Finally... The Trial Run With the 30 Lb Kirby Cannon...

[Mr Walleye]

I've had the Kirby Cannon for a number of months now and haven't had a chance to use it. You know... that work thing keeps gettin' in the way!

Well, this was a 60 lb Kielbasa test run with the 30 Lb Kirby Cannon along with a foot controlled valve and automated piston return. The foot control is from a meat grinder I have. The control valve is simply the solenoid valve off a washing machine. The piston return is basically a water pump that is controlled by a switch in power box I wired.

The 30 Lb Kirby Cannon cleaned and primed...




A couple of pictures of my sausage making area in my basement...




Picture of the controll valve for the foot control and the piston return pump...


Picture of the foot control...


Picture of the power cord with the piston return pump switch...


Picture of the water supply with a bypass so you can continue to use water...


Picture of 1 of 2 30 lb batches in the mixer...


Picture of sausage just getting ready to be hit with smoke...


A couple pictures of my hot water bath setup...


It's a 64 qt stock pot and easily holds 30 lbs at a time...


A couple hours of bloom time...


All vac-packed and ready for the freezer....


And of course the money shot...



Thanks again Kirby! Sorry for taking so long to put this baby to use. I was going to take some pictures of the stuffer in use but I was making sausage by myself.

Mike

[squirtthecat]

WOW!

We need to get some head mounted cameras for everyone...   Either video, or still shots every 1/3rd of a second.   8)

[NePaSmoKer]

Freakin Awesome Mike

Ok how much do ya want to make me the switch? I have the pedal from my grinder already  ;D

[SouthernSmoked]

I have a comment ................ WOW!

[Habanero Smoker]

You have a great sausage setup!!

[Mr Walleye]

Thanks guys.

Freakin Awesome Mike

Ok how much do ya want to make me the switch? I have the pedal from my grinder already  ;D

The switch is easy Rick. It's just a standard double box with a switch on one side and a double plug on the other. In the picture, the plug on the right (pump plug) is switched. the plug on the left ( foot switch for solenoid valve) has full time power.

Mike

[Kevin A]

Mike, VERY Nice!

I love the slight mods you've made to all the connections & hook up!

all those shots of your set-up remind me of something I've seen before........ ;)

[ghost9mm]

Now !!! that is a bunch of home made Kielbasa...really enjoyed the pictures....well done my friend...

[SiFumar]

Amazing! Just AMAZING!

[lumpy]

You go eh! ;D

Very nice operation there Mike.

Lumpy

[beefmann]

way to go

[carnie1]

Looks good to me too, was toying with the idea of a electric valve setup myself

[classicrockgriller]

That is just "Off the Hook".

Fantastic work!

[pikeman_95]

Way to go Mike.   I was about to take a road trip up there to help you get that thing together. I know you have had some very difficult and pressing issues but I am glad you got things working. I do have a question of your solenoid valve. when you take your foot off the switch does the meat stop coming out of the stuffer or does a little keep coming? If it does They make a type of solenoid that is a dual acting piston. It can simultaneously turn off the water supply and open the drain piping. This will drain off any back pressure and the meat stops immediately. I always shut off my water supply valve and open the drain valve at the same time and the sausage stops coming out. The residual pressure is caused by any air the you might trap in the stuffer as you load the meat. The air compresses and keeps pushing. If you relieve the water pressure behind the piston the pressure can be relieved.

You always make such good looking sausage. Some time we will have to trade some of our sausage. I have your recipe in my recipe file and tend to make your sausage at some time. What king of meat did you use in your sausage??

Kirby

[Mr Walleye]

Hi Kirby

I was originally going to use a solenoid valve for a sprinkler system but all the ones I've seen are very slow at responding. The washing machine valve responds very quick. There is a little bleed off when you stop but I did the samething as you, simply open the drain valve.

This sausage was a 50 50 mix of 80/20 pork and 90/10 beef. I ground my own Tellicherry pepper for this batch and kept it very course. I like having some larger spices in the sausage, it provides a nice burst of flavor in the sausage.

The stuffer worked excellent. I had a small water leak on one of my connections but very limited. You can certainly put a lot of sausage through it in short order for sure.

Mike