Old Tank Press Getting A Facelift
I have a tiny Willmes TP1.8 tank press (vintage 1980) that I bought used in 1998. Nice little press -- it holds about 3 tons of drained red pomace, and presses gently. The press drum is constructed of black iron and painted with food-grade epoxy.Over the years it became apparent that the original factory coat of paint was not perfectly applied -- not to say improperly applied. And it also became clear that subsequent coats of paint were just slapped on over the earlier coats as they degraded and flaked away.
This kind of thing disturbs my harmony, upsets my esthetic. So I had the entire interior disassembled and the bladder pulled. Then I had the drum professionally sandblasted. Repainting was completed today. Here are the results. Niiice...
Though I am putting a lot of work into refurbishing this venerable machine, I will not be using it again. My neighbor winemaker wants to use it this year for a couple small lots of whole-cluster whites, but he is looking to source a larger press as his production expands. Anyway, this little jewel of a press is available for a good price to a good home. Let me know if you are interested.
Full post...
posted 8/05/2006 12:47:00 PM
0 comments
