The following is a description of how to make a cider press. The plans were posted on the 3rd September edition (#551) of the cider digest by Jeff Summit and are reproduced here with permission. Jeff retains copyright to these plans, please contact him if you wish to reproduce them.
A few years ago I made a press. It cost me about US$20.
The bucket was made from a 7 gallon plastic pail. I used a 0.5 inch drill and perferated it at a 1 inch grid.
The frame was made from scrap 2×3 (inch) pine.
For the press I bought a 1 inch x 3 foot threaded rod, 5 nuts, and 2 @ 4 inch washers. (one of the nuts is larger than the rod and can twist freely within)
I paid a welder $5 to weld 1 nut onto each washer, and the large nut onto a metal plate.
I drilled 2 holes into the washers and metal plate to allow mounting.
The pressing plate was made of plywood coated in polyurathane, with a 2×3 mounted across for support. The large nut and plate were mounted into the 2×3.
The cross member of the frame had a hole drilled into it. The washer & nut were mounted on the underside of the crossmember.
The remaining 2 nuts and nut/washer were used to fasten the prying lever to the threaded rod. The lever is a 2×3 with a hole drilled through it. The washer is mounted on the bottom side and the nuts lock the lever down from the top.
N : nut
NW : nut welded to washer
LN: large nut
R : threaded rod
L : lever
B: bucket
F : frame
P : pressing plate
R
N
N
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
NW
R
R
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
F NW F
FB R BF
FB R BF
FB R BF
FB LN BF
FBPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPBF
FB BF
FB BF
FBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBF
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
It has worked for 5 seasons so far.