Thread Number: 49917  /  Tag: Small Appliances
New Acquisition: Vintage American Slicing Machine
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Post# 720875   12/12/2013 at 18:37 (3,758 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture

I like to make beef jerky but have a hard time slicing the meat thin enough by hand. I decided to buy a slicer at Academy Sporting Goods - $100.00 plus tax. The one from Academy broke within five minutes. I got mad and basically told myself "I should have known better than to trust new stuff especially when everything else in my kitchen is 60+ years old AND STILL WORKS!"

 

I got on ebay and found an American Slicing Machine for $80.00. I looked at the listing history and it had been listed at least twice before with no takers. So, naturally now that I'd taken an interest so did everyone else but I won it for $175.00 (I looked at the others listed and they were all listed for $300.00 or more). I received it today and one of the girls at work who also makes jerky went and bought a bunch of meat and we tested it out (after cleaning the residues from its last use long ago - eewwe!) and it works well.

 

I can't find a model number but the serial number is A984166. There is a tag on the side listing dozens of patent numbers. I looked up the lowest patent number and it was issued 6/19/1928 and the highest number was issued 10/24/1939 so the slicer was probably a prewar model. The patent tag and the two manufacturer tags are plastic or similar material. It has an Emerson 1/3 HP motor and the slicer is HEAVY! Here are the pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is one (maybe two) parts missing. There is a guard on the back where the sliced meat falls that is missing. It can be seen in the picture below of another slicer of the same model.

 

 

This is the front right of the slicer shown above. On the base towards the back there is a stainless plate that is missing on mine. The two retaining knobs are present but the plate is missing. I'm not sure if this is a separate part or if it is part of the missing guard pictured above.

 

 





Post# 720878 , Reply# 1   12/12/2013 at 18:51 (3,758 days old) by rockland1 ()        
Slicing Machine

The way that thing is made it will never wear out.

Post# 720879 , Reply# 2   12/12/2013 at 18:52 (3,758 days old) by paulg (My sweet home... Chicago)        
Made in Chicago

paulg's profile picture
Leave it to Chicago for fine manufacturing.
Heavens, this thing has lasted so long... The construction looks magnificent. This looks like money well spent.
Actually this is the sort of appliance one would enjoy sprucing up like your sports car. It's asking for cool detailing.


Post# 720882 , Reply# 3   12/12/2013 at 19:05 (3,758 days old) by retropia ()        

Cool looking machine! It looks like it has another 100,000 miles left in it.


Post# 720935 , Reply# 4   12/12/2013 at 21:26 (3,758 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
Ditto - it's a great machine - are you planning to restore it or leave as is, minus the mechanical detailing?

Post# 720938 , Reply# 5   12/12/2013 at 21:36 (3,758 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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I'm going to disassemble it to clean and regrease everything. The grease is pretty thick and it is hard to use the thickness adjuster which is a series of greased rods and slides. I can probably have a local shop make the missing parts out of stainless if I decide it is necessary. The parts mostly help to keep the machine clean by keeping the meat from touching anything, and the parts are easily removed for cleaning. I can just wipe the machine after each use.

 

If I really want it to look new, I can redo the porcelain. As seen in the pictures there are several chipped and worn areas. One thing I didn't mention: the cast iron stud off to the right where one of the meat tray slide rods mounts is broken. It stays in place when the machine is used but I'll have my local machinist weld it together for me.

 

I have to decide where to put this thing - it is darned heavy and I don't want to have to pick it up and move it every time I use it. It is a commercial unit from back when they didn't spare the cast iron.


Post# 720942 , Reply# 6   12/12/2013 at 22:32 (3,758 days old) by xpanam (Palm Springs California )        
I love Beef Jerky.

xpanam's profile picture
Hi David! So do I. I have a Nesco FD-61 Snackmaster®. I have been using Santa Marias tri tips roast,very good. I know slicing the meat thin enough by hand is difficult. I was freezing it some what to slice, but I thought I would get frost bite in my left hand LOL! I am now on the prowl for something like yours! Looks Hobart built very nice! What do you use for beef and spices? Rob.









Post# 720952 , Reply# 7   12/12/2013 at 23:36 (3,758 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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I have been using lean brisket because I like the grain of the beef, but any roast on sale works well. I'm experimenting with the seasonings, trying to develop a good recipe. Soy sauce, Worcestershire, black pepper and liquid smoke figure into most of my attempts. But, just coating the meat with Stubb's BBQ sauce is good too.


Post# 720969 , Reply# 8   12/13/2013 at 04:46 (3,757 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))        
Looks alot like a Hobart Cafe slicer.

whirlykenmore78's profile picture

Not many horizontal feed slicers show up.  Most are the angle feed machines.  This is the first American slicer I have seen.  In 19 years of foodservice I mostly see Hobart, Berkel and Globe.  What a cool find!

WK78


Post# 721125 , Reply# 9   12/14/2013 at 09:00 (3,756 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture

Nick, I don't know the history of the American Slicing Machine Co. but they seem to be pretty common commercial slicers up until the 1950s or 60s.

 

Berkel expanded to the U.S. as the U.S. Slicing Machine Company in 1909 but changed to Berkel, Inc when the factory changed locations in 1914.

 

Last night I sliced some lean brisket to make jerky. The meat was half frozen and the slicer worked quite well. I tried slicing unfrozen raw meat but the performance is not good - the meat is too soft and the spinning blade bunches it and stretches it making for irregular cuts. I'm trying some jerky seasoning that I bought at Academy - Hi-Country brand. I was dismayed when I saw that it has MSG - should have read the box in the store. Hi-Country's website lists MSG-free versions so I ordered some from them.




This post was last edited 12/14/2013 at 09:23
Post# 729736 , Reply# 10   1/22/2014 at 19:46 (3,717 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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I just closed a deal on the missing parts for this slicing machine - a parts slicer came up on ebay and I bought the three guards that are missing.

 

These did not impair the operation of the slicer by their absence but will make clean up easier and will help keep things more sanitary. I used the slicer to slice 7 lbs of beef for more jerky tonight: Cajun, sweet & hot, and three pepper flavors.

 

 

Rob, here is a jerky recipe a friend gave to me that is really good, ends up tasting like teriyaki:

 

1 - 16oz bottle soy sauce

1 bottle liquid smoke (I used applewood)

2 cups brown sugar

1 TBSP slat

 

Marinate overnight.

 

I also purchased some jerky seasoning from Academy but read the ingredients and it contains MSG. I went to their website and they have MSG-free versions so I ordered several flavors, that is what I'm using tonight. I bought their smoke packs too and added them as well.


Post# 733149 , Reply# 11   2/5/2014 at 18:32 (3,703 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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I received the missing parts and started to clean the slicer. Every time I removed a part I found more filth, so I now have the slicer disassembled into its component parts. This filth was not in areas that come into contact with the meat being sliced but is a result of juices running into cracks to hidden areas, and to a build up of lubricating grease on some of the slide mechanism.

 

First picture shows part of the slice thickness mechanism located under the base. The slide rods have old hard nasty grease on them. I took this apart and cleaned it. I put just a little dab of grease at the contact points and it works much better now.

 

 


Post# 733152 , Reply# 12   2/5/2014 at 18:33 (3,703 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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This picture, while not as good, shows the cleaned slice thickness mechanism. Note the slide rods look silver rather than black.


Post# 733153 , Reply# 13   2/5/2014 at 18:34 (3,703 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        
Next,

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Various sheet metal covers cleaned and repainted.


Post# 733158 , Reply# 14   2/5/2014 at 18:36 (3,703 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        
New belt

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The old one was falling apart, lots of old rubber debris in this area. Also cleaned the sharping stones. I'll post more pics as the assembly process continues.


Post# 733191 , Reply# 15   2/5/2014 at 20:00 (3,703 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        
WOW...

toploader55's profile picture
Belt Drive ???

Mostly all the machines I've used have been Direct Gear Driven Blades.


Post# 733284 , Reply# 16   2/6/2014 at 02:42 (3,703 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)        

The pictures make me think of old slicer machines retired from commercial service ending up at hunting clubs and camps.Common in this area.Same with grinders.Lots of deer meat to cut or grind!

Post# 735617 , Reply# 17   2/16/2014 at 10:13 (3,692 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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I put the machine back together yesterday and it functions much better: the adjustments are smooth and easy now that the old hard grease is gone. I thought that the base and major parts were porcelain enameled but they are actually painted with a thick coat of good quality paint - I know because I chipped a few small areas and other areas were already missing paint - mostly at mounting points and along the bottom edge of the base. I didn't touch it up as most of the base is good. If it gets bad later on, I may actually have it enameled or powder coated.

 

The juice tray that fits on the base by the bottom of the blade doesn't fit correctly - there were some design changes in this model and the tray has a lip on the left that bumps against the thickness adjuster base. I talked with the guy I bought it from and his adjustment base has a notch for the lip so I bought it from him along with a couple of extra spare parts. One problem: he mailed them priority mail on 2/4/14 with delivery expected 2/7/14 and they have not arrived. Last tracking update was "Depart USPS Sort Facility Oshkosk, WI 54901 on 2/5/14." I have sent several inquiries to the post office but haven't had a response - I'm trying to see if the weather has delayed it or if it was misdirected.

 

This is what I hate about USPS: they don't always scan packages every step of the way like UPS and FEDEX. You would think that their computer program would be set up to alert them that a package that was scanned as it was loaded onto the truck did not get scanned at the destination and therefore they need to look for it before the truck leaves. If the parts are lost, I can simply grind the lip off of the juice tray and it will work but the notch and lip set up would catch more drippage and keep things cleaner.

 

I sliced a 3 lb shoulder roast and made more jerky last night - it sure is nice to be able to get a consistent thickness for my jerky now. Plus, if I want to, I can buy my favorite deli meat whole and slice it for myself. There are a few meats that I may mail order since they are not found around here, specifically the brands recommended on NOLAcuisine.com for his version of Central Grocery's Muffuletta. I would eat a Muffuletta for lunch every day if I had the meat, otherwise they are rather pricey at the local deli shops.


Post# 736377 , Reply# 18   2/19/2014 at 14:41 (3,689 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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The rest of the parts arrived today and now everything on the slicer fits as it should. I'm assuming the parts were delayed by the weather but the USPS never responded to my inquiries about this MIA package.

The picture below shows the replacement juice tray in place. The slide bar covers part of it but you can see where the lip starts to form on the left end and fits into a notch on the sliding base that holds the rear guard to the left of the blade - this slides back and forward to adjust the thickness of the meat slices.


Post# 736379 , Reply# 19   2/19/2014 at 14:54 (3,689 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture
The entire American Slicing Machine complete and cleaned.

Post# 736391 , Reply# 20   2/19/2014 at 16:29 (3,689 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        
Beautiful

rp2813's profile picture

You'll never wear that thing out!


Post# 736417 , Reply# 21   2/19/2014 at 18:35 (3,689 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture
I made a youtube video of the slicer in operation.







Post# 736482 , Reply# 22   2/20/2014 at 03:30 (3,689 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )        
Just Dont!!

Cut yourself, those things can get you before you realize it!! you will be able to produce beautiful deli cuts etc with that, can you imagine how nice the Thanksgiving turkey will look!!

Post# 736590 , Reply# 23   2/20/2014 at 17:10 (3,688 days old) by retromania (Anderson, South Carolina)        
Love it!!!

Sooo cool.

Post# 736608 , Reply# 24   2/20/2014 at 18:01 (3,688 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
Enjoyed this thread - your machine looks and works great, I wouldn't mind having one, even though...we're not big meat eaters here. Turkey, chicken, fish and bison burgers.

Question - would this be suitable for cheeses? I don't see why not. I worked at a pizzeria where
they had a different machine for the cheese, for health reasons.

Also - have you found any literature, brochures on this company's products and know if you have one of the earliest products in the company's meat cutter machine manufacturing timeline?

This reminds me of the butcher shops my mom patronized - the wood floors, an older man who, wearing his white apron, would cut meat - probably very similar to that one.

You mentioned that the motor weighed about 20-22lbs. I couldn't help relate to that, because...
when the Mustang II came out, I worked between college, putting valve bodies(10lb ea) and clutches(25lb ea.) on the J-hook for assembly. I figured it out, putting one or two of those 25lb clutches at a time, plus the valve bodies (like a server with food)...at the end of the day that was 6 tons I had lifted. You said 22lbs, so it really hit me how heavy that motor alone must weigh and what might the whole unit weigh, then?

Thanks again, David.


Post# 736620 , Reply# 25   2/20/2014 at 18:45 (3,688 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture

Phil,

"Question - would this be suitable for cheeses? I don't see why not. I worked at a pizzeria where
they had a different machine for the cheese, for health reasons."

Yes, one could use this for cheese - I intend to as a matter of fact. It should be able to slice bread too.

"Also - have you found any literature, brochures on this company's products and know if you have one of the earliest products in the company's meat cutter machine manufacturing timeline?"

No I haven't found much but a source I did find indicated that they were in business at least 20 years before this machine was made. I've seen older ones on ebay.

This machine probably weighs about 80 lbs. The first time I picked it up (I lifted it straight out of the shipping box) I tried to carry it with the motor away from my body, which I quickly discovered was a big mistake. When turned around it is easier to carry but still heavy. The rubber feet work well, it is very difficult to slide it on my counter to reposition it. Interestingly, it only has three rubber feet: One under the back of the motor, one on the front right corner, and one on the back left corner. There is no support foot on the front left corner. All of the weight is distributed to the right rear, I have to press a good bit of my 225 lb. body weight on the front left corner to get it to tilt.


Post# 736631 , Reply# 26   2/20/2014 at 19:23 (3,688 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
80lbs...um...hefty piece of slivery, David. Did it have four feet at one time or was it always three footed- anyways,you'll probably find a fourth rubber foot for it...even if it's very stable w/o it. So, the 1920's is where they started it all. It would be interesting to find a salesman's brochure - maybe it's scanned, somewhere, in the archives of some library. I'll do some digging - just curious.

So you'll line up all your cutting one day, then disassemble and clean - dishwasher for some parts or just hand wash it all?



Post# 736637 , Reply# 27   2/20/2014 at 19:41 (3,688 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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Phil,

 

There is no place for a fourth foot, I had the base flipped over when I was cleaning it and there is no fitting for one and it is not needed.

 

The aluminum fences, guards, and trays all come off. I hand wash them and put them back on. Total clean up takes less than 10 minutes. It only takes about 60 seconds to remove all of the trays and fences - a screwdriver is required to slightly loosen one screw for disassembly. The blade is exposed when everything is removed. I clean the blade by turning the machine on and gently pushing a soapy cloth to it, front and back side, as it spins; then I use a wet cloth with no soap to rinse; then a dry cloth. I only remove the blade occasionally - this is not hard to do but is not necessary after every use.


Post# 736639 , Reply# 28   2/20/2014 at 19:42 (3,688 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
That's similar to what I remember cleaning a slicer, where I worked decades ago. So much for a fourth foot - it's a tripod. :-)

I founda couple related links, Dave..which were fun to check out:

www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/14292...

www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewto...


Post# 736642 , Reply# 29   2/20/2014 at 19:54 (3,688 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture

Thanks for the link. I joined that forum just now - I have the part that the person is missing on their machine, one of the extras I bought.


Post# 736644 , Reply# 30   2/20/2014 at 19:58 (3,688 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
How cool is that? Glad the link became of interest. Would be cool to see a collection of all these old cutters, 1910-1940.



Post# 736701 , Reply# 31   2/21/2014 at 00:36 (3,688 days old) by jkbff (Happy Rock, ND)        

jkbff's profile picture
I've been wanting a slicer for a while.. I just don't wanna start with a random waring or something. I want something that stands out like this one. One that says I'm here to do something, lets get it done.

Post# 737103 , Reply# 32   2/23/2014 at 05:14 (3,685 days old) by jkbff (Happy Rock, ND)        

jkbff's profile picture
Heh I shouldn't say stands out but has... Presence.. and is made to actually work... I was looking on Waring's site and they have a demo video of one of their slicers and you can hear it rev down as she slices the turkey... I dunno lol..

Anywho, I should probably start off with something more like this and work my way up.. :
 
apps.homecare.com.au/Shopping/Pro...


Post# 737113 , Reply# 33   2/23/2014 at 08:06 (3,685 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        
"One that says I'm here ...'

ovrphil's profile picture
Post# 737120 , Reply# 34   2/23/2014 at 08:59 (3,685 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        
Phil

58limited's profile picture

That is an old one, missing the tray on back to catch the sliced meat. U.S. Slicing Machine Co. was the U.S. branch of Berkel, who invented the slicing machine. Berkel expanded to the U.S. (Chicago) in 1909 under the U.S. Slicing Machine Co. name but moved to LaPorte, Indiana six years later. Berkel's website says that they changed their name to Berkel, Inc at the same time but I guess the name change occurred a little later since that machine is a LaPorte machine using the U.S. Slicing Machine name. Probably still from the teens or early twenties.

 

Some of the early slicers have collector value, I bet that one is worth more than the asking price but would need full restoration to reach its value potential.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO 58limited's LINK

Post# 737161 , Reply# 35   2/23/2014 at 11:29 (3,685 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
Thanks David - it's funny, I read a brief history on Berkel, and found it interesting that W.A. Van Berkel created this slicing machine in /around 1898 and by 1907, they were in so many different countries. So it wasn't a USA born who invented it, but I would have guessed wrong. That one would be a nice one to make a pair - but no one here is suggesting anything. lol.

Post# 737285 , Reply# 36   2/24/2014 at 01:30 (3,685 days old) by jkbff (Happy Rock, ND)        

jkbff's profile picture
I might lose a hand or foot with that one..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CHROME-N... <-- that one would look good on my little counter but I wonder how well those really work.. I mean.. They won't slice a log of deli meats.. but I wonder if they would do better than the modern day plastic stuff?


Post# 795423 , Reply# 37   11/22/2014 at 10:36 (3,413 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

58limited's profile picture

Well, I did it again. Another American Slicing Machine came up for sale on ebay, this one is already disassembled and partially cleaned thus saving me lots of work. It is a model 52, a little older than the one I already have with some notable differences: all of the trays are chrome plated steel instead of aluminum and the are mounted by screws so it takes a bit of effort to remove them for cleaning. My guess is that the machine was wiped down periodically and only disassembled for cleaning occasionally. The chrome on this machine is rusted here and there, I'll have to rechrome these parts for sanitation reasons. It also has Robbins & Myers motor instead of an Emerson. The last picture is of an assembled Model 52 currently listed on ebay for an outrageous price - $2700.00!! This one cost me a total of $169.00 - that included shipping and it probably weighs 90+ pounds.

 

Picture #6 shows the thickness adjusting mechanism, you can see that the one on my newer model above is quite different.

 

Someone repainted this machine in the past and the paint is peeling. I'm going to have it powder coated Robin's Egg Blue (I'm giving it to a friend and that is the color they want - one day they hope to acquire a Robin's Egg Blue Chambers Stove - they already have a white Chambers.


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 7         View Full Size


This post was last edited 11/22/2014 at 12:01
Post# 795425 , Reply# 38   11/22/2014 at 10:41 (3,413 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas)        

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Here is another one that I would really like to have. It was recently listed and did not sell, probably because the seller won't ship - local pick up only. It was listed for $199.00 - WAY cheaper than the others of this model that are listed. Probably made in the teens, very early twenties.


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 2         View Full Size
Post# 795448 , Reply# 39   11/22/2014 at 12:12 (3,413 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

ovrphil's profile picture
excellent looking vintage meat cutters...they remind me of something I could have used in my woodshop...but we know better. Looking to see it come together again, good luck!

Post# 795463 , Reply# 40   11/22/2014 at 14:12 (3,413 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

When slicing meats and cheeses they always come out better if the item to be sliced is very cold. We slice roast beef for sandwiches. We put the RB in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes a world of difference in the results.

Post# 795738 , Reply# 41   11/24/2014 at 02:23 (3,412 days old) by jkbff (Happy Rock, ND)        

jkbff's profile picture





Ingredients needed: Meat and seasoning stuff!

Look through his other videos, he makes hand-made knives! :-)



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