Hobby olive oil production

[OldMcDonald]

zonta, I only pit the olives I eat myself, and as I want them. I sell almost all of my production straight off the tree.

 

[forgeblast]

How much fruit is needed to produce a gallon of oil?

 

[psient]

My first 20 trees arrived yesterday.

5 Frantoio, 5 Manzanillo de Sevilla, 10 Coratina. As it was raining yesterday I could not start placing them immediately. The ground will be unworkable for the next coupla days so the planting will be a little put-off.

. . . . sufficient to warrant making the full equipment. It is going to cost you a fair bit of money.

Point well taken.

I did find that the Olive Source has a kit. It seems to consist of a grinder of some sort, hydraulic cylinder and frame as a press, filters and plates, a mixing blade (malaxar), and decanting. They want close to $3K US for this. I found a barely used one of these a few hundred miles away from me for $2.5K US.
The largest cost I can see at this time is the mill. Using this Kit as a design model, everything I see I can construct or piece together from off the shelf items.
Any idea on what might work to mill the fruit? I was thinking of getting 2 large stainless steel blocks, milling the surface with crenelations in a manner that will cut/grind, mounting them on eccentric arms in opposition to one another on a slide-frame so they rub together and use this configuration to try and make the pulp. I suppose one could also find 2 large diameter solid round pieces of stainless (say over 1' in diameter) and emulate grinding stones with them;314 stainless is quite heavy.

You will not produce as much as using the full technical set up, but you will be under way quicker and can add other bits of equipment later.

This is something I was blind to . . . could not see the forest for the trees as it were. The web sites and research that I have been using feature technologies engineered for max efficiency. As such, the complexity of the designs represent iterations beyond the scope of single-source/human-source production and mass-source/nonhuman-source production. The highest court in my country pronounces I make such a stated distinction between humans as such and corporations as human . . seriously . . with no disrespect to the sensibilities of corporations. So the communicated techniques of these websites are beyond what a human would want on their own; KISS.

My house is a former olive mill, but the only equipment left is some old grinding stones - two of them sitting on a concrete "leg" to form tables under the grape vines that form some summer shade just outside the front door.

So when you are enjoying a little repast in the shade and have a bit too much vino you can exclaim with veracity you are stoned!

What would you do to make a device from scratch to create a viable pulp? I was also thinking of a food processor. I think that heat and size of finished particles is an issue I should consider as well.

Thanks again for the input.

Jon

 

[OldMcDonald]

psient, I really like your comment about being stoned. I may be somewhat tardy in replying better to this post. I am not long back from collecting my son and his wife from Lisbon airport (3 hours each way) for a few days visit, and I am told I am going to be a grandfather. In addition Muhammed has told me I can advertise my book on the Private Ads Forum, and I am pretty desperate to work a few acres for pasture and some more for Fava beans.

Please forgive me if it takes a little while to get something sensible back to you.

 

[forgeblast]

Congrats on being a Granddad.

 

[psient]

I am going to be a grandfather. In addition Muhammed has told me I can advertise my book on the Private Ads Forum, and I am pretty desperate to work a few acres for pasture and some more for Fava beans.

Well this is a moment of celebration for you! Congratulations to you and your son's family!

Please don't let me become a distraction. I am still busy researching my project. I understand that you'll have to do the work in order to make the seasonal planting. I'll include some pictures of the grove as soon as I get it planted.

Thanks for your kindness and help!

Best,

Jon

 

[OldMcDonald]

I have not forgotten I owe a reply. Please give me another couple of days.

 

[lilranch2001]

All I can say is......
you guys must eat a lot more olive oil than I do

:laughing:

 

[psient]

All I can say is......
you guys must eat a lot more olive oil than I do

:laughing:

Cute. It's a great commodity and like most, seems likely to be best when you can produce it from your own land. Any comments about how to make it?

 

[lilranch2001]

Cute. It's a great commodity and like most, seems likely to be best when you can produce it from your own land. Any comments about how to make it?

no, I have none, I do love olive oil, and Im sure it is best fresh, it is just a very intense hobby IMO

:thumbsup: