58limited
Well-known member
The entire American Slicing Machine complete and cleaned.
New Acquisition: Vintage American Slicing Machine
- Thread starter 58limited
- Start date
Help Support :
Beautiful
You'll never wear that thing out!
You'll never wear that thing out!
58limited
Well-known member
I made a youtube video of the slicer in operation.
<youtube></youtube>
<youtube></youtube>
norgeway
Well-known member
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!!
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!!
retromania
Well-known member
Love it!!!
Sooo cool.
Sooo cool.
ovrphil
Well-known member
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.
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.
58limited
Well-known member
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.
"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.
ovrphil
Well-known member
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?
So you'll line up all your cutting one day, then disassemble and clean - dishwasher for some parts or just hand wash it all?
58limited
Well-known member
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.
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.
ovrphil
Well-known member
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:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/142929/american-slicing-machine-company-parts
I founda couple related links, Dave..which were fun to check out:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/142929/american-slicing-machine-company-parts
58limited
Well-known member
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.
ovrphil
Well-known member
How cool is that? Glad the link became of interest. Would be cool to see a collection of all these old cutters, 1910-1940.
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.
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.. :
Anywho, I should probably start off with something more like this and work my way up.. :
ovrphil
Well-known member
"One that says I'm here ...'
such as? ...this maybe?
such as? ...this maybe?
58limited
Well-known member
Phil
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.
www.berkelequipment.com
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.
About | Berkel
For over 100 years, Berkel has produced reliable equipment that chefs and operators depend on for consistently great results.
www.berkelequipment.com
ovrphil
Well-known member
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.
I might lose a hand or foot with that one..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CHR...all_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item258a12d640 <-- 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?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CHR...all_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item258a12d640 <-- 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?
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
58limited
Well-known member
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.
[this post was last edited: 11/22/2014-12:01]
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.
[this post was last edited: 11/22/2014-12:01]
58limited
Well-known member
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.
