www.sausagemaking.org

Something doesn't sound right, but I'm clueless what it could be. but seeing it's from a quality major retail and the stuffer has good reviews, I'd say find a Customer Service number and give it a call.

Does it crank freely when the tube is empty?

Are you sure you have got the handle fitted to the correct shaft. My stuffer won't work either if I have the handle fitted to the hi-speed gear.
There again, these units are made in China and some idiot there, could have fitted a wrong gear to it. Who knows.
Good Luck,
Jan.

Dan - it does crank freely when the tube is empty.
Jan - only a 1 speed stuffer so I know it's on the correct shaft.

Will be trying again tonight. As I stated earlier in the thread with my first use meat was oozing out of the air relief valve - it wasn't on tight Not sure if that had something to do with it in any way. It was suggested I may have created a vacuum.

Update to come over the weekend on the second attempt. Now I just need to decide what I'll be making. Leaning towards pepperoni using smoked paprika. Anyone have any great suggestions they want to throw out there using pork or pork/beef mix. Too many recipes yet to try and way too little time

My weekend includes testing out my new used National Specialty stuffer. I'm hoping that starting out with something snack stick size in a hand crank stuffer isn't asking for troubles like yours.... But it can't be much worse than fighting that grinder/stuffer combo unit.

I could be biased by my Polish heritage, but I tend to agree with the Marianski book, Kabanosy is the best meat stick known to man If you haven't tried it, it's worth a look imho.

ericrice wrote: Now I just need to decide what I'll be making. Leaning towards pepperoni using smoked paprika. Anyone have any great suggestions they want to throw out there using pork or pork/beef mix. Too many recipes yet to try and way too little time

This recipe from Len Poli's site Is excellent and I plan on doing it again. I liked it a lot and I'm not a fan of "too hot"

http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Lon ... panish.pdf

If your stuffer only has one gear, I am now convinced that the wrong gear is fitted. My stuffer has 2 gears and the high gear will not stuff any normal size sausages unless it's bolted down and you are Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I have an all stainless stuffer by the same chinese manufacturer, the 2 speed model. I looked at the gears and yours MUST HAVE the high speed gear accidentally fitted.
Send it back and demand a new one or buy one with 2 gears.
Good Luck,
Jan.

Is this the stuffer you have?
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/p ... i?i=401088

Yes Dan - that's the stuffer.

Gave it another go last night. 10lbs of Genoa and I used the largest stuffing tube. Sprayed everything with silicon spray, made sure the air valve was fitted tight and success. Not sure which was responsible for the change - probably some combination. Not sure how I'll make out moving down to the middle size tube but if that makes it too difficult I'll revert back to my 5lb one for smaller diameter.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

if you had a small diameter tube its just straight physics, the smaller the diameter of the tube to the diameter of the piston, the more force required. Another problem is leaving the mix sit before stuffing it tends to set up and can be very hard to stuff. I mix and stuff right away then let the links set up overnight in the fridge before packaging or smoking.

Usually there are 3 reasons why stuffers get stiff:

1) Trapped air creating a vacum as has previously been discussed

3) Too small a tube for too course a meat

3) mixture is too dry

I used to have terrible problems until i realised my mixture was far too dry, so for the sake of stuffing my sausage I made the mix wetter and it went through the cylinder without any problem. Once the sausages are made I just put them on a tray in the fridge on a rack as normal and the slight excess water just drains off them.

hope this helps

Cheers WW

When will I learn....
You guys were right. I added 25% extra water to test my 8qt vertical, but did that while mixing on Friday evening. In sitting overnight it distributed throughout and you couldn't even tell.

Note to self: when more experienced people give advice, follow it to the letter. ( At least the 1st time. )

I have found that the smaller the stuffer tube, the harder it is to turn the handle. Also, did you use the right amount of water the recipe calls for, and when did you add it? Water acts as a lubricant on the stuffing tube, so if you have a good amount of moisture in your meat, it should slide through the tube easier.
Now when I mix my sausage up, I do add everything including the water. I then let it sit over night in the fridge to meld. The meat does soak-up the water which tends to make cranking the handle a lot harder, but never impossible.

Brought back from the past - for my comments initially it wasn't fresh sausage - I do mostly cured salami products so no additional water called for. I appreciate you resurrecting this thread as I now see my last comments said it was easier. To be honest I have done everything this year in my 5lb stuffer in multiple batches and I have done a fair amount to date. I'll have to break out the 15lb for something a bit wetter and see how it goes. Plan on a big batch of Jeff Weiss's Chorizo soon and that has 5% wine in it so more to come....

Call princess auto in Canada. 2speed stainless stuffer with steel gears. I paid $199

And it works great. Stuffed 100# os sausage last weekend. No problems whatsoever. Process auto policy not happy unless you are.