3rd crush - new equipment questions

[Kraffty]

For a short time I was afraid I'd miss this year's crush. Between my supplier not sending out a price list until what I thought was really late and working on re-modeling my moms new house I was resigned to just doing a few kits this year. BUT grapes became available. So I ordered and just received the crusher/destimmer i'd been wanting to buy. I talked a friend into going halves with grapes and juice and I'm back in business. We have about 400lbs of cab and pinot plus 6 gallons of juice of each just to extend the amount a bit on order.

First "crush" was 2 lugs. Second "crush" was 6 lugs. This year it's 11 lugs plus about 20lbs of my own Cabernet grapes now in the freezer. BUT IT's OK... I CAN QUIT ANYTIME!

So the question I really have is... what do I put under my crusher to collect the grapes/juice. Looks like it needs to be about 30" long x 14" wide. I've looked at brutes online, home depot, grangers etc and don't see food grade that quite fits. any ideas/???\
Mike

 

[vacuumpumpman]

There are some brute vessels available at home depot - ( not sure of the part # ) or I use 15 gallon fermentors with lids and put your crusher on saw horses to raise it up so it is more comfortable for you. Then go into 6 gallon pails to fill up the larger fermentors.

I hope this helps ?

 

[Johny99]

I use a Rubbermaid tote. I know it isn't marked food grade, but the must is only in it for as long as it takes to crush/destem, like 10-15 minutes. It fits under my sawhorses, is rectangular, about the same length and a bit wider than my crusher-destem er, and is still lift able by a 50 something. I hope to make a fancy stand-chute affair before harvest this year, but since that may start next weekend with whites, and I'm in Brazil all next week, I guess it will wait again.

 

[NorCal]

I have a stand, drops into a bucket, but usually it is on 2x4's over a macro-bin

 

[Johny99]

Ah, the stand I dream of. I'm not up to macro bins yet

 

[JohnT]

My Brother and I constructed a stand. The stand is high enough so that a brute trash can can fit under it. The interior of the stand funnels the grapes toward the center. The whole stand is finished with 3 coats of food grade polyurethane (EZ-DO). Here is a pic....

I know that the second pic looks like the stand is dirty. This was how it was when I first pulled it out of my shed.

 

[Kraffty]

Thanks for all the ideas sample pics guys, guess I need to build a stand and pick up some type of brutes. What's also confusing me is that the grate that runs about 30 inches across the bottom and has nickel size holes every inch or so must help separate the grapes from the stems. Do grapes fall through the entire length of the grate or just below the rollers area, roughly 12"x12"? I read the manual twice but the italian to english translation might as well be gibberish so I guess trial and error will be the way to go.

Mike

 

[Tnuscan]

QUOTE:
"What's also confusing me is that the grate that runs about 30 inches across the bottom and has nickel size holes every inch or so must help separate the grapes from the stems. Do grapes fall through the entire length of the grate or just below the rollers area, roughly 12"x12"?"

Mike,
There is a bar/shaft that has angled paddles attached to it, as it turns it pushes the stems to the far end where they fall out. The hole in the screen/grate lets the grapes, some stem and juice pass thru which then falls into your stand or container below. Those two back black Knobs under the (bin supports) can be loosened, so that the end cover can be removed, to clean after use. The screen/grate that has the holes will have a flange on each side bent towards the base, there should be two nuts locking this in place. These two nuts can be removed and the entire screen/grate can be slid/pulled out . At the top edges of this screen/grate, it will be bent to hang into channels at the uppermost edge, this is what holds it in place, be careful when removing this screen/grate the holes can be very sharp and will/can cut you. After cleaning, slide screen into channels , pushing all the way back into base, replace nuts. Then replace end cap re-tighten knobs.

 

[Kraffty]

THANK YOU DAVE! Why don't you offer to write the manual for these folks.
Mike

 

[Johny99]

You will find more grapes fall through part of the length, but I suspect that varies a bit.

Johny, what did you use to make the slanted shoots in your stand?

 

[JohnT]

You will find more grapes fall through part of the length, but I suspect that varies a bit.

Johny, what did you use to make the slanted shoots in your stand?

I cannibalized a sheet of thick stainless steel that a friend gave me.

 

[Johny99]

Lucky find. I keep hitting the salvage yards won't luck. Nice design.

 

[dbeck]

This is what we use The grapes fall into the tub and the stems fall into a garbag bag placed just on the other side of the tub where the crusher destemmer hangs off

 

[GEM]

I have a stand now, but previously I put the destemmed up on saw horses raised up on blocks so that a 22 gal Brute would fit under. I used vinyl sheeting under the destemmed to form a shoot down to the Brute. It worked fine. A 24 gal Brute or trash an works well to catch the stems. Hope this helps. Cheers, Gary