latest batch, the surface is a mess, the cloth stuck to it like gum to a shoe. I thingk maybe the cloth has built up milk proteins making it sticky, been getting worse, my guess.

Did you try to re-press with a fresh cloth?  You could still get a good surface.

I tried but couldn’t because it would have been worse, the warm curds stuck like glue, so I had to wait till they cooled and tried then to carefully peal it off, but no luck, the other side is real bad. Going to throw the cloth in the clothes washer and see if that helps, or I might have to buy new ones.

Finally someone post

Neil, it is not ur cheese cloth, it is something related to ur milk !! when curds is too sticky , it’s usually caused by milk itself

Neil you have to buy a proper mold, ur 9” mold is so wide for such a cheese !!!

I agree and have thought of that, an 8” (Tome/St-Paulin) with folower looks like to be about 30$

Decreasing your diameter will help to give you more thickness; but I would recommend a larger batch as well.  Seems like it ought to be at least 3” thick.

my batches are 17L, 18L is as much as i can get in the pot,  and thats to the rim. With a 8” diam then it will be over 3” instead of the 2 1/4” i normally get.

Neil,
Here’s a link to the mold I use the most.
I also have both an 8” &  6”  mold but I really like the thick wheels that this particular mold produces from 4 - 5 gallons of milk.
Looks as if it’s $20.00 but not sure what shipping will run you.
Hope this helps.
Dave

http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/p/39-Tomme-Large-.html

with the 20% exchange rate and customs/shipping and u wouldn’t believe how long mail takes to cross the border.