Practical Innovation
Completed in October 2023. Brenton Reece design. He built this press, starting with a 2 tonne hydraulic jack. Coconut oil is an essential in Fijian life and many people make their own oil. It can be a tedious process to scrape and press hundreds of coconuts by hand for oil. In one hour this press can produce what might take eight to ten people by hand.
This press can be used to extract the oil from sections of sun-dried coconut flesh, known as ‘copra’.
The pressure of the piston on the coconut dispels the oil out through the tiny holes.
Fill the stainless steel barrel to the top with coconut, then fit in the piston.