Powered Cane Press

[JakeBrake]

My late FIL had a Golden#2. (I had to look at the U-tube video post by a previous poster to verify that this was the same machine.) This was back in the 1970's. He had a rig that if I had not seen it I would not believe it. The Golden#2 was permanently istalled on a timber frame. The Golden#2 had a vertical drive wheel about 16" in diameter. There was a rubber belt about 1' wide and 50' long. One end of the belt was around the drive wheel on the Golden # 2 and the other end was around one drive wheel of an old tractor. Both tractor drive wheels were blocked up off the ground. When properly adjusted this rig would crush sugar cane for hours or days until he was finished. I don't know why the belt never came off, but it didn't. My FIL said this was a common way to power stuff back in the day on the farm.

My FIL made syrup with his father and two brothers. I was unskilled labor loading and feeding cane into the Golden#2 When his father died, my FIL and his brothers quit making syrup. He sold the Golden#2 and the syrup pan. The syrup shed is now in ruins.

I will look around among my thousands of pre-digital pictures and see if I can find any pictures of this rig.

 

[BHD]

Hook a small tractor or lawn mower to the end of the pole and turn the kids loose driving, when one gets dizzy let another take a turn. We did that with a cub 40 years ago and I still remember trying to walk after getting off of that tractor.

this sounds the easyest use a lawn tractor and put a front teather on it (as they would do the horses) turn the fornt wheels and tie or clamp the steering wheel and you start it and let it go on its own if wanted to,

 

[crowbar032]

Attached are some pictures I took over the weekend.

 

[crowbar032]

The funny thing about the set-up I posted pics above is that it's run by a local dentist. His uncle used to run that press for other people. When his uncle got too old to do anything with it, he just let the building fall in on the copper pan and press. After his uncle died, his aunt gave him all of the stuff (cane press, copper pan, copper skimmers) and restored it. He built the other holding pans using stainless steel and wood. The juice coming out of the press runs through PVC into the building into the first pan that holds about 200 gallons. That pan has a valve that runs into another 200 gallon pan that sits on top of the fire box but back far enough that no fire is on it (basically pre-heating). From that pan, a valve runs it to the evaporator pan. Out of the evaporator pan, a valve runs into a bucket that is used to fill up the finishing pan. This is where it is stirred and all of the green crud is skimmed off. It is boiled to 224-228 degrees depending on what he feels like and the sugar content. A chain hoist is used to pick the finishing pan off of the fire and over to a table to prevent scorching and so the jars can be filled. Using this set-up he makes about 100 gallons every year. Unfortunately my pictures didn't post in order. He posts a sign in his yard and sells it out if his office. He's working with the Board of Health to be able to sell into retail establishments. Once he gets that permit and retires, he'll probably expand. My Dad (73) and uncle (74) have helped for the past 4 years. I go when I can, but I have to work through the week and the weekends are the only time I have to do my stuff. Wish I had more time.

I'm still looking for the picture of the home-made PTO with an S-10 rear end and transmission set up.

 

[Farmerford]

The Golden's Foundry is still in business in Columbus, Georgia in the initial location, just a few blocks from here. I don't think they have made cane mills in years; they make mostly castings of gear blanks for equipment manufacturers such as Caterpillar. Their specialty is rough machining the blanks so that the end manufacturer has only the finish machining to do.

 

[69x11]

im trying to set up a chatanooga improved 12. Im thinking the total rpm output should be around 8-10 rpms. if and when i ever get the project off the ground i'll take plenty of pics. i plan on using a right angle gearbox like on a peanut inverter or post hole digger. I think they are 3-4:1 which with the right size cogs should drop my final driven rpm to around 10 rpm