How do you determine the amount of weight to put on a Dutch cheese press? How do they work?

Dar, welcome to the forum!
I wish I could answer your question but I’ve never tried a dutch style of press. I know you have to do some lever mathematics but I’m not sure of the equation.
Hopefully one of the other members will be able to answer your question but if you are not able to find the answer please re-post in this topic. I can give you a link where you will certainly find your answer as many members on the other forum use this style of press.
Well after having written that, I really don’t see any sense in waiting to supply the link. Someone here can probably answer your question but in the meantime you can be digging around for your answer at the following link: http://www.cheeseforum.org
Hope this information helps you out and again, welcome to the forum.

Dave

Dar - 28 November 2009 06:10 PM

How do you determine the amount of weight to put on a Dutch cheese press? How do they work?

It’s very simple Dar,

It’s based on the formula of an ordinary scale (not the digital type). A member is balancing on a pivot. If the to sides of the arm are equal, the weights hung on the end points will be the same. The basic formula is: L1 x W1 = L2 x W2.
L = lengths of arm to the pivot
W = weight

In a dutch press, the pivot is on one side, a relatively small distance from there is the pressing point, and on the far side the weight is hung. By this way you apply a smaller weight at the end of the arm, to achieve a heavier one on the cheese. Following th eabove equation: L1 = the length from the pivot to the pressing point, L2 = the total length from the pivot to the end poin where the weight W2 hangs. From here you can deduct the weight W1 that will be applied on the cheese.

W1 = L2/L1 x W2.

Alex,

I don’t have a Dutch press, and this system is foreign to me; but according to my rudimentary math training it seems your formula should be W1 = (L2 X W2)/L1.  If actual numbers were substituted in the formulae - say 2”, 12” and 10 lbs - your formula would yield a pressing weight of .6 lbs.  It looks like the pressing weight ought to be 60 lbs by the formula.  Can this actually be true?  That much weight advantage using a pivot arm?  If so, I may just have to build one.

Rich, I am not sure I am familiar enough with the English expressions to explain, but I’ll try.
My formula = Your formula, it’s written in a different sequence, but the result is the same. When you calculate multiplying and dividing, there is no importance which one do you calculate first. I thought, the way I wrote it, is more “clean” to the reader. Mixed calculations with addition and subtraction, multiplying and dividing, square and square root, addition and subtraction are first, therefore you put them in parentheses.
I honestly recommend you to build a Duch Press. I built one, with a multiplying ratio of 4:1 in 1/2 increments. It’s quite robust, because I intend to add a pulley system multiplier of X3, so in total I’ll have X12.