Ready for Crush! (a little early)

[ibglowin]

Whoo Hooo!

Took advantage of Georges FVW anniversary sale a few weeks ago. Too good of a deal to pass up. Now to figure out the parts needed to convert to motorize!

 

[Rocky]

Mike, your Bride must be a Saint.

 

[grapeman]

http://forum.finevinewines.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1474&PN=107

scroll down a bit Mike. I have an extramounting bracketroughed out if you need dimensions or.................

 

[Waldo]

Awesome buddy !!!

 

[ibglowin]

I was wondering where you got that nice bracket! I went over to WP and went trough that thread back in 2009. I would for sure be interested in a bracket if it needs to be fabricated. We have a couple machine shops in town but they would probably charged me an arm and a leg.

http://forum.finevinewines.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1474&PN=107

scroll down a bit Mike. I have an extra mounting bracket roughed out if you need dimensions or.................

 

[Wade E]

I thought I posted this last night but.....
Thats the exact same set up I have. How big of batches do you plan on doing at a time Mike? I have a bad back and operating this crusher manually doesnt bother me at all and is very easy. I made some slotted wood and have my crusher mounted right against my ceiling so it doesnt take up any room and without the motor its very light and easy to move around bu yourself. I diodnt get the stand either. A big Tote under it to catch the grapes and juice and another at the back works great for me with the unit sitting on some saw horses. I could make a stand for it but that would just be another thing to store and since I already have and need the sawhorses i just seems more practical. Maybe one day Ill build another shed for stuff like this and get the stand as it would make it a little easier! Its a great set up Mike!!!!

 

[Brent2489]

Hmmm....Looks like you need a stand too. Don't think that chair will survive more than a few turns of the handle.

 

[Scott B]

VERY NICE!
Congrats!

 

[ibglowin]

Ha! Your right though, I have 2 months still to make one or see how well placing the crusher right on top of the 20G Brute trash can works.

Hmmm....Looks like you need a stand too. Don't think that chair will survive more than a few turns of the handle.

 

[grapeman]

I find even the 32 gallon brute loses too much fruit when placed on it. I built my own stand out of a couple sawhorses and a few boards. Most of the grapes will drop into the brute, but some goes past it without something to catch it below.

 

[Runningwolf]

Mike,Rocky mentioned your wife must be a saint. I think it's more like for some reason she must think you are to allow you to buy it. I always said the most important wine you make will be the one your spouse likes most. Keep her happy and let her know how much better it would be if only you had this or that piece of equipment.

 

[Rocky]

Dan is right about getting the "buy in" from your Bride. Makes the whole thing a lot more pleasant. In my previous hobby, I could neve achieve this and I was never really able to enjoy it fully without my wife's inclusion.


Fortunately, she really likes wine and particularly likes what I have made thus far.

 

[ibglowin]

One of the secrets to a long and happy marriage is a good hobby for each partner as well as separate checking accounts.....

Plenty of disposable income helps as well..... We are blessed in many ways for sure.

 

[Rocky]

Oh, I don't know Mike. We are going on 46 years and I have managed to avoid "plenty" of disposable income and her only hobby seems to be nagging. I find what works for me is that I can't say those three little words enough: "Yes, Your Majesty"

 

[ibglowin]

Bwahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

 

[ibglowin]

Rich, so what do you use to catch those rascally grapes that would fall outside the Brute?

I find even the 32 gallon brute loses too much fruit when placed on it. I built my own stand out of a couple sawhorses and a few boards. Most of the grapes will drop into the brute, but some goes past it without something to catch it below.

 

[ibglowin]

I am going to do somewhere between 500-800lbs this Fall. I just purchased 6 more of the 20G White Brutes off Home Depot web site. Got the lids from US Plastics. They should be here later this week.

I am thinking about going the saw horse route this year (I don't have any and could certainly use a couple around the house instead of using the outdoor table as a saw horse) and perhaps taping up a curtain of heavy clear plastic around the bottom of the crusher so that it acts like a funnel to keep all the grapes going right straight into the Brute.

I thought I posted this last night but.....Thats the exact same set up I have. How big of batches do you plan on doing at a time Mike? I have a bad back and operating this crusher manually doesnt bother me at all and is very easy. I made some slotted wood and have my crusher mounted right against my ceiling so it doesnt take up any room and without the motor its very light and easy to move around bu yourself. I diodnt get the stand either. A big Tote under it to catch the grapes and juice and another at the back works great for me with the unit sitting on some saw horses. I could make a stand for it but that would just be another thing to store and since I already have and need the sawhorses i just seems more practical. Maybe one day Ill build another shed for stuff like this and get the stand as it would make it a little easier! Its a great set up Mike!!!!

 

[Rocky]

Mike, I am not sure of the dimensions of the equipment, but it looks like you could cut the bottom out of a large,2 milplastic trash bag and tape thetop around the base of the crusher/destemmer and hang the cut end into the brute, maybe about a foot or so. That should funnel the grapes into the brute without any problem.

 

[ibglowin]

Yep, a little duct tape to hold it on while your crushing then pull it off and toss it into the trash can. Hose down the crusher good and call it a day!

 

[grapeman]

Here is how I did it

The saw horses are hooked together by a system of 2x4's. I put blocks of wood to make feet and get it the right height. Then the two x fours have 2 1x8 pieces of cedar (visible in the picture). Within that is another piece of wood the width of the crusher- sloped on an angle. Then you just set the crusher into it all and crush away. The Brute gets pushed in the receiving side and slid out when full enough. The plastic and duct tape might work for a couple quick crushings.


I plan on buying a SS stand soon.