Build your own oil press, yields oil and dry nut meal. Oh, wind powered too!

You all might enjoy my book on the topic: The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils.. I've been pressing oil on our farm in Michigan for about 10 years and this book includes everything I've learned! https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Seed-Nut-Oils/dp/0865719632/

T.  Joy wrote:I've been looking for an oil press that is either affordable or that I could build myself. Not entirely sure *I* can build this one but I am sure I know metal workers who could!
http://www.davehakkens.nl/work/wind_oil/
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That's the one I was thinking about! Too bad the link is broken.

Anne Murphy wrote:Neat.. I want one..
Your link didn't work so i googled it.. http://www.davehakkens.nl/work_windoil.html  
now i have a new entry to my Todo list. Thank you for posting it!

Well, 9 years later, THAT link doesn't work, so here's a new one, but just pics, no instructions:
https://inhabitat.com/dave-hakkens-wind-oil-machine-produces-cold-pressed-oil-from-nuts-and-seeds-with-every-passing-breeze/dave-hakkens-wind-oil-machine-1/

Maybe I missed it but can anyone recommend a press for olives? It seems every press I investigate is not rated for olives.  Even Piteba : (
-Blessed with an abundance of olives from a generously wet spring in SoCal!

Bevin Cohen wrote:You all might enjoy my book on the topic: The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils.. I've been pressing oil on our farm in Michigan for about 10 years and this book includes everything I've learned! https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Seed-Nut-Oils/dp/0865719632/

Thanks, Bevin. I bought the book and it's very informative. I think the most cost-effective way to go would be to buy a 50 lb bag of black oil sunflower seeds from the feed store.  I suppose I would have to wash them and dry them to make sure they don't have pesticides or other chemicals on the outside. Thoughts?

Has anyone used the Piteba for grapeseed pressing?
I've planted hazelnuts and am going to try for some sunflowers as well as squash seeds but my grapes are Concord and a close, seeded relative. I've planted more of them here, on the new property and if their production ramps up like it did on the old one, there will be lots of seeds!
I'd prefer to press them since they have no other use, unlike the edible seed options. I'm just wondering what is needed for them since they are really hard! ( I once ran some through a "Lalond" style juicer and it was like little bullets went pinging off in all directions!)

i’ve used the piteba and other bigger presses for a lot of things, but i’ve never had a chance to play with grapeseed. if i was going to try, i’d probably try to grind or chop the grape seeds before attempting to press.

Ann Derby wrote:Maybe I missed it but can anyone recommend a press for olives? It seems every press I investigate is not rated for olives.  Even Piteba : (
-Blessed with an abundance of olives from a generously wet spring in SoCal!

Piteba gives instructions for making olive oil which need some extra add-ons to the press here: https://piteba.com/en/content/44-how-to-make-olive-oil-palm-oil-avocado-oil-and-peanut-butter-or-use-the-press-as-a-coffee-grinder

Not sure how easy it would be!

Dian Green wrote:Has anyone used the Piteba for grapeseed pressing?

I messaged Piteba to ask as I also have lots of very seedy grapes. Will report back with their reply.

I was under the impression that grapeseed oil was made through solvent extraction, not through pressing.

I could be misinformed, however.

Ray, thanks for that comment! I just checked and yes, apparently most commercial grape seed oil is solvent extracted using hexane. A bit worrying! It's possible to press the seeds but it gives a lower yield. Makes me think even more about trying to home produce it!

I will try a small batch in the grain mill attachment for my champion juicer and see if oil will separate with hot water

How would one separate the seeds from the fruit?  I have access to muscadines with huge seeds, but extracting them one grape at a time is tedious and not a seriously viable way of extracting then from the clingy fruit meat. So how is it done? Fermentation of the fruit meat  maybe?

Maybe a cherry pitter?

I wonder if one could run the pomace left over from making juice through a press?

usually you heat a press up just a little bit to help the oil extract (the pressure of pressing sometimes creates enough heat)…i’d worry about the sugars from the juice carmelizing and making an unholy mess that would be hard to separate from any oil you’d get.

maybe the pressing followed by a float separation in water, with the hope that the carmelized sugars would go into solution, and you could skim the oil off the top.

Here's the reply from Piteba on the grape seed question:

I tried it, but it was not successful, but I did hear from customers they did press the oil.

No more information, sorry!