Well I've gone & done it.

...looks pretty good....i made a press with an old pressure cooker...drilled holes in the bottom...made a thick ply disc and used a G GRAMP to squeeze...it worked,just about....
i made some cider once with 120lb of apples,but i made the mistake of only using Bramley's...it was a bit acidic...i put it in the loft for 3 years..rediscovered it and was perfect dry cider!
i could have done with your press for that!

The story is...an Italian couple came to the uk  years ago,  they got hold of this press and 10x 52lts carboys. They got their grapes from an Italian shop in Loughborough (I think) then they would press the grapes like they did back home, making Italian Red wine....500 lts at a time (once a year)...store it the carboys until they bottled the wine..that then would see them through until the next year.

The husband passed away, his son said he was 80 plus, so the children decided to sell all of the gear as they would not be doing it the same. So that brings it up to the present day,  we've been given about 100 yds of a grapevine up on the allotment,  a small orchard of 6 apple trees, 1 pear. So this is going to be a steep learning curve, but we'll get there.

Didn't know that Bob....but I now know where all the pressings are going back onto our allotment.

The story is...an Italian couple came to the uk  years ago,  they got hold of this press and 10x 52lts carboys. They got their grapes from an Italian shop in Loughborough (I think) then they would press the grapes like they did back home, making Italian Red wine....500 lts at a time (once a year)...store it the carboys until they bottled the wine..that then would see them through until the next year.
The husband passed away, his son said he was 80 plus, so the children decided to sell all of the gear as they would not be doing it the same. So that brings it up to the present day,  we've been given about 100 yds of a grapevine up on the allotment,  a small orchard of 6 apple trees, 1 pear. So this is going to be a steep learning curve, but we'll get there.

Wow, useful kit and with a history too!  Brilliant news Capt, do let us know how it goes (and as you know, piccies are always appreciated). 

Saw it on TV, one of the chefs type programs.  French vinyards are old though, so I dunno how long the effect will take.

Probably not too long since they're already mulched?  Gives a wonderful feeling of timelessness though doesn't it?   

When you see the huge, twice my height, barrels, wooden taps, been sat there for five years.  Wine is timeless.

Have you seen that film with Russell Crowe ('A Good Year', I believe it was called)?  Very good film.