What should I do if pressing fails? No oil production, it is hard or impossible to turn the crank and press cake does not leave the cap: SEED TOO DRY!

The seed or nuts must always contain 8 - 10% moisture. On this page you can read how you determine the moisture content and how much water you need to add to the seed. After adding the water always wait 2 days before using the seed.

WILL A FEW SMALL SCOOPS OF WATER ON 1 KILO SEEDS MAKE SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE?

YES!

Characteristics of too dry seed

How do you notice that the seeds or nuts do not contain 10% moisture?

It is hard to turn the crank.
Press cake does not leave the cap.
No oil production.
Washer behind the screw shows extreme wear.
Sometimes also some black oil at the shaft hole of the screw.
The seed is ground to a mash.

Fast & easy solution

In case the seeds (or nuts) cannot be pressed because the press cake is too hard:
- Weigh 1 kilo (35 oz.) seeds
- Put the seeds in a plastic bag
- Add 3 full scoops water ( scoop comes with the press )
- Store the seeds for 2 days before you try again.

In case no pressure is built up and a slurry is formed in the press: seeds too moist. It aslo may occur that the oil slit was blocked ( clean regularly ).

More accurate method: determine the moisture content of the seeds or nuts.

1. Take over 100 grams nuts or seeds

2. Grind the nuts

3. Weigh exactly 100 grams

4. Spread it in an oven tray

5. Dry 90 minutes at 110 degrees Celcius

6. Weigh the dried seeds or nuts

In the table you can see how much water needs to be added to 1 KILO of the nuts or seeds for which you have tested the 100 grams.

In this example there is 94 grams left: 6 grams water evaporated. This means the nuts already contained 6% moisture. Not enough for pressing, so you have to add water. In this case 4 grams extra water is needed to reach the 10%.

Now you know how much water there is in the nuts you want to press the oil from. You now know they are too dry. You need to add 40 ml ( = 40 grams = app. 3 scoops ) ) water to 1 kilo of the nuts you took the sample from. Store in a plastic bag and wait 2 days before pressing.

15 ml is a scoop filled to the top

Weigh 100 grams as precise as possible. Dry the 100 grams at 110°C during 1½ hour untill all moisture is evaporated from the 100 grams
When all the moisture is evaporated you weigh again. Look for the weight that is left in the table below (gram):	Moisture content was:	Conclusion:	Weigh 1 kilo seeds of the seeds you took the 100 gram moisture determination sample from. Add exactly the correct amount of water:	Number of scoops per kilo seeds:
100	0%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 100 ml to 1 kilo	= 6 scoops water to 1 kilo
99	1%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 90 ml/kg	= 5½ scoops water to 1 kilo
98	2%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 80 ml/kg	= 5 scoops water to 1 kilo
97	3%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 70 ml/kg	= 4½ scoops water to 1 kilo
96	4%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 60 ml/kg	4 scoops water to 1 kilo
95	5%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 50 ml/kg	= 3 scoops water to 1 kilo
94	6%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 40 ml/kg	= 2½ scoops water to 1 kilo
93	7%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 30 ml/kg	= 2 scoops water to 1 kilo
92	8%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 20 ml/kg	1 scoop water to 1 kilo
91	9%	Not enough water in the seeds you want to press	add 10 ml/kg	= ½ scoop water to 1 kilo
90	10%	Enough water in the seeds you want to press	Do not add water: ready for use	Do not add water
89 or less	11% or more	Too much water in the seeds	Seed to moist: dry the seeds. Do the moisture test again after drying.	Dry the seeds

Piteba tool

In the manual you can read how the moisture of the nuts or seeds can be corrected. Without the need for equipment. The Piteba tool is used as a balance to weigh a certain amount of seed. A scoop of water (= 15 ml) is then added to the weighed amount. After 2 days this seed can be pressed.

This is a rough way to improve the press results. A more accurate method is described below.