“What’s the point?”
What’s the question, any question, and raw cream is the answer. It’s that basic and makes everything better.
I shock myself to remember back to our beloved Gert, our first cow whom we had for two months and she left us devastatingly prematurely because of my ignorance of milk fever, that I did not skim off the cream of her amazing milk. We had always put milk in our coffee before we had a cow, so we never even thought of cream.
Gert was a golden cow. As time went on we realized that life was incomprehensible without cream, so we currently put up with Elsa’s kicking. Now what to do with all this milk?
I had been experimenting with the easiest way to skim cream off of a jar of raw milk, and find that a small ladle is the easiest. The longer you let raw milk rest in the refrigerator, it looks as if you are getting less cream at the top, but it is thicker and easier to skim off. Here is a picture where the cream line of the next day after milking is marked then I shook the jar and marked the seemingly more cream line. There was not more cream expressed from the milk after shaking, but more milk was incorporated into the cream.
The amount of cream in raw milk depends on many factors: the time of year, when they have had a calf, are they on hay or is green grass growing, are you able to milk her all the way out as the last of the milking produces the most cream, and of course the breed and individual cow.
I had been looking for a cream separator for quite a while, but all were out of my price range. I found one on ebay which was a great price, from the Ukraine. There are many models to choose from and this is the one I chose, $119, but I paid a little more on ebay. The shipping was about $41 to the US and took about 2 weeks.
We were so excited when the package arrived!
And so disappointed when the motor did not work. 😦
Katya is the lovely woman from Slavic Beauty which imports these cream separators, and other very cool things (we also got some of these cozy sheepswool slippers.) When I informed her that the motor did not work and that perhaps I should get a hand turned separator instead of an electric one, she assured me that they do sell many of these in the US. They have a European plug with a plug adapter for US outlets and do not need a converter to 110v. She quickly sent the replacement, which works perfectly.
The first thing you do after milking, is to strain the milk.
Milk that is to go into the cream separator needs to be about body temperature warmth, so be as quick as you can after milking. If you are using refrigerated raw milk, you must slowly and carefully warm the milk to about 90 degrees.
To put together the separator, you start with the cones, or separating disks. This machine came with 12 cones. There are two styles of cones, I call them the “close together cones” and the “far apart cones.” One style has the little hole at the top close to the bump, and the other style has the hole far away from the bump.
The cones alternate, one “close together cone”, and one “far apart cone”, and so on until they are all stacked up. It does not matter if you start with a close together cone, or a far apart cone. When I wash them I just put all of one kind in a row and then when I stack them up I quickly pull one from each stack.
There is a rubber ring which goes into the bottom part of the separating assembly, a plastic cone with the adjusting screw which fits into the top part of the assembly.
I have experimented a lot with the adjusting screw. When the screw is turned in as far as possible, the cream is thickest, but I have found that method of separating the cream is not best for me. It is difficult to get all the cream out of the separator when it is that thick, and the thick cream is not the best consistency to use for whipping cream in coffee.
When you are ready to die and go to heaven, however, this is the perfect thing to send you to your joy. The cream is so thick you can stand a spoon in the jar. Make some delectable lamb chops and spoon some of this thick cream on top, then lick the spoon. If your cream is thinner, after a few days in the refrigerator it will continue to thicken as it continues to rise and separate further from the milk.
My experiments of different stages of the adjusting screw, from very thick cream to thinner cream. The amounts varied with thickness (thicker cream with the screw in farther) and also varied with the amount of milk Elsa was willing to give that day.
This is the screw setting that I finally found to be the right cream consistency for me.
Now to assemble everything. Screw on the top with this handy wrench which comes with the separator.
It is easy to know how much to tighten it because they added these little circles, which you keep tightening until they line up.
and
This now goes onto the motor part.
Next go on the spouts. The spout for the skim milk has a larger hole and goes on first, while the spout for the cream has a smaller hole and goes on top.
Then this piece goes on.
and the plastic float drops in
Then put the bowl on top and line it up so the hole faces you.
Now insert the stopper and turn it so the hole is closed. Add your warm milk to the bowl and you are ready to separate your liquid gold.
Part 2 will be how to operate the cream separator and different methods of skimming raw cream.
I would most appreciate any comments or advice from more seasoned cream separators, or just questions if some of this is confusing due to my poor explanations.
grassfood. 
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Just found your site becauseI am looking for instruction on how to put together a cream separator. I’ve recently acquired an old hand cranked separator and, with my small herd of dairy goats I am now looking to produce both cream and milk (for cheese making). I reckon I’ll be popping back on a regular basis to make sure I am doing it right 🙂
That is wonderful! It is so hard to skim cream off of goats milk, unless you have a separator. I am pretty sure the mechanics of all separator a are the same, so make sure you have all the pieces. Your cones are probably different than mine, but should have opposites that are obvious. I’m so looking forward to being in cream again, on June 8th fingers crossed.
Mike, here is the video on the assembly of the manual cream separator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrdI5wJLKaQ. will be happy to help if you have any questions.
Thank you Katya! 😍
Hi )) Thank you! your blog is so helpful!
hi there, I was wondering what type of oil to put into the motor??
Hi Kim, No, there is no oil that goes into the motor. It is electric and works great! I use mine almost every day and have had no problems for over three years.
You should add oil only in the manual model. The oil we recommend is 3 in 1 all purpose oil or sewing machine oil. The electric model does not require oil
muy buenas noches he comprado una descremadora no se, si perdí el flotador o no lo trajo el equipo.
mi pregunta es: puedo usar la descremadora sin el flotador??
Hola Jairo,
No, a cream separator will not work without the float. The milk will pour through too fast and will spill out. Hopefully you can purchase a replacement float from the manufacturer of your machine. 🙂
We recently made this video about 100L/H cream separator, the same one that is featured in the blog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA75kHoQvak
Thank you Katya! I am sorry I have not made a new updated blog post yet about your cream separator. My high producing Guernsey cow died and I have not been able to use it in a long time. I do love it, and have gotten so much use out of it for the past two years. I’ll try and update my posts soon, since I have learned much more about how to operate the separator. Take care. 🙂
Thank you Jamie! No worries about that! Like I mentioned before, your blog posts are super helpful already! We added some nice mini milking systems too. Sorry to hear your cow died. Have a nice weekend
I have recently bought a 50l/hr electric model. I am using freshly drawn jersey milk and have followed the instructions exactly. No matter what I do with the adjusting screw I’m getting too much milk with the cream. After a few days there is about 1/4 to 1/3 milk at the bottom of the bottle. I’m very disappointed but hope there’s a solution. I borrowed a bigger one from a friend which worked better than mine. I like my smaller one as it goes in the dishwasher. Mary
Hi Mary. I am not sure what model you have, but it is definitely not normal that there would be milk at the bottom of your bottle. First of all, the furthest you can screw in the cream adjusting screw would be the most cream extraction. I can’t have mine in completely all the way, as the cream then gets too thick and will not pour out the spout. Make sure yours is in all the way. The second thing I can think of is that the speed has not reached its maximum before you open the spout and let the milk from the basin at the top, into the separating disks. Let it run at for a while until you cannot hear the disk go any faster, then open the spout. Have you had a chance to see Katya’s new video? She has posted a new instructional video at the very bottom of these comments, and I have not been able to see it yet because of my internet connection, but I am sure it is helpful. I will keep thinking what could be wrong, and maybe someone else cna suggest something? good luck and let me know.
I have a unit like yours…everything has been working just fine for me–although I didn’t realize I could take out the white piece inside the cone! I wonder if there is anything rotting in there. (ugh) My problem comes after a few months of regular use, basically daily. Nothing ever sticks, no trouble until the last 2 times I used it. The cone is stuck. I cannot get it to open. I have used the key to open the top which came off with no problem but separating the bottom to get to the cones has been impossible. The first time I think I got lucky, today I am without hope. Any ideas what could be my problem and perhaps a solution?
Hi Ryann,
Yes it is very important to take out the white plastic disk, as bacteria… will definitely build up. You will have to put something in the top part along the rim of the plastic disk, and tap hard enough to make it separate from the top of the metal cone. As far as your other problem, I suggest you soak the whole cone in hot soapy water for a while, then place the whole cone in a bowl of ice water. Since you were able to unscrew the top then you need to take the cold cone and turn it over and bang the top part on a table (with a towel or something soft) and it should come apart. Clean it very well and then make sure you put coconut oil on the rubber ring and also on the rubber part on the machine itself. I hope this makes sense! Good luck and let me know. 🙂
Help! I have this same separator, and have just started learning how to use it. It is about my 5th time trying it, and the metal cone got stuck on the blue base!! I can’t pull it off! I have had my husband try many times, and We even used a piece of rubber on top to get a better grip, no luck. Do you have any ideas? Thanks!
Kristi, don’t panic! 🙂 I smear a bit of coconut oil on the rubber part of the blue base every week or so. But, even still, sometimes the metal cone will stick, but it will come off. First, take it and the blue base (unplugged) to the sink and turn it over and let any remaining milk pour out the top. Let it sit for several hours on the counter, and I promise, later, it will come off. I get a dishtowel and grab the top and pull straight up, and it always comes off. Don’t try and pry it or pull it sideways. Let me know if by emptying it, and waiting several hours, if that works. – Jamie
Thank you for your quick reply Jamie! I actually already tried the things you mentioned. 😦 This happened last night, and I poured out all excess liquid, even disassembled the cone so only the bottom piece is stuck on now. I let it sit out all night and it is still stuck this morning. I have been gripping it with a towel as well. And I’ve been trying to pull straight up, as you said. But it’s still stuck!
Oh that is frustrating! Perhaps you should try (unplugged of course) to tip it over in the sink and spray hot water around it (but not on the electrical parts of the blue base, and see if the warmth will help. Then I would try very cold water, and that should shrink the black rubber part enough for the metal part to lift up. I am sure it will come off today. (fingers crossed) and don’t forget to put a bit of coconut oil on every few weeks so this does not happen again. Let me know what does end up working, and good luck.
Success! I tried spraying water in it, but the water from my sink doesn’t get very cold. So I made a glass of ice water, and poured it over the metal piece, and plugged the little drain hole with my finger to let the ice water sit on the metal piece for a minute or two. Then I tried pulling it again and it came off right away! Thank you for your help! I will grease the rubber thing this time so it won’t happen again. 🙂
Oh happy! I am also curious why you are trying to separate such a small amount of milk? Is that all you are getting from your cow/goat? Just make sure if you are taking it cold from your refrigerator that you gently warm it to about 85 to 90 degrees.
Actually, I’m trying to use the machine for an entirely different purpose, separating breast milk! My infant daughter has multiple health problems that make it hard for her to gain weight, so I have to “fortify” her milk by mixing formula powder into breast milk to add calories. I wanted to see if there is a way that I could separate out the cream from breast milk and mix that into other breast milk to add calories without using formula. I can only separate a little bit of milk at a time, because you are not supposed to re-heat breast milk unless you are going to feed it immediately. So I am just using freshly expressed milk, before I refrigerate it. So far I have not had much success getting the cream to flow out, it’s just getting clogged in the metal cone. Maybe there isn’t enough cream, or maybe I am pouring the milk in too slowly. I have gotten the skim milk to flow out though, and I know there are moms who want to skim milk for their babies who have a condition called “chylothorax,” so this machine could definitely be used for that purpose! It’s still up in the air whether it will work for my purpose. 🙂
Oh my goodness! Oh I hope it works, and I definitely would leave the valve all the way open. I’d imagine that there just is not enough volume of milk to have the cream come out of the spout, but it probably is inside the cones. Try and find a source for raw goat or cows milk http://www.realmilk.com and that should be of great benefit also. I’d hate for you to waste any of your precious milk, or have to add in “commercial formula” which is in no way as life giving. (Please research the dangers of soy, if your formula contains that, which most do.) Have you tried to supplement her with coconut oil? Coconut oil is highest in lauric acid, which is also in breast milk, and infants who “fail to thrive” have been greatly helped by coconut oil. Here is a link to a wonderful source to making your own nourishing formula, to feed her extra. http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/formula-homemade-baby-formula/ Hopefully you can take off as much time to nurse as often as she will. Best of everything to you and your dear baby!
Hello. I recently puchased one of these cream separators and I simply cannot get it to work. Before I leave negative feedback for Katya I wonder if you have any suggestions. (She didn’t have any except to read the instructions (done) and look at your web site (also done)) . I am milking a Jersey. I store the milk a few days until I have enough to warrent the clean up. However, when separating, the cream is practically solid and will not flow out of the unit. I have adjusted the cream screw in and out by 1/4 turns, by 1/2 turns, by full turns, screwed it out as far as it will go and even totally removed it. No change. I have tried milk at 30 degrees C, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 60. No change. The unit is pre-warmed. No change. I have regulated the milk flow up and down. No real change except that the unit starts to flood and puke milk out onto the bench and make a huge mess. I have removed one of the cones. No change. I have tried diluting the full cream milk with skim milk to cut the % butter fat, 20%, 30%, and 50%. No change. It does seem to work maginally better with fresh unrefrigerated milk, but is still way too thick to flow. I have to turn the unit off and scrape the cream out with a finger tip every few minutes. Most frustrating. This is not the first time anyone has separated Jersey milk. I grew up on a dairy farm milking jerseys and we had a Alpha-Laval separator that did a fine job separating 100% of the milk. Cream was sold, skim milk fed pigs. This process is not that difficult.
The unit itself looks very nicely made, (electric and all metal) and was delivered to Australia quickly and well packed but still does not work properly.
Any suggestions?
James
Dear James, First of all, I certainly do not think you should leave any negative feedback for Katya, as she represents these machines and does not use them because she does not have a cow. 🙂 I do know these separators to be wonderful, as I used mine extensively, with my Jersey, and also have friends with Jerseys who love theirs. I do hope I can help, and am envious of you, as my Jersey died of milk fever this year, so I have not had any milk. Anyway, please allow me to try my best to help figure this out.
How much milk are you getting everyday? How old is the milk you are separating? a week? I can understand not wanting to have to clean the machine that often, but it really is quicker if you can separate right after you have milked, and the milk is still warm. Considering that you are going to the trouble of putting your milk in jars (I assume) and refrigerate, how much cream are you getting, 1/3rd of the jar, more? Have you tried just skimming off the cream from the top of the jars, then heating the skim milk to 30 to 35 degrees c.? (60 is way too high.) (I am just curious. or perhaps just using warm water and see if it does go through?) My first thought was that you were not heating the milk properly, as it needs to be around 30 c. or 85 to 90 f. Are you letting the machine run, with the valve closed, until the speed is the fastest, before opening the valve and letting the warm milk run into the separator?
Strange, and I am sad you are having these problems. My friend had the milk spill all over the place because she did not have the rubber ring pushed all the way inside the metal cone. So, if you do not mind, perhaps you can go through, step by step, as you are putting the machine together (perhaps a piece is missing?) and also tell me the steps you are doing, so maybe I can figure it out. In the mean time, I would certainly not experiment with full cream milk, so as to waste any cream. Just let the cream rise to the top and skim it off before experimenting with the warm skim milk. Let me know. -Jamie
Another clue. 🙂 There is absolutely no way that the cream separator can work again after it is full of milk, and you turn it off, and turn it back on again. The way all centrifugal separators work is that the speed needs to be maximum, before milk enters the cones, and if it is turned off during separating, it cannot regain that speed. My basic hunch is that the temperature of the milk is not right, and that the spinning speed is not high enough before you open the valve and let the milk in. If your milk is very fat, and the screw was in too much in the beginning, and you keep turning it off, then you will not be able to get it to work. But, let me know if I am off base and I will keep thinking (and dreaming about your cream.) haha! 🙂
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Can anyone tell me why my cream separator is not separating properly? I have checked the assembly and all seems fine, yet, instead of cream flowing from the cream arm, I am getting a mix of milk/cream, and I don’t know how to fix it
Hi Marianna. I will love to help you if I can. I need some more information though. Let me know how you are going about separating, such as the temperature of the milk… Are you separating right after milking, or heating up your cold milk to around 90 degrees? Let me know a bit about how you are going about it and I’ll see if I can figure it out. 🙂 Jamie
Hi Jamie
thanks for your response. Yes, I am separating immediately after milking, so milk is pretty warm. This problem has only started recently, I’ve been separating for years, but perhaps my machine is now too old? I inherited it from my mother-in-law, so it’s over 50 years old!
Once again, many thanks
Hmmmm. If the machine is over 50 years old, does it happen to be a manual separator? The only think I can think of, considering that you have been successful in separating for years, and the separator is being put together as before when it worked properly, is the speed in which it separates? One time, on this little electric separator I use, I accidentally poured milk into the bowl and the white valve stopper was open and milk ran into the separating cones before I had the machine on. I turned the machine on, but with milk already inside, the speed of the cones could never reach their full turning capacity, so the “cream” that was separated came out with a lot of milk in it, very runny. Perhaps this might give you a clue? Are you getting your separating cones to the high revolution of speed, before opening the valve and letting milk in? Please let me know how things turn out, and I’ll keep thinking as well. Good luck. 🙂
I would love some help! I have a cream separator like yours. I can not get my cream thin enough. It is too thick even with the set screw backed out as far as possible. I buy my raw milk from a farm down the road. I have to warm it up. I warm it to about 90/92 degrees F. Maybe should it be warmer than that? I end up just making butter out of the cream cause it is nearly there when it comes out of the separator but I am really wanting to pour it in my coffee or whipped up on top of my pumpkin pie. Thoughts?
Your pictures and walk thru is the best if have found online. Thank you
Dear Debbie,
I’m so happy to help. Don’t heat your milk higher than what you are doing, it is not necessary, and you don’t want to kill it, but it needs to be about body warmth or a little lower, which you are doing.
First: The consistency you want your cream to come out of the separator is as thick as possible, but so that it is flowing constantly and does not back up in the separator (leaving a gloppy wasted cream mess inside the disk cone.) This means that you are getting the most cream out of your milk, and so you don’t want the screw backed out as far as possible. Test and see how far you can screw the adjusting screw in, so that the cream still flows nicely, and that you put as much skim milk back through a second time so you get as much cream out as you can, until skim milk is coming out of the cream spout. (You do want to extract as much cream as you can out of the milk, which is the sole purpose of using a separator!) 🙂
Second: Here is your “problem” with having cream that it too thick, as separated cream will continue to thicken each day it is in the refrigerator. Yum! but I totally get where you are coming from. First of all, to whip thick separated cream, you need to thin it with some raw milk. Also you have never lived unless you whip the cream first and then put whipped cream in your coffee. Ha! If you have a stick blender with a whisk attachment, but a big glop of thick separated cream in a quart mason jar (about 1/3 of the jar) and then fill up to almost half of the jar with whole raw milk. Whisk the cream and milk together and it will turn into the most lovely whipped cream imaginable. If you just want to thin it without whipping, you can also put some cream and milk in a mason jar with a lid and shake it until it is incorporated. Let me know if makes sense. Cheers!
Thank you for taking the time to answer. I pick up milk on Fridays, so will try again. Just to be sure I understand you…when I first separate it out and it is crazy thick, if I want to use it for coffee for the week I should just immediately thin it out with whole raw milk, so it stays pourable? If I put the cream straight into the fridge by the time it cools it has to be scooped out. It is almost like butter ( delicious, but not great for coffee). In this same pourable state I could then use it as creamer or whipping cream if desired. Right?
Also, I noticed on your excellent pictures, you have 12 cones. That stack inside the base, whereas mine only has 11….does that matter?
No, my cream loving friend. Separate that liquid gold as you are doing, and even thicker if the cream is pouring out of the spout at a good pace and not backing up inside too much. Make sure you do run skim milk back through the machine to get all the cream out afterwards. Put it in a mason jar with a lid, trying to use as small a jar you can so there is not a lot of air in the jar. It will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. Use a glob of the thick cream on top of a steak, on pasta, or a spoonful to chase away the blues… When you are ready to whip some for your coffee, then put a thick glob in a mason jar with some raw milk to thin it out so it will whip better. If you are not going to whip it for your coffee (for shame!) then you can just put a thick glob of cream, and some milk in a jar and shake-baby-shake until it is your desired thinner consistency. Make sense?
I do not think it matters about the 11 or 12 cones, but just make sure that they are placed correctly, “far away holes” next to “close together holes.” Enjoy, and let me know how Friday goes. 🙂
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Thanks for the suggestions. I will try that. I just now saw your reply from my earlier post. It’s no longer an urgent matter though…my poor Bossie Dexter cow lost her pregnancy and I have nothing to milk right now. I joined a herdshare just to get a couple gallons per week for my family…skimming the cream with a ladle works fine for that little amount. But I do want to get this thing up and working for next spring when we get a couple cows freshened.
Oh my goodness Rhonda, I am so sorry about your loss. Sad. Do let me know how it goes with fixing your separator problem, or maybe you can send me a picture so I can see exactly what is going on. Good luck and let me know. – Jamie
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Brilliant!!! wish I had this as a reference when we first got ours! Would have saved lots of struggles for sure. And I LOVE the sheepskin slippers. xoxoxo
Well, it’s trial and error with me my friend. You guys are the professionals! I do have an ancient hand crank separator that was in the hayloft of the old barn and stands on the floor and is about 4 feet high. It would be really cool to get it going. Glad your toes are cozy. xoxo
oh, I remember my younger days on the farm…that was my job was to clean the separator! We had the big one on the floor and I was the one who usually did the cranking too. I loved that raw milk and the cream!! I wish I could find some close by!!
Oh I would love to see one of those old ones in operation, I bet that is incredible. Have you tried looking for raw milk here? http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/ I really hope you find some near you, and also try searching on on Craigslist. Good luck. 🙂
I live near Des Moines, Iowa and all the places are a good distance away.I used to get it from my daughter but they moved to Maryland and manage Sally Fallon’s farm–P.A.Bowen Homestead. What a wonderful place they have there! Barb makes cheese with Sally too.Thanks for your reply! Love your web site/postings.BlessingsLinda Davis
WORK like you don’t need the money.LOVE like you’ve never been hurt.DANCE like nobody’s watching.SING like nobody’s listening.LIVE like it’s Heaven on Earth.Remember God is always with you.
Dear Linda, No wonder your daughter turned out so great! Wow, what a dream place, P.A. Bowen, and I hope to visit there someday. A dear friend of mine moved back East and got to meet your daughter and volunteer on the farm about a month ago, and I was so happy for her. Small world. 🙂 Oh I hope you can find a source for your milk again. Thank you for your kind words and many blessings on you, and your daughter and everything at P.A. Bowen. Sally has done so much for so many, and I am most grateful for all they do. xoxo – Jamie
Dear Jamie, Yes Sally is an awesome lady and has done wonders for the world. I learned a lot at one of her work shops a few years ago. Highly recommendanyone who can to attend one. Also to see PA BOWEN HOMESTEAD if anyone is in the area. We really enjoyed staying there for a few days last fall.Keep up your great work too!Blessings, Linda
WORK like you don’t need the money.LOVE like you’ve never been hurt.DANCE like nobody’s watching.SING like nobody’s listening.LIVE like it’s Heaven on Earth.Remember God is always with you.If you want to protect your friends, please remove my name and send this on BBC.
Date: Sun, 26 May 2013 16:50:27 +0000 To: davisl2@live.com
Thanks for the information, I am going to buy my cream separator today!!! I have another question about milk. So some of my customers have complained about having a cream-top in the milk i supply to them. I know the only way to get rid of the cream-top is to homogenise the milk. Please do you have any information where I can find ways to homogenise without buying expensive equipment, preferably a small/micro milk homogeniser.
Dear Shola, Please forgive the question, but is this a JOKE? Your customers who are buying raw milk, don’t want a cream line at the top? Here are some suggestions. #1 Instruct your customers to read up on why raw milk is vastly different than processed, industrial, homogenized, pasteurized milk. #2 Instruct your customers how to take the milk bottle, turn it over and shake it several times and Voila! home homogenized milk! #3 Tell your customers that you can skim off the pesky cream, keep the cream yourself and make it into butter, ice cream, or cream shares to sell to people who understand the pure liquid gold. If you can’t sell these extra products, enjoy all of it yourself. 🙂 Inform them that skim raw milk certainly has more cream incorporated in it than factory homogenized milk, which always has had most of the cream taken out anyway. #4 Do not go to the added expense of purchasing a homogenizer (I don’t think they are available in a small version anyway) as there are more and more people everyday waking up to the delights of pure, fresh milk, and you can just send those who want homogenized milk to the grocery store.
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck and am so happy you are going to get a cream separator! Let me know how it goes, and please let me know what your customers decide! This really cracks me up, but I feel for you. 🙂 p.s. What country are you in?
I have one of these. The only beef I have, is that I can NOT remove the main metal cone that has the shaft on it, from the base. The milk gets under it when using it, then it sticks. There is NOT way to remove it, and I’m afraid to use it, for fear of contaminating my cream and milk. We use raw milk only, Any suggestions? I’ve used hot hot water, and tapped on it…nothing.
Oh Rhonda, that is frustrating and I am going to address that fully in my next post. Do you mean the plastic cone that goes on first, the one with the adjusting screw, and is yours made of metal. I also found it impossible to remove it by hand, and so here is how I do it. I have a whisk whose round handle is the exact size to fit on top of the plastic cone when it is still inside the metal part. I tap it, pretty hard, with a knife handle and continue to tap until it comes all the way out. Let me know which piece you are talking about, if this is not it. I hope you get it figured out, because it is wonderful to separate cream with this separator.
Dear Rhonda, I have been thinking about your problem and I earlier had misunderstood what part you were talking about. During the process of separating, some cream does build up in this part at the base and can be as thick as butter, which if it is not washed out right away could harden and make it difficult to take apart. I suggest you try this. Soak the entire thing in hot water for a while to hopefully loosen any dried milk. Make sure you take off the screw on the top and then turn it over and “tap” the metal shaft on the counter, and when I say tap you might need to give it a little more force than that. It should separate because if the screw is off the top, there is nothing forcefully holding it together, other than being stuck with hardened milk/cream. I have found that with a few uses mine has gotten much easier to separate and I don’t even have to tap anymore. Let me know if you have any success, as it would be a pity not to be able to separate your cream. 🙂
Dear Rhonda, Now that I am very familiar with this cream separator, I now know what your specific problem is. Over time the little rubber cone on the main motor base, which the entire separating metal cone fits to separate out the milk, loses it’s slipperiness. The metal disk unit gets stuck on the motor base. I have had to take apart the cone unit, while the last piece won’t come off. I cleaned everything and put it back together and used it again, and was able to remove it the next time. (Cold water helps, as does screwing back on the top without the rest of the cones or outer shell, just so you can get a better grip. Sometimes waiting until the next day helps.) I had neglected to remember the instructions that the rubber cone needs to have a natural fat applied to it periodically, such as coconut oil, tallow, lard, or olive oil. Now that I have greased mine, the base never sticks anymore.