Sunbeam Mixmaster.

[wireman]

I was just given a early 80's Mixmaster, which was never used. Plugged it in, just hums, beaters do not turn.... Can anything be done with it, or is it toast?

My partner's sister was given it as a wedding gift in 1980 (on left); tucked it away, never even took it out of the box! Strangely, it is almost identical to the one my Mom passed on to me (on right) except it is 2-tone rather than Mom's solid harvest gold. It came with glass bowls instead of the stainless bowls that came with Mom's.

Mom's still works but does give off that smell that a tired old motor will after 30+ yrs. of use. And the beaters rust a bit, the cord falls out easily, etc. I was hopeful that since all the parts are interchangeable; I'd have a virtually new mixer with 2 sets of parts. Well, except for the large glass mixing bowl, which was broken when we opened the box.

Is it common for a motor left to sit for yrs to not function? Can they be revived, or is it just scrap? I hoped to use it to make a Choc. Tres Leches cake this weekend for a party, but looks like Mom's will be pressed back into service.

Appreciate any input!
Thanks, Duane

 

[rp2813]

You might just need to give it a push.  If you can open it up to access the motor or any part of the drive mechanism, turning by hand may free things up from where they've been stuck for the past 34 years.

 

If you can get it moving and it sounds OK, let it run long enough to thoroughly heat up the lubrication, maybe no higher than medium speed until it's broken in.

 

[vintagekitchen]

How dangerous are you feeling?

I wouldn't recommend this unless it is done catefully, and I wouldn't do it with both beaters in, but if a person put in only one beater, switched the mixer to low, and gave it a nudge, there's a pretty good shot it will start turning, probably slow at first and then pick up speed.

But,if you chose to do this, be careful, because it may take off running at full speed rather than building up slowly. After it starts, while it is running, tilt and rotate it in different directions to ensure the most likely we'll settled lubrication is spread back around.

I have an air conditioner whose fan requires a push start the first time it is used every summer, it then runs fine all year, until it spends a few months in winter storage and things tend to get stuck again.

 

[wireman]

Thanks for the input, folks!!