases, juice presses are universal. You can squeeze any fruits and vegetables in them. Some models involve the creation of oil.

A special press is only suitable for a certain type of raw material. For example, it is used only for citrus fruits or berries. It is not recommended for solid products.

Before loading raw materials into a press of any type, it must be crushed. Otherwise, the device may be damaged. For these purposes, a crusher is used.

How to choose a juice press

For a home, for a small company, a press of 3-5 liters is enough. There are special small devices with which you can prepare 1-2 glasses of juice. To give, when you want to roll up several cans of juice, use a screw or hydraulic press with a volume of 10-12 liters.

If there is a large garden, wine is produced or a press is used for apples in a large farm, you need to take a volume of up to 30 liters. Control is automatic or semi-automatic. A small industrial production will require the ability to squeeze up to 200 liters of juice per hour. A pneumatic press for squeezing juice or an electric belt press is ideal here.

The harder the raw material, the more powerful the unit will be required. For juice from apples and grapes, a screw press can be used, but processing will take a long time. A hydraulic apparatus will give more juice than a screw one.

To chop fruits and vegetables, special devices are used - choppers. Any press can process whole fruits and vegetables, but the quality will be much worse, so it is not recommended to do this.

Do-it-yourself juice press - video

If it is necessary to process a large amount of grapes or other fruits in order to obtain an alcoholic beverage, a device such as a wine press cannot be dispensed with. It allows you to get the maximum amount of juice in a short time even from large volumes of raw materials. The device has a simple design, so that operation does not cause any problems even for beginners.

Design features and benefits of use

To date, various options for the design of the grape press are on sale. But at the heart of each are such nodes:

• Base that includes berry baskets and a frame.
• A pressure device, for example, a shaft or a jack.
• Pressing piston.
• Tray for collecting squeezed juice.

Any modification of the press is a pressure device, as a result of which the juice is squeezed out and redirected to a separate container. According to their type, they can be:

• Mechanical, characterized by compact size and affordable cost. The device is a cast iron frame and a fruit basket, its action is based on the use of the winemaker's physical strength. After twisting the pressing piston, it goes down, crushing the berries. The productivity of such a device is not too high and therefore it is recommended for making wines at home.
• Electric - a more complex device made of stainless steel. The necessary pressure is provided by a hydraulic or pneumatic press. They are characterized by high productivity, due to which electric presses are used in factories or private large wineries.

According to its specification, the press can be universal, that is, suitable for squeezing the juice of any fruits and berries, as well as specialized, designed for certain raw materials.

The advantages of using a wine filter press are obvious:

• Allows you to get the maximum amount of juice, which is especially important if you need to work with low-juicy raw materials.
• The squeezed juice contains a greater amount of micro- and macroelements, since it is less in contact with oxygen and does not heat up.
• Foaming is almost completely absent.
• During the pressing process, the bones, skins and ridges are not damaged, so the must does not taste bitter.

When choosing a press, you need to remember that stainless steel designs are more practical, as they are easier to clean and disinfect. Wooden modifications are considered environmentally friendly, but they need to be regularly inspected for the appearance of mold and fungi. You also need regular steaming, competent disinfection.

We make a grape press with our own hands

Both metal and wooden presses can be purchased at any specialized store. But if desired, they can be made on their own, having received an equally high-quality and effective device.

In order to make a metal press you need:

• Prepare two cylindrical containers of different diameters - the smaller one will be a basket for berries, and the larger one is designed to collect juice. The tank from the washing machine is perfect for this.
• In a container with a smaller diameter, holes are made in a checkerboard pattern.
• Prepare a pressing body, which can be used as a flange, as well as a threaded rod, for example, a screw from a water valve. The flange is welded to the bottom of the screw.
• A head with a hole for the lever is welded to the top of the screw, thanks to which the entire system will work.
• Weld a U-shaped frame from metal profiles, which can either be concreted into the base or bolted to any surface.
• Weld a nut into the horizontal beam of the frame, which will work in tandem with the screw.
• Make a rectangular pan with sides and a small bevel (or tube) to drain the juice.

After preparing all the structural elements, you can begin to assemble it. To begin with, the frame is fixed in the chosen way, after that, a screw is screwed into it, and only then a head with a lever is welded to it. First, a pallet is installed under the frame, and containers inserted into each other are already placed on it. Grapes or other berries are placed in a small container, and then a flange is lowered into it by setting in motion a thrust mechanism. As the juice is squeezed out, the flange lowers more and more, providing the necessary pressing force.

Breeders have bred many varieties of grapes that have time to ripen in any strip of Russia. Grapes are harvested for the winter in the form of juice, which is very fond of children. And for adults there is nothing better than natural grape wine. To squeeze the juice, growers have to put in a lot of effort. A special press helps to facilitate work. And having made a grape press with your own hands, you will be able to get a useful device, saving money.

General definition and types of presses

The grape press is a keg with drain grates equipped with a drip tray to collect the juice. A power screw is located on top of the barrel, with the help of which pressure is exerted on the pressing element. The barrel is made of stainless steel, as well as wooden planks made of beech or oak. It is important that all materials are environmentally friendly.

Presses can be used not only for processing grapes. They are equally effective in the processing of apples, as well as other fruits and berries. All devices are divided into several types.

Mechanical. Such devices are popular with gardeners. Their distinguishing feature is not very high productivity associated with the need for manual labor.

Grapes are poured into a perforated basket. And the principle of operation of mechanical equipment is that the creation of the required pressure on the press is carried out by a screw mechanism, which is rotated with a handle.

Electrical. This category includes two types of equipment:

• Hydraulic Press;
• pneumatic press.

The operation of the hydraulic press is provided by a hydraulic pump. That is, it exerts pressure on the pressing element with the help of water. Pneumatic equipment provides for the provision of air pressure. Electrical devices differ from mechanical presses in the absence of the need for manual labor. Due to this, the productivity of work and the volume of juice obtained are significantly increased.

What materials are required to make a press

A grape press can be purchased ready-made. Manufacturers offer consumers various types of equipment, including hydraulic juicers. But it is not difficult to make it yourself.

The grapes are loaded into a barrel or basket, in contact with its walls. Therefore, it is very important that it is made of high quality material. Most often, two options are used.

Tree. For these purposes, only hardwoods, such as beech or oak, are suitable. Having made a basket from wooden planks, it will be possible to obtain a durable and environmentally friendly design. But when using wood, there are difficulties with caring for the equipment. After each squeeze of juice, the basket will have to be thoroughly washed and dried.

Metal. Cast iron or stainless steel would be ideal. These materials do not oxidize when in contact with fruit. Metal kegs are easy to maintain, easy to clean and highly hygienic.

The press itself is a circle, which is often made of wood. In addition, you will need to prepare bolts and nuts for fastening structural parts, a metal bar and bearings, as well as tools for working with wood and metal.

Procedure for making a press

To facilitate the work of making a grape press with your own hands, you can take a drum from an old washing machine. Holes are drilled in the drum, which serve to fasten wooden planks. Drainage strips can be sawn from bars or parquet boards can be used.

A “pancake” is made from the same planks, which will act as the bottom of the basket. A bar is screwed onto the “pancake” across the slats, which will provide a gap between the basket and the metal barrel.

Next, a U-shaped frame is made from a metal profile. It is important that the profile thickness is at least 3 mm. The frame is concreted into the ground, providing it with a stable position. If you need to make a mobile device, legs made of metal pipes are welded to the frame.

A "pancake" made of stainless steel or cast iron is installed on the crossbar of the frame, which acts as a press. To fix the "pancake" a hole is drilled in the frame. A lever or handle is installed on the press. In the future, turning the handle, the press will lower into the basket.

The barrel is installed at the base of the frame on a pallet, for example, in a basin. A hole is made in the basin into which a hose is inserted. Through the hose, the juice will drain into the receiving container.

It is also necessary to make a wooden shield that will cover the grapes loaded into the basket. This completes the process of making a homemade press.

How to use the press

To use a homemade press, the basket is covered with a filter cloth. As a filter, you can use gauze folded in several layers, a special fabric, chintz or synthetic fiber. It is important that it does not contain dangerous dyes.

The grapes are taken from the bunches. If it is supposed to make juice from it, the berries are washed under running water. For wine, washing the berries is not required, since it is on the grape skin that wine yeast is found, which causes natural fermentation.

Next, the grapes are loaded into the basket. From above it is covered with a wooden shield. Using a lever or handle, a metal “pancake” is lowered onto a wooden shield. Under the pressure of the metal, the juice formed from the grapes gradually enters the sump and, falling into the hose, drains into a receiving container.

After use, the grape press is disassembled, thoroughly washed and dried. These manipulations must be carried out after each use of the equipment. Otherwise, the wooden structural elements will rot.