5 lb Vertical Sausage Stuffer

cgaengineer · February 01, 2010, 04:25:40 AM

I have looked at many, LEM, Northern Tool and now a Grizzly Products. Some reviews of the LEM say plastic gears and some say metal...the pictures on the Bass Pro website show black plastic gears. The pictures for the Grizzly appear to be very similar and construction looks very similar if not exactly the same. That being said I know the most of LEM products are made in China, as is the Grizzly model. At $72 for the Grizzly it seems to good of a deal to pass up even if it is plastic gears...unless you are one who cranks the ram until it bottoms out so that it strips. The Grizzly from what I can tell is the exact same model Northern Tool sells for $99.

http://grizzly.com/products/5-lb-Vertical-Sausage-Stuffer-SS/H6252

PDF manual for the Grizzly is here http://cdn1.grizzly.com/manuals/h6252_m.pdf

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_55825_800002003_800000000_800002000_800-2-3#

So my question is...has anyone used the Grizzly? If you haven't would you consider buying it? I have stuffed all the sausage I plan to stuff using Kitchen Aid....the grinder works well, but for stuffing it sucks...as do most grinder/stuffers.

$72 is hard to pass up...even with plastic gears.

It appears inflation has got the best of the machine since 2005 when this item was reviewed. But it appears that the same machine is sold under a few different names.

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=912

Tenpoint5 · February 01, 2010, 04:39:39 AM

I have that Grizzley stuffer and it works just fine for me. I am one of them guys that stops when the plunger gets to the bottom and there is only 3/4 inch of thread left on the shaft. I haven't had any problems at all with the nylon gears.

cgaengineer · February 01, 2010, 05:15:39 AM

That's great news. I am mechanically inclined so I wont have a problem stopping when it bottoms out either. I suppose I will be ordering one of these this evening. I just cant see spending $150 for a LEM or any other when they are almost the same units. At $72 the Grizzly is a deal unless shipping is $75.

How long have you had yours? Is it easy to feel when it bottoms out? Are the gears replaceable?

Tenpoint5 · February 01, 2010, 05:58:42 AM

I have had mine for about 4 years. Yep real easy to figure out, it stops!!! I think so I haven't had to or plan on finding out if they are.

Up In Smoke · February 01, 2010, 06:12:47 AM

I have the northern stuffer, i don't force anything and i also
marked the threaded rod when the plunger was in the full
down position as a reminder.

cgaengineer · February 01, 2010, 06:35:25 AM

What I meant was is it easy to tell the difference between stuffing sausage or bottoming out...I assume it really stops and if you continue it will shear the gears.

cgaengineer · February 01, 2010, 06:36:19 AM

I think the Northern Tool stuffer is the Grizzly model, but just sold by Northern.

Tenpoint5 · February 01, 2010, 07:03:00 AM

Quote from: cgaengineer on February 01, 2010, 06:35:25 AM
What I meant was is it easy to tell the difference between stuffing sausage or bottoming out...I assume it really stops and if you continue it will shear the gears.

Yes you are standing right next to it so you have a pretty good idea that it is getting close to the bottom just by looking. As long as you dont force it you should be fine. If you are using a really small horn make sure you have a little extra moisture in your sausage to help lubricate it and flow better with the small diameter tube.

Piker · February 01, 2010, 07:17:06 AM

I have the Northern tool one with plastic gears. I lent it to friend and he broke the gears. No problem as I ordered extra gears with the machine and have not had a problem since. I had the chance to put my northern along side a lem and could not see any diff. The weight, dimensions etc. were exactly the same. From what I read I think the grizzly is probably the same also. Thks. Piker

oakville smoker · February 01, 2010, 07:32:32 AM

These things are amazing. I dont have the Grizzly or LEM, I have something called a Power Fist
I think they are all pretty much made by the same company
You keep an eye on the casings and the container that holds the meat
You really can tell when you get to the bottom
I have never used a stuffer before and had this figured out right away
Mine has plastic gears and I doubt I will ever have to replace them

cgaengineer · February 01, 2010, 07:49:18 AM

Quote from: Piker on February 01, 2010, 07:17:06 AM
I have the Northern tool one with plastic gears. I lent it to friend and he broke the gears. No problem as I ordered extra gears with the machine and have not had a problem since. I had the chance to put my northern along side a lem and could not see any diff. The weight, dimensions etc. were exactly the same. From what I read I think the grizzly is probably the same also. Thks. Piker

So its possible that the LEM metal gears will work in the Grizzly should I need gears in the future?

cgaengineer · February 01, 2010, 07:55:12 AM

The plastic gears are really of no concern to me provided they hold up well...I just don't want to see teeth breaking off when just stuffing sausage.

The cost of the unit is what I am looking at...if they are the same units and the Grizzly is 1/2 the price its a deal in my book....and its $12 shipping...anything has to be better than trying to stuff casings with KA mixer....the grinding works fine, but stuffing is terrible. I spend over an hour stuffing 9 pounds of Summer sausage last night...towards the end I was partially filling the casings manually and then stuffing them on KA.

Tenpoint5 · February 01, 2010, 08:04:54 AM

Quote from: cgaengineer on February 01, 2010, 07:55:12 AM
The plastic gears are really of no concern to me provided they hold up well...I just don't want to see teeth breaking off when just stuffing sausage.

The cost of the unit is what I am looking at...if they are the same units and the Grizzly is 1/2 the price its a deal in my book....and its $12 shipping...anything has to be better than trying to stuff casings with KA mixer....the grinding works fine, but stuffing is terrible. I spend over an hour stuffing 9 pounds of Summer sausage last night...towards the end I was partially filling the casings manually and then stuffing them on KA.

That's why they call it a Mixer and not a Stuffer!! ;D ;D

Yooper Jim · February 01, 2010, 09:05:35 AM

cgaengineer
Just put LEM metal gears in my 5# Grizzle. Perfect fit with only a bit of filing a chamfer on the edges of the flat for the handle on the small gear shaft (30 seconds). All these stuffers must be made by the same mfg in china. The pretty ones go to the more expensive retailers. BTW Now I have a spare set of plastic gears. Didn't break the originals, but hated the thought of a breakdown in the middle of 20# of sausage. Am happy with the Grizzle.

oakville smoker · February 01, 2010, 09:08:43 AM

CGA
As a stuffer virgin I cranked a good 25 pounds of meat through my Power Fist on Saturday in less than an hour
for comparison
It took almost 6 hours to stuff 10 pounds last Sunday

God bless my stuffer