Mixers

[Archena]

Re: Mixers

I'm not sure how to break this to you, but not everybody has a forge in their backyard. Even if they did, welding just doesn't strike me as one of those things that you can easily learn by goofing around with it. Well, you might can learn easily enough, but it might not be worth all the trips to the emergency room...

The only metal work I do involves either aluminum foil or punching holes in tin cans...

[ERASMO]

Re: Mixers

Mixed up a 1750 gram of flour batch of KA bread flower in my Bosch mixer last night. Worked like a charm. Their is something about the way it mixes dough that gives the dough a really great feel when handled. I may attemp a 2000 gram batch but I think I may be pushing the limits.
YouTube - BOSCH UNIVERSAL PLUS MIXER 1750 GRAMS KING ARTHUR BREAD DOUGH

[amber]

Re: Mixers

Neill, you are awesome. That's gonna be one sweet mixer.

[Archena]

Re: Mixers

"Hmmm, 1750 g? What is that in cups?"

<Looks at trusty online converter>

"Volume. Where the heck is grams? Duh, grams are weight!" <Grumbles> "Don't these people own measuring cups?"

<Looks at cooking measurements>

"Density? Why the heck do they want density? Oh yeah, dealing with weight."

<Looks at list>

"Flour. Ten different kinds. Shoot, what kind of flour did he use? Never mind, I'll just use all-purpose. It's not like I'm making the recipe..."

<Makes selection>

"Okay, from grams to cups... Of course US cups, you stupid thing..."

<Hits enter. Looks at result. Rubs eyes. Looks again.>

"That can't be right..."

<Tries again>

"Seventeen cups?! No woman in her right mind would..."

<looks at post bit>

"Oh. It's a guy..."

<Runs conversion for 2000 g>

"20 cups. Yep, definitely a guy. Only a guy would view a mixer as a muscle machine..."

[egalecki]

Re: Mixers

Neill, you are my hero!

My dad has always done a lot of work with wood- he has just about every power tool I know of for it and, curiously enough, all his fingers. So far. But when you say you have a lathe, well, you have a LATHE. Holy crap.

The forge and the anvil, well, I hang with farriers and blacksmiths several times a month, so they're not so impressive to me....

What's impressive is that you use all your tools. No one else I've ever known would think to make their own dough hook. It's looking promising, by the way. In the picture of the mixer, the bowl seemed long and narrow. Does that shape complicate the hook? As opposed to shorter and wider like my KA hook, I mean.

Whichever hook works best, you'll have a really cool accessory for a Halloween costume! Neill as Captain Hook!

[Frances]

Re: Mixers

I think having your own forge (and using it) is way cool, too!

I have been sort of keeping an eye open for metal working courses here... but no luck so far. They have these courses specially for women who want to learn how to use power tools, but quite frankly I think I'd be over qualified by now ("How to use an angle grinder", "How to do your own tiling"... no, I don't think so)

Anyway, your dough hook is looking good. It'll probably work better than the original by the time you're finished with it.

[nissanneill]

Re: Mixers

Well, we just finished a wonderful pizza feast with some sultans scrolls and topped the evening off with 3 loaves of bread, Will put them under "what I cooked last night" or rather tonight!
I didn't get to finish the dough hooks until AFTER I made both my pizza and bread doughs which was after 1:00 pm this afternoon for a 6:00pm meal
They are however finished now and I need to play with them to see how they perform.
Here are a couple of pictures, they still need a little polishing but look like they will do the job.

Neill

[Ken524]

Re: Mixers

Neill,

Once you find the "perfect" dough hook, you'll have a new business on your hands. "Neill's Custom Dough Hooks". You'll need to create adapters for all the popular machines (I think my KA hook could stand for some improvement).

[Jed]

Re: Mixers

Neill,

With those dough hooks installed, you are creating a great looking mixer!

It'll be so much fun making and baking, you might need to get into the butter and honey business to keep the toppings ready for the bread and buns!

Keep up the good work.

JED

[nissanneill]

Re: Mixers

Elizabeth,
sorry, in the rush of last night (I actually put up the post whilst we still had guests), I overlooked your questions.

by the way. In the picture of the mixer, the bowl seemed long and narrow. Does that shape complicate the hook? As opposed to shorter and wider like my KA hook, I mean.

The mixer is the 'smallest commercial' one that I could find. I am not sure why they claim it is a "10 quart" but will mix comfortably 5 Kg. The design of the bowl is a little unusual in that it is rather long and pointed on the bottom rather than being flatter and squat (more like the KA) That is why I had to make a narrow hook that when turning in the planetary motion, clears the bottom and sides by only 5 mm The Kenwood that I have been using had more like a 20mm clearance.

There are so many different types and styles of hooks but I was limited with time and ability to bend a rather convaluted spiral shape to fit the mixer and bowl assembly whilst trying to get tight bends out of 5/8" (16mm) stainless steel bar. You should have seen me grunting with a 3' long extension on a vehicle tow bar (that slipped over the rod) trying to 'cold bend' it to clear the bowl.
It will never move that it is now welded into the boss.

Ken,

(I think my KA hook could stand for some improvement)

The KA I would imagine could do with only a flattened 3/8" stainless spiral hook, as it looks a rather simple shape.
You really do need the machine and bowl to 'fit the hook' properly. It is abit like making a shirt with dimensions only. Yes it will fit ok but would be better if tailor made.
And definitely NO to going into a new business. I would end up making them all for the cost of materials.
I developed a new process of making printed architectural surfacings for the model railroaders in the UK, printed 10's of thousands of different sheets in various colours, styles, brick bonds etc but look to doing what I want to do rather than what I need or have to do today.

Jed,

It'll be so much fun making and baking, you might need to get into the butter and honey business to keep the toppings ready for the bread and buns!

I think that it will come in very handy for making a load or two of doughnut mix for the grand kids when they get old enough. We're expecting out third grandchild in a couple of weeks and our other two children are trying for their second, so it looks like the kitchen will be getting a workout.
I will be making some batches of 'hot cross' buns with a spicy chili cross (isn't that why they call them hot cross buns?)

Francis,

I have been sort of keeping an eye open for metal working courses here... but no luck so far.

Contact the school(s) where they teach structural engineering. Over here, we have tertiary education between the high schools and university (called TAFE - Technical and Further education). They should have blacksmithing courses which might only run during the day but often are available at night for the interested non tradespeople!


Neill

[Archena]

Re: Mixers

Hi,

5 kg is roughly equivalent to 10 UK quarts, or 10 US dry quarts. It would be equivalent to 12 US quarts i.e. 3 gallons. Anyway you look at it that thing's big!

In a lot of US states vocational schools occasionally offer continuing education courses. I took cabinetmaking that way a few times. Check with the local technical or vocational school. They may have a class you can take.

[dmun]

Re: Mixers

Many US school districts are doing in all vo-tech programs. Thousands of fully equipped workshops have had their equipment sold and programs discontinued because of liability issues, budget issues, (or mostly unstated) class issues.

If your school district still has a vocational-technical program by all means use it, but also defend it, fund it, and praise kids who graduate from it. For too long vo-tech has been considered a dumping ground and an embarrassment and it shows in the hollowing out and graying of the US industrial workforce. We can't all push papers and keys for a living!

[/rant]

[jmhepworth]

Re: Mixers

I was rather curious about whether the Bosch would generate heat when kneading, so I took the opportunity to measure when my wife made rolls today. Before kneading the dough was 94.3F. After kneading for 8 minutes, the dough was 91.6F. The temp went down, not up. I wouldn't be concerned about the speed of the Bosch raising the temperature.

[BRIFRO]

Re: Mixers

Was the dough made with white flour? I use all whole grain flours which are much stiffer. I would be interested to know if the temprature of whole grain dough is also not raised by the Bosch Mixer.

[jmhepworth]

Re: Mixers

Our standard bread recipe uses whole wheat flour -- we usually grind it just before mixing it. But these rolls are a Christmas treat and use white flour. I expect the results would be similar for whole grains, but I haven't measured it. The recipe we use for bread uses very hot water that we add oatmeal to. We have to let it cool a bit before adding the yeast, so measuring the temperature of that dough wouldn't help much. I have no doubt that kneading would cause the temp to go down not up -- but only because it starts out pretty warm.