Sorghum Press Build

[HARK!]

Late last week, I got done putting together my sorghum press

 

[HARK!]

The wheels help me to easily get the unit where I need to use it, over rough terrain. I bought these at Harbor Freight.

They take a 1/2" axle; and I don't have any 1/2" round stock on hand. I was tempted to go buy a piece at my local metal distributor. The home improvement stores don't carry that sort of thing; or do they? I found that a piece of grounding rod seems to be hardened more than mild steel; AND it's copper clad. That will help prevent corrosion! From now in that is what I'll use for all of my 1/2" axles.

I used the legs from a metal bed frame to hold the axle. I had to hammer them on, and cut them to sit flush with the stand; but they work excellently.

 

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The wheels come off easily; so that the unit will sit level. The handle folds down out of the way. I made that out of electrical conduit.

 

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I bought a bench grinder at Harbor Freight to drive the press. My sorghum is almost ready for pressing; so I went this route under pressure. As bench grinders are slow to get up to full speed; I have to give the big pulley a pull to get the the motor started. I would have rather scavenged a washing machine motor; but I didn't have time to go looking for one.

I bought the smallest pulley I could find at Tractor Supply. It runs at a good speed, and works well once it is manually started.

 

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I took a couple of hinges, and some old bed frame for angle iron, and a piece of 1/8" plate steel to hold the motor. The weight of the motor keeps enough tension on the belt to drive the press.

 

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I installed a drain for a kitchen sink to collect the juice from the sorghum stalks. I had considered connecting directly to the juice tray; but as there is a screen filter on top of the tray; keeping the tray free will make it easier to keep clean.

 

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That leads to this nozzle that will drain to a bucket.

 

[tturt]

My hat's off to you.