Crusher-destemmer adjustments

[distancerunner]

Back in 2001, I purchased a Pillan-1 crusher-destemmer. It is stainless with aluminum rollers. It was outfitted with a sheet metal flywheel and a two handed crank. Crushing and destemming thirty lugs under human power is a lot of work! A motor was added in 2002. There is a two and five eighths inch pulley on the motor shaft and a twelve-inch pulley installed on the C-D drive shaft. That drops the roller speed down to around 390 rpm.

This machine was in storage since 2006. When I examined the hopper, the rollers appear to be no longer parallel to one another. (Storage gremlins?) Before adjusting them, what is the ideal gap between the rollers?

Some books and websites recommend rubber rollers instead of aluminum. They claim that the rubber rollers are less likely to crush seeds that release bitter notes and “green” tannins. I wonder if swapping out the rollers - if they are available - is necessary or beneficial.



Lots of questions, so few years left to learn this craft.

 

[Johnd]

Back in 2001, I purchased a Pillan-1 crusher-destemmer. It is stainless with aluminum rollers. It was outfitted with a sheet metal flywheel and a two handed crank. Crushing and destemming thirty lugs under human power is a lot of work! A motor was added in 2002. There is a two and five eighths inch pulley on the motor shaft and a twelve-inch pulley installed on the C-D drive shaft. That drops the roller speed down to around 390 rpm.

This machine was in storage since 2006. When I examined the hopper, the rollers appear to be no longer parallel to one another. (Storage gremlins?) Before adjusting them, what is the ideal gap between the rollers?

Some books and websites recommend rubber rollers instead of aluminum. They claim that the rubber rollers are less likely to crush seeds that release bitter notes and “green” tannins. I wonder if swapping out the rollers - if they are available - is necessary or beneficial.



Lots of questions, so few years left to learn this craft.

The distance between the rollers depends upon your grapes, all you need for them to be close enough to pop open most of the grapes without crushing seeds. My rollers are rubber and have teeth that fit together like gears, but with about 1/2" gap between them. That seems to do the trick for the vast majority of my grape crushes...........

 

[distancerunner]

Right now the rollers are approximately 5/16" apart. Seems tight.

 

[Johnd]

Right now the rollers are approximately 5/16" apart. Seems tight.

Easiest way to set it is to run a grape bunch through and see how it comes out. I like mine popped, but not shredded, so as long as nearly every grape is popped, I'm happy with the spread. If the grapes are too messed up, I'll open er up a bit and test another bunch.

 

[distancerunner]

Ah! Trial and error. Why didn't I think of that?

I don't like to tear them up, either. If a few go through whole they'll likely pop in the press.

As an aside, I read through the white paper from More Wine. Here's an excerpt:

Ultimately, we suggest you do not make any roller adjustments as it can be difficult and cause far more problems that it can solve."

Seems like they don't want us to mess with the machinery. Sort of like the guitar that gets "tuned at the factory!"

 

[Chuck E]

I start out with about 1/8" between the rollers. That's bigger than the seeds.

 

[Steve Wargo]

Ah! Trial and error. Why didn't I think of that?

I don't like to tear them up, either. If a few go through whole they'll likely pop in the press.

As an aside, I read through the white paper from More Wine. Here's an excerpt:

Ultimately, we suggest you do not make any roller adjustments as it can be difficult and cause far more problems that it can solve."

Seems like they don't want us to mess with the machinery. Sort of like the guitar that gets "tuned at the factory!"

I had to make an adjustment with the crusher rollers. I bought it second hand. The seller bought it new and used once. To me, it looked brand new. Without the roller adjustment, most of the grapes were going through without being crushed. That said the grape berries I crushed were smaller/petite than normal grape berry size. After loosening the roller bracket bolts. I used a 1-foot stainless steel metal ruler and placed it horizontally between the roller to gap them evenly. I'd say the gap was 1/8 of an inch maybe 3/16. After completing the gapping, I tightened the bolts down, and the crusher worked great, breaking every berry. I did not see any crushed/broken seed or any cut or bruised stems that were processed through the roller. I've done 4 harvest crushes this year with it and no issues. This crusher is big enough to dump 2 five gallon buckets of grapes, maybe more on-the-stem into the hopper.