ShadeTree Engineering
Wine or Cider Press
 I had originally intended to purchase my own press after having been forced to get on a waiting list at the local rental place the previous year. After researching the market for a new press, I just couldn't believe that all the available presses were essentially the same "antiques," virtually no improvements had been made since the first one was built hundreds of years ago. They all shared the same basic flaws: excessive weight, large size and inferior materials, both from a structural and sanitary standpoint.
When you are unable to purchase a product with the features that you desire, then your only alternative is to design and build it yourself, the seed for ShadeTree was planted. So we--my wife and I--sat down and came up with a "wish list" of features that we believed a quality press should incorporate and decided to build one ourselves.
ShadeTree's press retains the traditional styling of the other conventional presses but differs in many important ways:
The "traditional" Acme-screw mechanism was retained from a nostalgic point of view and for cost considerations. A thrust bearing was incorporated on the end of the acme screw to improve efficiency and to eliminate wear and contamination (metal particles) on the stationary press plate.
We chose perforated stainless steel (over wooden slats) for the crush basket for strength, weight, durability and ease of cleaning.
The press plate is aluminum, not wood.
The collection pan can be made from either heavy duty aluminum alloy or stainless steeel.
The drainage grate, located between the collection pan and the crush basket, is made of stainless steel.
The main frame is all steel welded construction designed to last a lifetime.
Physical size is 18x18x30 inches, and it weighs 65 lbs.
The crush basket has a capacity of approximately five (5) gallons.
In addition to design plans for the Wine/Cider Press, ShadeTree offers several of the individual press components for sale: the perforated stainless steel crush basket, the cast aluminum press plate, the stainless steel drainage grate and the collection pan. With these four components and a hydraulic shop press you have an economical alternative to purchasing a complete wine/cider press assembly. We also have complete press assemblies for sale. |
