westbranch
Well-known member
Yes.
Yes.
Carl 9.3x62
Well-known member
This is what I use for reals. I have no idea the size of the motor, as my then wife bought it for me as a Christmas gift about 7 years ago, but it grinds meat just fine. I probably don't ever grind more than about 20lbs at once, but have never had an issue with over heating. I don't pre-chill meat or grinder parts, and only grind once with the fine grate. It has two speeds but I only use the fast speed. I don't over think it or waste time. They only think I would change would be to get a foot pedal, which it sounds like I can just buy one.
DouglasR
Well-known member
I have the Lem 575 watt from dicks but I re-wired it for 220 and had the machine shop cut me a geared up stainless drive sprocket to replace the plastic oem and I can run anywhere from 15-20 lbsph depending on how cold the product and components are.
Caseknife
Well-known member
Yep, the LEM foot pedal will work for anything that you plug into a standard wall outlet. It would work for a drill press if you are so inclined.
MT_Chad
Well-known member
We upgraded to a 1/2 HP Cabela's about 10 years ago, its very nice and will last us a long time. The neck is a little small, other than that it is great, no complaints about speed, about as fast as I can feed it anyway. Get the foot pedal, well worth the small price.
Our other grinder is one my grandpa built when my mom was a little girl. Brazed a plate to the base of a hand crank grinder and adapted a flywheel to it. Then built a wooden base plate with a salvaged electric motor mounted on it to drive the grinder with a belt. I brought it home shortly before he passed. I still use it for making goose jerky to keep pellets out of our new grinder. That grinder has hundreds of deer through it.
If I was shopping today I would get the lem big bite, minimum 1/2 HP, it should outlast you.
I personally hate the ground meat bags, they always get nicked the freezer, always leak everywhere when thawing, etc. We still wrap everything in freezer paper, if you learn how to get the air out you won't have a problem. Plus no plastic waste.
Our other grinder is one my grandpa built when my mom was a little girl. Brazed a plate to the base of a hand crank grinder and adapted a flywheel to it. Then built a wooden base plate with a salvaged electric motor mounted on it to drive the grinder with a belt. I brought it home shortly before he passed. I still use it for making goose jerky to keep pellets out of our new grinder. That grinder has hundreds of deer through it.
If I was shopping today I would get the lem big bite, minimum 1/2 HP, it should outlast you.
I personally hate the ground meat bags, they always get nicked the freezer, always leak everywhere when thawing, etc. We still wrap everything in freezer paper, if you learn how to get the air out you won't have a problem. Plus no plastic waste.
Well, this is a timely thread....killed my 3/4 hp entry level #12 grinder from Northern Tool today. It had been doing well for a couple years, but a little slow and loud, and operator error resulted in fatal plastic gear failure (or was it subliminal desire to upgrade?)
brocksw
Well-known member
The custom route seems to be the most bullet proof. Ours looks like the image below. Buy an electric motor in the size of your choice. Have a shaft fabricated to connect the motor to the old style grinder to replace the hand crank.
Ours grinds almost as fast as we can put meat in it. Has a huge opening compared to the new electrics so we can just drop chunks in by hand. To clean you just unbolt the grinder from the base and pull from shaft. Super easy and hassle free.
Ours grinds almost as fast as we can put meat in it. Has a huge opening compared to the new electrics so we can just drop chunks in by hand. To clean you just unbolt the grinder from the base and pull from shaft. Super easy and hassle free.
LCH
Well-known member
I have had no problems at all with this grinder. Have done deer, antelope, hogs, and elk. I did over 100 pounds of elk Thursday, I'm sure the grinder ran less than 20 minutes total. It will grind just as fast as I can drop it down the hole. I've never needed to use the plunger.
The only real downside is the throat size is smaller, so it takes longer to cut. I've used a couple of the sub-$100 Cabelas grinders, usually dealing with broken plastic gears, and this is far superior.
I could have gotten a larger throat and more horsepower for the money, but I'm glad I went with the one I did.
C17loadclear
Active member
We just bought a LEM and it is awesome. It grinds chicken bone like it’s nothing.
Addicting
Well-known member
I have my dads Universal. I had a big Hobart at one time,but...
But I'm going thru this and looking to get a electric grinder for a change. Smaller batches of burger & sausage. 10-40#,I don't need a stuffer,I like bulk. I also like a courser grind so it doesn't have to be a shcnitzel maker.
3/4-1hp? I haven't bought from Cabellas in years now....won't break the bank ideas?
Carl 9.3x62
Well-known member
I don't actually own that grinder, haha. That was my lame attempt at humor but I don't think anyone got it.
This is what I actually have. It probably fit your bill. I don't think it was more than a couple hundred bucks.
I was just online looking at the .5hp #8. Nice & simple. I was going to call to see where they are made & parts source.
My buddy says get the #8 BB Lem....it will suffice for me.
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
I have an LEM #8. I do all the things, light freeze to the meat, all the grinding parts in the freezer before hand, and it will do 50lbs easily and doesn't get hot as long as you keep throwing cold meat into it. I haven't tried more than that in one grind, but I will in a few weeks. I use the plastic covered button to stop between individual bags. It wipes off easily. The only 2 things I don't like about it are 1) there is always a few cubes of meat that never grind, so you lose that 2-4oz of meat, more annoying than a real problem, and 2) the tray it comes with only holds 4-5 lbs of meat, and you have to stop to load that. If I were tossing chunks from the bucket, I wouldn't have that problem, but a 25 or even 50lb hopper would be nice.
I will run a small handful of burger through at the end to push any chunks along. I also never use the hopper and drop the meat straight into the neck.
Don Fischer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2017
- Messages
- 3,141
I don't know what brand my grinder is but it was very inexpensive. Ground up a few animals with it and started having trouble. First thing I noticed was if the meat was warn it did not grind well. Get cold meat and it wasn't bad but still left something to be desired. Finally in dispare I tried sharpening to flat disc the meat goes through. That made a huge difference. I wasn't sure how to do it so I took the disc out and put it down on a flat surface on top of a piece of 400 grit wet/dry paper and moved it by hand. Don't recall that I did the blade but it made a huge difference doing the round plate. Probably could do the blade wrapping a piece of that 400 grit paper around a flat file. My concern was not being able to keep it flat I think next time it needs sharpening I might just get a new grinder.
ignorethefringes
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2016
- Messages
- 3,061
A few small ice cubes will push that last bit though as well.
Jeez,crunch time. Need to get a good one. Not a monster,and not a wimp. Been YTing any info and trying to talk to a person,even a saleman from the company seems to be out of the ? They e-mail you...
Then last night I saw LEM makes a double grinder,like my old Hobart. #8,1/2hp & #22,3/4hp versions. All are made in China....Walton,Weston,Meat!.
But my tool owner says get the biggest motor you can,industrial(or what is called that these days).
I watched the #8 video of the LEM ddbl grinder,amazing for 1/2 hp and pretty quiet....and the Meat #8 was almost silent,same fast work,less bulk in machine covers.
But my mind says you been thru this & replaced the 1/2 with a 3/4 before. Get a 3/4. Eat the $100.
For an old guy who would do maybe an elk a year,solo,advice? I'm leaning to the double...
Then last night I saw LEM makes a double grinder,like my old Hobart. #8,1/2hp & #22,3/4hp versions. All are made in China....Walton,Weston,Meat!.
But my tool owner says get the biggest motor you can,industrial(or what is called that these days).
I watched the #8 video of the LEM ddbl grinder,amazing for 1/2 hp and pretty quiet....and the Meat #8 was almost silent,same fast work,less bulk in machine covers.
But my mind says you been thru this & replaced the 1/2 with a 3/4 before. Get a 3/4. Eat the $100.
For an old guy who would do maybe an elk a year,solo,advice? I'm leaning to the double...
Redside
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2016
- Messages
- 365
I have the LEM #12, looking hard at adding the double grinder, how nice would that be. Although, I have ground straight through the fine plate in the past.
