Garden Shredder/Chipper to Apple Scratter

[Nathan Shackelford]

I'm wondering if any members here are currently using (or have previously used) a garden shredder to mill apples. I have seen an almost new model at a local thrift store and the design looks very similar to an apple mill like the Spiedel or Fruit Shark.
1) The models I see available in the US have a slot for yard waste and a paddle for forcing the debris into it. I'm wondering how much the feed area would have to be modified to accept whole apples. Is the shredding mechanism in most models capable of handling whole apples?
2) I understand that the surfaces inside are not foodsafe, so would plan to paint/powdercoat the cutting blades and other contact areas. Any advice on that process? Once painted, can you expect the coating to last a season?

[Claude Jolicoeur]

I am aware of some people that have done it (although for my part I haven't).
You are right on this - the Fruit Shark is actually a garden shredder that has been adapted/modified by the manufacturer for processing apples. However the Speidel has been designed from the start as a fruit mill.
One thing you need to make sure (apart from insuring no bare steel comes in contact), is that the juice can't get into the motor - often the motor is just under the shredding chamber, and there could be a seal and there most certainly be a bearing there, but as the machine isn't designed for processing such juicy material as apples, this could potentially cause problems.
Claude

[Patrick Mann]

Claude, what is the concern with regard to steel contact, given that contact time is very brief? 
I've tasted cider from apples milled in a shredder and could not perceive any metallic taste or off flavors.

[Bartek Knapek]

My concern when considering using a garden shredder as an apple mill was not the steel quality - since as you point out the contact is brief, but the machine oils/greases from various components, that could possibly get into the pomace.

//Bartek

Dnia 11 wrzesień 2017 o 04:37 Patrick Mann <mannp...@gmail.com> napisał(a):

Claude, what is the concern with regard to steel contact, given that contact time is very brief? 
I've tasted cider from apples milled in a shredder and could not perceive any metallic taste or off flavors.

 

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[Paul]

I have used a garden shredder and had no problems!

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From: cider-w...@googlegroups.com <cider-w...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Bartek Knapek <cy...@knapek.pl>
Sent: 11 September 2017 08:39:20
To: cider-w...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [Cider Workshop] Re: Garden Shredder/Chipper to Apple Scratter

 

[Claude Jolicoeur]

Le lundi 11 septembre 2017 03:04:06 UTC-4, Patrick Mann a écrit :

Claude, what is the concern with regard to steel contact, given that contact time is very brief? 

Well, I never had to deal with the problem, but contact with standard steel or iron may cause blackening of cider.
Now, I don't know how long contact needs to be. But it is certainly wise to try and avoid any such contact.
Claude

PS. and as someone else mentioned, contact with non-foodsafe greases may also be an issue...

[Freester]

This is my first year of scratting and pressing at home (last year I took my apples to a local nursery / cider place where I used their press / scratter for an hourly rate.

My father in law donated to me a rather old garden shredder. A quick test run with a few apples showed the scrat (pulp) to be a good consistency.

I took the 'blade' off and gave it a darn good clean / scrub with a wire brush. Everything else I cleaned as well as I could.

My first press day went OK, if a little slow. The 'hopper' at the top of the shredder meant I had to half or quarter the apples to get them down the chute. This took ages to scrat and press the 1st 25L... So I removed the hopper, gave myself a stern Health and Safety brief and continued to scrat the whole apples.

So my opinion is yes - as long as it is clean (a few black bits came through with my test scrat but after cleaning it up it's been fine).

[dask...@gmail.com]

Hi there, 

May I kindly ask what happened afterwards, since it's been more than one year from your initial trials.

I am wondering whether, the electric motor got messed with the apple juice or not.

Because, I wrote to one particular manufacturer of a similar garden chipper, they wrote back to me, it is neither designed nor allowed to be used as apple shredder. 

So, my question is, does apple juice messes up with the electric motor, since it is placed just under the shredder blades. 

Kind regards,

9 Eylül 2017 Cumartesi 21:38:11 UTC+3 tarihinde Nathan Shackelford yazdı:

[Antoine Raby]

Hi,

I’ve been using an al-ko h1000s shredder for the past couple of years and never had a problem with metal taint or juice going into the motor. I took it appart and removed any old grease and it works like a charm! I will probably modify it this winter to put stainless parts and add some bushing to prevent potential juice leaking into the motor for extra safety.

Antoine

[Nathan Shackelford]

I did end up acquiring a sturdy well-built garden chipper shredder that was about 20 years old, and had been well used. I found it on Craigslist for $15. I took it apart, cleaned with steel wool, and coated all interior surfaces with epoxy appliance paint. I sealed any screws with silicone caulk.
I modified the hopper with a reciprocating saw. This allows me to throw 5 or so apples in at a time. It shreds them to a perfectly grated pomace.
I have used it for two seasons now with my rack and cloth press. It processed apples much faster than I can press them. Some of the paint has worn off the blades, but I have not seen any negative impact on the cider in color or flavor. I will probably repaint every other year to keep the metal from becoming rusted.
I’m really thankful for this extremely economical, and efficient solution for home cider making.

[dask...@gmail.com]

Hi Antoine,

Thanks a lot...

Changing the blades with the stainless steel (CR-Ni) ones is also a good idea. 

I saw some shredders/crushers with wider hopper attached.  

13 Kasım 2018 Salı 16:15:08 UTC+3 tarihinde Antoine Raby yazdı:

[John B, Bath]

Some of the paint has worn off the blades, but I have not seen any negative impact on the cider in color or flavor. 

That paint that wore off the blades... where did it end up?

J