Ratchet
presses operate easily once you understand how the ratchet works. Ratchet
presses operate easily once you understand how the ratchet works.
1. The ratchet won't ratchet unless you have it under a load. You can do this with it full of grapes but you can also use one hand to provide resistance when first setting up.
2. See the photo of the two shieves. These are like gold. Don't lose them. They are small, only 2 or 3 inches long, so put them in a safe place. You must have these Shieves for the ratchet to work.
There
are two slots in the top of the press. One shieve goes in each. Put the shieves
in with the pointed end down. The Shieves must point in opposite directions--in
other words, if the right Shieve has its point toward the north, the left shieve
must have its point toward the south. Look carefully at the photo.
There are two ways to correctly insert the shieves. One way for ratcheting down, the other for ratcheting up. As you are looking down on the press, when the shieves are pointed in clockwise direction, the ratchet goes down.
Please note: The ratchet may be stuck because it has been sitting around with no lubrication. I recommend spraying some WD40 or silicone lubricant on all the moving parts before you use it. You might need to take a rubber mallet or shoe and beat it a little to loosen it up. It will be fine once it is used and lubricated. You might have to do this every year after taking it out of storage.
3. To test the ratchet, insert the handle. Hold the base of the ratchet with your left hand to provide resistance. Then simply ratchet back and forth. Now turn the Shieves the other direction, and repeat.
4. The
two semicircles of wood go on top of the grapes. The 2x2 wood spacers go on
top of the two semicircles and provide spacing as needed. In other words, as
you press the grapes, you will need to insert more wood spacers.
One more note: Large Ratchet Presses (RP40 and greater) have 2 'gears'. They have inner and outer slots for the shieves. The inner shieve operates a little faster--each ratchet turns a little further on the central screw.