One of the great things about living out here in the Country is that we have all sorts of re-purposable or reusable stuff. I don’t digg the “Green” meme that has hit this country by storm, as I think it’s been badly co-opted by giant corporate entities. I like to think I’m not a slave to Groupthink, but hey, one thing I do like about it is that it forwards a little bit of self-reliance onto interested parties. One thing I think that people feel a lot these days is the sinking notion that they can’t get anything good accomplished without spending loads of money. Somehow, this idea has been propagated by our culture and sickens (literally) many folks these days. As a counselor, it’s kind of my job to instill strength and independence in the people with whom I work, until they find it in themselves and then find that I am no longer necessary.
That said, I present to you proof positive that with few skills, no money, and only a little bit of resources (i.e. tools and space), you can get things done if you want to. Here is my new wine press (also, I think it will adequately press apples):
The dimensions are such that it will accommodate the 5-gallon pickle buckets that will hold the bagged fruit and the expelled juice. Remind me to wash those buckets out thoroughly. To make it, you need only two tools: a drill and a carpentry saw of some sort. I am lucky in that I have at my disposal here lots of tools. It occurs to me that one could make it with only a decent ripsaw and a hammer, but I wanted mine to be sturdier than I could make with the nails I had on hand. I used semi-rotten 2×6′es that my hip sister in law had stacked in a heap up near the garage/workshop. It could be done just as easily with 2×4′s, but hell, you could press wine grapes with a big vat and your clean feet, so hey. Point is, YMMV but measure twice, cut once, mon, Time, it be time, but he’s amoving.
You’ll need for this:
- 3 x 18″ for the cross members
- 2×5′ for uprights
- 2×4′ for the stabilizing legs
- A hinge (I used a screen door hinge I found in the garage)
- Roughly a box of sabre (think it’s a brand name, but use good ones) wood screws and don’t be stingy if you can help it… the thing that’s gonna keep this together is a ton of screws judiciously placed.
- Also a little wood glue where the pieces meet but this is not absolutely necessary.
The lever/hinge part is made of a foot of 2×6″, about 8 inches of 2×6″, the aforementioned hinge, and 2 U-Bolts. The lever is a 7 foot length of steel pipe (used to be an axle or some plumbing).
I didn’t have plans when I slung this together in 2 hours. I knew the principles, measured twice and cut once, followed proper skill-saw safety. The only thing I’d do different is assemble the lever/hinge on the ground and then attach it to the frame, as it was kind of a PITA to screw it together when the pieces were fixed to the top. This lack of foresight cost me a quick-change drill tip, as I dropped it when some weird torque yanked the drill out of my hand.
If I can do it, so can you, and now you got one thing I didn’t have – a plan.
Whether it’s changing your life, mending relationships, losing weight, or making wine, it’s my humble opinion that you probably already have the skills you need. If you go to a counselor, he or she will wake that thing up in you and instill the insight you need to recognize that you are fully capable. You have been telling yourself for so long that you can’t start, or that you’ll fail if you do start, that you believe it yourself. Don’t be fooled!
Now get to work! Too busy to keep blogging, myself, I gotta go pick grapes and apples and cherries.
