Worm Screw Juice Extractor ???

[CiderSupply.com]

I am thinking about importing into the US some industrial worm screw juice extractors (see link below). The goal is to make the apple pressing operation more streamlined and automated without so much manual labor of press pacl ing, cheezes, racks, lugging pomace around.

However, there must be a reason why these units are not being used on a large scale. The prices have come down so low now that for $3500 (USD) the price is lower than many mid size press setups.

What am i missing ???

Has anyone used one of these machines:

https://sc01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1XyO8PXXXXXbtXpXXq6xXFXXXG/Low-price-industrial-fruit-cold-press-juicer.jpg

[Andrew Lea]

There was a thread on this here last year. Nick Bradstock recounted his experience of using the Speichim screw press at Taunton Cider many years ago. They have never found favour in Europe, where pack presses were the norm until supplanted by Bucher Guyers for those who could afford them.

The Atlas Pacific screw press was the de facto standard in most large US apple juice factories until the 1980s, when the Buchers took over. AFAIR the main reason they fell out of favour was their inflexibility in dealing with fruit in variable condition and the heavy reliance on press aids like rice husks or wood pulp to make them work efficiently.

I suspect the same is true of smaller scale screw presses too and that pack presses are ultimately a more flexible technology.

Andrew

Wittenham Hill Cider Portal
www.cider.org.uk

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[Andrew Lea]

Whoops I wrote from memory before checking my sources!

The big standard US screw presses were the Reitz and the Pressmaster. They were going out of favour as I got to know the industry. The Atlas Pacific was a kind of automated hybrid pack and belt press, so in a way it was the first of the more modern designs.

Sorry for the confusion. Don't want to mislead anyone !

Andrew

Wittenham Hill Cider Portal
www.cider.org.uk

[Richard Anderson]

I saw a the same type of extractor in New Zealand a number of years ago used for cider, it was older piece of equipment, bigger perhaps 12-15 feet long and I assumed it came from from the UK. Given its simplicity of design and operation you would expect to see it used more often. My guess is that it suffers from clogging and inadequate extraction.

[Claude Jolicoeur]

See below picture of a larger one, used at Cidrerie Sant-Nicolas, near Quebec City.
They used to have a large Goodnature press, and they find this setup much better. In particular, they make a lot of ice cider from frozen apples, and this makes the job done quite well with such hard fruit. Note is is US made...
Claude

[CiderSupply.com]

Thanks for filling in the blanks. i can see the logic now, its all about having the freedom of diversity in the ability to juice apples of different consistency. The screw press would work great for frozen apples and very fibirious cider apples for sure. But when softer apples and pears are run, i can see that apple sause would likly be the result. With a press, one could use a lighter pressing for a longer duration to extract juice.

Thanks

Chris Rylands

[Remo Trovato]

The Bucher is not the only option for belt presses. There are many options and we use a Kreuzmayr for our operation with great results and easy process. Having said that, in my experience, softer apples and pears are always a challenge wether you use rack and cloth, screw or belt press.