OT: Meat Grinder Question

JDNewbie · Jan 1, 2011

I got a deer this morning and need to get my meat grinder working again. Thanks for letting me pick your brains.

My Dad was using my meat grinder (#32 grinder w/pulley and electric motor) and kept having the front ring pop off. Apparently it would start out OK, but after a bit, enough of the tendons and stuff would get built up between the blade and the grinding plate that eventually it would pop off. I'm guessing perhaps the blade is dull? Has anyone had any success sharpening the blade on a meat grinder? How do you sharpen them? Do I just need to buy a new one?

-Henry

NW Ohio Tim · Jan 1, 2011

I've honed them with a regular oil stone. Just do the angled side, don't mess with the flat side that runs against the die. Shouldn't need done too often as long as you aren't trying to grind bone or lead.

If it's in real bad shape, I would think anybody that sharpens saw blades could grind it back to right.

Tim

Sidekick · Jan 1, 2011

I'm not sure why the ring is "popping" off. It should screw on and stay put. The only thing that I can think of off hand is that maybe your grinding plate is turning because the little ear on the inside of the grinder that fits the notch in the plate might be broken off. If your plate is turning grinding will be awfully difficult. Back to your original question, yes the blade is easy to sharpen. Just use a file and square up the top edge. You want a good straight corner. Do NOT file on the edge that rubs against the plate. Your blade will be useless if you do. I've got a similar setup with a #32 that I motorized. Works really well.

Sidekick · Jan 1, 2011

Just thought that I should add this. Please do not use a grinder to sharpen this. A file or stone is all you need.

GordoSD · Jan 1, 2011

Do a little experiment. Grind half and freeze. The other half of the scrap, freeze it in 2lb packages just as it boned off the deer and freeze. Compare the ground and frozen with "fresh" ground that you get from the packaged scrap. Don't know why but grounf venison that has been frozen isn't nearly as good as venison ground just bfore cooking.

Gordo

TomH in PA · Jan 1, 2011

The front ring has to be on pretty tight, stuff shouldn't have room to build up in there.

Ed the wine farmer · Jan 1, 2011

Check to see if the plate is turning. If it is then you need to replace the allen set screw in the head. The little notch in the plate must rest on this set screw. Next, if the plate has a lot of wear, you can place a washer behind the knife directly on the worm to force the knife against the plate. Luck Ed

Anonymous-0 · Jan 1, 2011

Yes you can sharpen.Best I have found (contrary to what others on here are saying)Is a very flat block of wood or flat peice of steel,big enough to make a small circle with the knife. Take a peice of 200 or finer peice of sand paper,lay it over flat surface and rub knife and plate in circular motion over the sand paper.You can even buy the round flat stones especialy made for the job at a butcher supply company.

Russ from MN · Jan 1, 2011

Once I didn't have ours tight enough and it built up some gristle, after that I would start it with it a little loose and as soon as it had some meat for lube I tightened it tight by hand. Where I used to work guys would put meat grinder parts on the surface grinder and resurface them, worked great, if you don't have access to this kind of equipment maybe just by new parts if you can. Parts for ours from Gander mt. are inexpensive.

international606 · Jan 2, 2011

Your ring and thread could be wore to were when it is loaded up it will push the ring off. Don't hapen real often but I have seen on comercial grinders where the ring thread and ring have to have the thread bilt up. If you go by the book you need to run your knife and plate as a set so the wear the same. For practical purposes it is not nessisary a sharp plate is as important as a sharp knife.

JDNewbie · Jan 3, 2011

Thanks folks! I will try sharpening it and see what it does. I've used this grinder several times (4 hogs, 3 or 4 deer) and never really had a problem with it. Perhaps I'm a little more picky about what I grind, and Dad just throws it all in but I suppose the biggest problem is probably just the fact that it is a cheap, "imported" grinder from Tractor Supply, but for now I will try to make it work. I appreciate the help.

-Henry

OT: Meat Grinder Question

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NW Ohio Tim

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Sidekick

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GordoSD

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TomH in PA

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Ed the wine farmer

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Anonymous-0

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Russ from MN

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international606

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JDNewbie

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