The one I use from my local shop has a cylinder made from perforated
stainless that was stamped to the proper diameter. very thin material full
of maybe 1/4 inch holes. you may be able to get something made at a
fabrication shop/welder. very simple and very strong and easy to clean

Sean


"Web Williams" > wrote in message
. com...
> I purchased an old iron lard/fruit press and have
> been slowly de-rusting and cleaning it up. The
> surfaces that will touch grapes has been treated
> with cooking oil to prevent rust, and the remainder
> has been repainted the original color. My problem
> is, the "main barrel" for the press is missing! I
> thought it would be easy to find this piece (by
> fabrication) but the I.D. needs to be 6-7/8 inches.
> Common PVC pipe comes in 6 (too small) and 8 inch
> (too big) diameters. 7 inch muffler pipe would be
> perfect, but I can't find a source! I thought about
> buying a 12 inch long piece of 8 inch pipe and slicing
> down the side to thin it, then apply glue to the slice
> and compressing it with screw clamps until it sets.
> But I don't think it would hold very well. If anyone
> knows a source of 7 inch diameter pipe (well, truthfully
> O.D. doesn't matter, but it needs to be 6-7/8 I.D.)
> please let me know! I even considered wood like I
> see used in a lot of grape presses, but considered
> the possibility of bacterial contamination to be too
> great with a wooden press. Any thoughts would be greatly
> appreciated!
>
> Thanks, -Web Williams in Myrtle Beach, SC
>