Mixing your sausage is one of the most difficult parts of the process. I have designed a bucket mixer that will do small 5-6# to about 40#. It will mix a 40 Pound batch of sausage in about 30 seconds.The mixer is easy to dump and easy to clean.
It starts with a five gallon bucket with a 3/8 hole drilled dead center in the bottom. Then you cut a stainless plate that fits into the recess in the bottom of the bucket. After that you weld a 3/8 pipe in the center of the plate make sure that it is truly perpendicular to the plate. weld the top of the pipe shut and grind smooth. screw the plate to a 1/2 sheet of food grade UHMD plastic. [like a large plastic cutting board.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/stainlessplateweldedto3-8pipewithbu.jpg)
Here is the plate and the welded pipe screwed to the plastic. There are four plastic latches screwed to the plastic that lock onto the bucket so that it does not spin when you are mixing.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/partBofbucketlatchisscrewedtobucket.jpg)
The bucket has four latches that lock into the base latches.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/mixerbladeslipsoverguidshaft.jpg)
The mixing blade just misses the sides of the bucket but never hit it.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/1inchmixerpipeislinedwith14inch3-4i.jpg)
The mixing blade tube is 1 inch stainless with the hexagonal end of a old hole saw welded to for good grip in the drill and the inside of the tube has a length of 3/4 inch sprinkler riser pipe inserted and locked in with a set of stainless screws near the top.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/guidetubejustclearsthelidbushing.jpg)
The bucket lid has a bushing screwed to it that guides the top of the mixer blade. Notice that the 3/8 tube is long enough to just clear the top of the bucket lid bushing. In this way you control the mixing blade as you pull it up and down it the sausage.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/countersunkscrewsthatanchorthepolyb.jpg)
The mixing shaft fits snug and you can see the screws that hold the bushing inside of the tube. Remember to take the screws out and pull the bushing out and clean every thing well after mixing.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/sausage%20mixer/attach1-2inchdrillandgetmix.jpg)
This is what the final mixer looks like.
Attach a 1/2 inch drill and stand on the plastic sheet and let her fly. When you are mixing sausage you should start in a mixing tub to get a general mix and add the meat cure last. Do not let it sit long before putting it into the bucket mixer. Once the meat cure is added to a sausage blend the sausage starts to stiffen up quickly. Once a batch is mixed just unattached the bucket off of the base and slide it off the 3/8 shaft.
This mixer has done hundreds of pounds of meat and the old drill is still going strong. If you remember these old Wards drills used to about twist your arms off when they got stuck in something. As you can tell I like to build equipment and I enjoy making sausage. I have two hydraulic sausage stuffers that I have built that run off the water pressure from your sink. If you are interested in them drop me a privatd note.
Patent?
No it is not patented and I do not intend to produce them. It is kind of my gift to other home sausage makers. But I would encourage others to try to build their own. It really works well and is not much to build. Any welding shop or a friend with a welder can do the welding . I do intend to sell plans to my hydraulic stuffers. One holds 15 pounds and the other holds 65# They have each stuffed over 1000# of sausage each with out fail.
That is just awesome.
I applaud you for your fine workmanship.
Another awesome job!!
That looks fantastic, could have used that this weekend!
Very innovative. Very nice work.
Wow, I am impressed. Wish I had skills like that. Looks great.
That is very impressive. Superb work!
I bow down to impressive ingenuity and craftsmanship!
That is awe-inspiring!
Thank you!
Looks great, very good thinking!!! It is great to have skills to be able to develop and build ideas like that.
You should make a video of this bad boy in action. It looks pretty awsome.
When we fire this baby up next time I will get it on video. We can mix 30# in about 30 seconds. I believe it would do 40# but I have never tried. We used it like crazy last spring when I kind of gave a sausage making class of a sorts with the men's group at our church. We made 10 -30 lb. batches of German frankfurters. That was 1000 German franks. The old bucket mixer worked like a charm. I would encourage you guys to give it a try. It is a easy build. I did mine in a evening after work. I am going to post the pictures of that process. We had a great time and none of the guys had ever made sausage before so it was a good learning experience for them.
Quote from: pikeman_95 on October 08, 2010, 06:23:47 PM
When we fire this baby up next time I will get it on video. We can mix 30# in about 30 seconds. I believe it would do 40# but I have never tried. We used it like crazy last spring when I kind of gave a sausage making class of a sorts with the men's group at our church. We made 10 -30 lb. batches of German frankfurters. That was 1000 German franks. The old bucket mixer worked like a charm. I would encourage you guys to give it a try. It is a easy build. I did mine in a evening after work. I am going to post the pictures of that process. We had a great time and none of the guys had ever made sausage before so it was a good learning experience for them.
Can I join your men's group? Mine doesn't make smoked food yet ;)
I put the bucket mixer to use this weekend and thought you might like to see it in action. First I fold in the spices and then the meat cure and a little extra garlic
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/handfoldinginthespices.jpg)
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/foldingthemeatcure-mincedgarlicandwater.jpg)
load the bucket
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/loadedandreadytomix.jpg)
all mixed in 45 seconds
video of it mixing
http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/?action=view¤t=100_6590.mp4
dump out the mixer
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/oneminutelatermixed.jpg)
all mixed and all the same color.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/allmixedandallonecolor.jpg)
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/allmixed.jpg)
Good Gawd!
That is a killer mixer.
Just amazing.
Can I be your brother?
Very Nice!
well the next question is....how much for the supplies to build one? and how much for you to build me one and ship it?
pikeman_95,
Your my kind of guy... I love to invent and make things. That sausage mixer is really awesome workmanship. Are you a machinist or fabricator? I have a small machine/fabrication shop.
check out the drill on my grain crusher...
http://suburb.semo.net/jet1024/Mill.htm
John
I do equipment design for a large chemical company. Which has nothing to do with sausage but I build all sorts of stuff in my shop. It is my relaxation. I use a Auto cad Program to design my toys so I know the parts will fit. I made a mistake on my last post and showed the wrong video. You will have to look at my post on my hydraulic sausage stuffers. Here is the proper video of the mixer at work. I mixed 32 pounds in 45 seconds and it was all completely mixed.
http://s943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/?action=view¤t=100_6590.mp4
I am going to start a post on this weekends sausage project.
That's an awesome mixer. Looks like it is better and faster than the commercial mixer I have. I design and build automation equipment for a living. I use SolidWorks mostly and OneCNC but I use ACAD for some 2-D stuff like electrical prints and building layouts.
I'm looking forward to your post on the sausage project. I have a 11lb stuffer that I have a pneumatic cylinder to fit up to it but have not had the time to make the adapter.
I just looked at your stuffing video... cool. BTW, I make up to 1 1/2 OD custom stuffing tubes for Scott.
John
I use Auto cad light but I have learned to draw in three dimension with a two dimension program. This helps with the ability to make sure things fit. Tonight when I get home I will Post the pictures and video I made of the stuffing process. I also have a power point presentation on the operating instructions for the hydro stuffer. By the way I had a pneumatic stuffer at one time and I found that air does not work well. It is a compressable where water is not. When you shut off the water pressure things stop where they are at. With air things keep moving because the air is compressed and has stored energy.
The stuffer design that I have come up with can be made in any size you want. All you have to do is have different length tubes. All of the parts are interchangeable. It only takes me about two minutes or less to change out tubes.
The bucket mixer for a guy with your abilities should be a snap. I am thinking about working on some smaller version for the 5 and 10 pound guys. I just rarely do something that small. It is not worth getting all of my equipment dirty for the small batches.
Kirby
Kirby,
Thanks for the heads up on the pneumatic cylinder. I'll still go ahead and give it a go with it but use a center open valve instead of a regular center closed valve so when I release the valve all pressure from the cylinder is released. I have a complete set of stuffing tubes for my 11lb stuffer from a dual 7/16 OD snack stick tubes up to a 1 1/2 OD tube so I'll use that stuffer... hmm I have a couple of linear actuators at the other shop... I could CNC it.
I use ACAD 2000 lite, how do you do 3-D?
John
If you stay pneumatic, consider adding a valve to you discharge tube. They make a plastic ball valve that is like a union so you can take it apart and clean it after use. You could leave you air pressure on to the ram and just let the meat come through the valve and use it to control. When I tried to use air, the air tended to get by the O rings and get into the meat.
To draw 3D you add line thickness. Go into the object properties and change the line thickness. You just have to use Your O snaps to make sure that your attachment points are where you want them. You then use your Iso views to view them.
Kirby
Kirby,
I'm fitting a pneumatic cylinder to push on the stuffer disk so there is no way air can get in.
Thanks for the tip on the 3D.
I'll try and get something worked up to show you what I'm thinking about.
John
Here are some pictures of my different stuffers. The two smaller stuffers are my new design. Notice that they have many fewer parts to make.
Here is the 6 pound stuffer that was built for a friend and will be delivered tomorrow.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/6POUNDSTUFERFACINGRIGHT.jpg)
here is the 10 pound stuffer.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/Large%20hog%20casings/10poundstuffer.jpg)
and then the 15 Pound stuffer or as I like to call it the Sausage Howitzer. It was built with the older design.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/EXTENDED%20%20COUNTER%20TOP%20STUFFER%20WITH%20NEW%20TIP/Copyof100_6365.jpg)
and my large 65 pound vertical stuffer.
(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/pikeman_95/large%20stuffer/Picture021.jpg)
Kirby,
That is an awesome collection of stuffers. The workmanship is really superb on them.
What are you using for a piston a test plug?
John
If you look at the picture of the 10 # stuffer you will see the piston. It is made out of UHMW poly. It is 2" thick and I cut them out with a router table. I then have made an tool to use the router to cut the O ring groves. They seal very well and do not leak. They use a double O ring seal. the bolt on the right keeps the ram from coming out of the tube and into the end cap when the ram is retracted into the stuffer. The knob on the left side gives you something to help you remove the ram from the stuffer when you are done stuffing.
Kirby
Kirby,
That is slick for sure using a router table to make them. When you want to make a CNC one holler...
John
do you ever get plastic off the bottom of the bucket scraping off into the sausage
The pipe bushing sticks out about 1/8 of an inch at the bottom and keeps the blades from hitting the bottom. The blades thrust the meat down so it rolls the meat near the bottom. There is no time that the blade hits the bucket on the bottom or the sides, It misses it by 1/8 of an inch but never hits. That is why there is a shaft that the mixer blade follows up and down. And that is why there is a bushing screwed to the top of the bucket.
Kirby
gotcha