Need help with grinder ASAP please

[hersheys mom]

After reading the reviews on Amazon for the STX Turboforce 3000 Series, 300 watt grinder, I decided to get one. All the reviewers said they bought it primarily to make cat food as it ground up the bones so well. Mine arrived a few days ago and after reading the instructions, I gave it a go yesterday. It took me 8 hours to make the food. This grinder makes great ground meat (make sure meat is very cold). What it doesn't do is grind bone, not even the ribs bones (tried them just for the hell of it). I even took the chicken thigh bone, put in on the cutting board on the floor, covered it with plastic and hammered the hell out of it until it was all broken up, but even that got stuck. If you own this grinder, please let me know what I am doing wrong. If you know of a better one in the $150 range, please help me out. This grinder was $150 and I can get one to just grind de-boned chicken for 1/3 that price. I have a limited time in which I can return it, so any advice would be appreciated. I am calling the manufacturer, but I doubt that will do much as they will probably tell me I need a commercial grinder............

Lei Ann

 

[mschauer]

A popular one with raw feeders is the Tasin 108 ($150.00) :

http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/tasin-ts-108-electric-meat-grinder-1/

I have one of those and also a Weston #12. The Tasin handles up to and including chicken thigh bones easily. The Weston is a lot more expensive but is just quieter and has a larger food chute.

 

[mschauer]

BTW, I wouldn't call the STX manufacturer unless you are sure grinding bones in it doesn't void the warranty. You can grind bones in the Tasin without voiding the warranty but most meat grinders explicitly state that they shouldn't be used to grind bones.

Edit: Could the problem you had with the STX be that you used too small a grinding plate? If you want a fine grind you might need to grind twice, once with a larger plate then again with a smaller one. 

 

[stealthkitty]

Hi Lei-Ann, I don't have experience with this type of grinder, but I have read that many times people have problems with their grinders because they accidentally put the grinding plate in backwards. Hope that helps!

 

[mschauer]

Hi Lei-Ann, I don't have experience with this type of grinder, but I have read that many times people have problems with their grinders because they accidentally put the grinding plate in backwards. Hope that helps!

That's a good point but it's the cutting blade that can get put in backwards. That's probably not her problem though because she wouldn't be able to grind even just meat with the cutting blade in backwards and she said just meat wasn't  a problem.

 

[hersheys mom]

BTW, I wouldn't call the STX manufacturer unless you are sure grinding bones in it doesn't void the warranty. You can grind bones in the Tasin without voiding the warranty but most meat grinders explicitly state that they shouldn't be used to grind bones.

Edit: Could the problem you had with the STX be that you used too small a grinding plate? If you want a fine grind you might need to grind twice, once with a larger plate then again with a smaller one. 

Used the largest one. Was then going to grind with the finer plate, but it never got past the big plate. Thanks for the tip about calling the manufacturer.

 

[hersheys mom]

A popular one with raw feeders is the Tasin 108 ($150.00) :

http://www.onestopjerkyshop.com/tasin-ts-108-electric-meat-grinder-1/

I have one of those and also a Weston #12. The Tasin handles up to and including chicken thigh bones easily. The Weston is a lot more expensive but is just quieter and has a larger food chute.

Thank you. Will send this back and look into the Tasin 108.

 

[mschauer]

I think you'll like the Tasin. In some of the STX reviews on Amazon people did say it couldn't handle bones. I've never seen that said about the Tasin.

As an added plus the Tasin cutting blade can't be put in backwards. 

 

[stealthkitty]

Hi Lei-Ann, I don't have experience with this type of grinder, but I have read that many times people have problems with their grinders because they accidentally put the grinding plate in backwards. Hope that helps!

That's a good point but it's the cutting blade that can get put in backwards. That's probably not her problem though because she wouldn't be able to grind even just meat with the cutting blade in backwards and she said just meat wasn't  a problem.

 Oops, guess it shows I don't have a grinder!

BTW, how is Hershey Rose doing? Still progressing?

 

[mschauer]

Thank you. Will send this back and look into the Tasin 108.

If you haven't already seen it you might take a look at Dr. Pierson's web page on making cat food:

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood

She talks about both the Tasin and the Weston. She says she always puts the chicken thighs in small end first. Would that help with the STX?

 

[peaches08]

I think you'll like the Tasin. In some of the STX reviews on Amazon people did say it couldn't handle bones. I've never seen that said about the Tasin.

As an added plus the Tasin cutting blade can't be put in backwards. 

I have the Tasin and it takes chicken thigh bones easily. I put them in either way first, hasn't mattered. As also mentioned, there is only one way to put it back together which is awesome.

 

[hersheys mom]

 Oops, guess it shows I don't have a grinder!

BTW, how is Hershey Rose doing? Still progressing?

Grinder sucks. Does meat great, but won't even grind a thigh bone that I crushed with hammer. Going back. Am going to try the Tasin as people here seem to have luck with that.

Hershey Rose is beyond progressing. She suddenly did a 180 and stopped biting and scratching, and a week later became a lap cat! I can pet her any time and anywhere, and she comes up and takes my finger and kisses it. She is the cutest thing! The only problem we have is the fight over nail trimming. Hershey Rose 30, mom 0. Now if I could get her and Minja to stop running around the house like maniacs I would have total bliss. The two of them try to pounce on each other and constantly stalk each other. Lots of nasty growling and hissing buy nothing physical. Hershey Rose was given the freedom of the entire house on Christmas, so you think the two of them (who were slowly introduced) would calm down by now.. Jackson Galaxy's Peacemaker essence and Feliway do not help. They both get equal attention and equal play time with mom. They will sit on the couch with me, one on one side and one on the other, very peacefully, then suddenly one looks at the other and off they go again. They do respond to "knock it off" instantly, so I don't think they really want to hurt one another. I think Minja wants to play and Hershey Rose, being feral, thinks she is actually being threatened and doesn't realize it's just a game. Poor Minja gets this really sad look on her face after every scuffle, as if she doesn't understand why HR doesn't want to play. Will switch over to Behavior forum and post there. Also, Minja sleeps on the top of the bed with me, and HR sleeps under the bed, even though I try to get her to join us. So they can be in the same space at the same time when the mood strikes them. Cats!

Have a great day,

Lei Ann

 

[hersheys mom]

If you haven't already seen it you might take a look at Dr. Pierson's web page on making cat food:

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood

She talks about both the Tasin and the Weston. She says she always puts the chicken thighs in small end first. Would that help with the STX?

Tried both small end and large end. Tried putting thigh bones in a bag, smashing the ends with a hammer, and running it through. Still jammed. Going to send it back and get a Tasin. Folk here seem to like that one.

Lei Ann

PS It if Dr. Pierson's recipe I use for my food.

 

[stealthkitty]

Hershey Rose is beyond progressing. She suddenly did a 180 and stopped biting and scratching, and a week later became a lap cat! I can pet her any time and anywhere, and she comes up and takes my finger and kisses it. She is the cutest thing!

<snip>

Also, Minja sleeps on the top of the bed with me, and HR sleeps under the bed, even though I try to get her to join us. So they can be in the same space at the same time when the mood strikes them. Cats!

Have a great day,

Lei Ann

I'm so happy for you! I know it was touch-and-go there for quite a while; but you've really been a lifesaver to HR. What a wonderful tribute to your dear Hershey

and an inspiration to the rest of us!

 

[Willowy]

Hmm, this one?: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012KJBR0/?tag=&tag=thecatsite That's the one I got and it handles thigh bones fine for me :dk:. It sometimes gets clogged with skin, sinew, and cartilage if I'm grinding a whole chicken, but thighs zip right through. I wonder if each individual machine has different "opinions" :lol3:. They seem to have a decent return policy so it shouldn't be a problem (and specifically say that grinding bone won't void the warranty).

Hope you can find one that works for you! Let us know which one you get and how it works.

 

[stealthkitty]

Hmm, this one?: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012KJBR0/?tag=&tag=thecatsite That's the one I got and it handles thigh bones fine for me

. It sometimes gets clogged with skin, sinew, and cartilage if I'm grinding a whole chicken, but thighs zip right through. I wonder if each individual machine has different "opinions"

. They seem to have a decent return policy so it shouldn't be a problem (and specifically say that grinding bone won't void the warranty).

Hope you can find one that works for you! Let us know which one you get and how it works.

Hmm, if grinding bones doesn't void the warranty, it might be worth calling customer service to try to resolve the problem before returning it.

 

[korina]

Yea, email the guy, there is a way through amazon, just open the item and click Mercantile_station (this is the store) and then look for link "Contact seller".

Like OneStop, he is a nice guy and markets this for pet owners and hunters.

He addreses alot of the reviews, and he will send you a new one.

I had considered getting the better 3000 model that is 188$.

In the end I decided to go with Tasin, but am not pulling the trigger on the Weston #12 any day now.

I like Jim at OneStop and plan on buying there because his business is a bit bigger and have a retail website.

I would speculate that both companies have the same business model, find a factory in china to build to spec, slap a name on it.  (STX claims that some is from the states)

Not that there is anything wrong with it, but as a business guy i find it interesting.

Same goes for the top end ones, except those are done by brands that sell other stuff, like Weston, Cabellas, LEM etc.

Look, assuming the STX works, how does the motor sound, is it loud to you?

Is it loud enough you would pay an extra 250 to not here it again?  If so, consider the Weston #12.

 

[korina]

Oh I didnt know you had an STX?

Man not to throw Tasin or STX under the bus, but I would love to have a youtube fight between the two.

Sound vs Speed vs breakdown/clean time etc

Hmm, this one?: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012KJBR0/?tag=&tag=thecatsite That's the one I got and it handles thigh bones fine for me

. It sometimes gets clogged with skin, sinew, and cartilage if I'm grinding a whole chicken, but thighs zip right through. I wonder if each individual machine has different "opinions"

. They seem to have a decent return policy so it shouldn't be a problem (and specifically say that grinding bone won't void the warranty).

Hope you can find one that works for you! Let us know which one you get and how it works.

 

[Willowy]

I don't think cleaning time is difficult or excessive. Noise. . .I never thought of it, LOL, I assumed any grinder would be pretty loud. It would be cool to see a comparison between the 2, though. I love stuff like that.

 

[hersheys mom]

Look, assuming the STX works, how does the motor sound, is it loud to you?

Is it loud enough you would pay an extra 250 to not here it again?  If so, consider the Weston #12.

Not too loud, but it really rock and rolls when grinding. Kind of scary, like it's having it's own earthquake! Need to stay in the 100-150 price range. For those of you who buy on Amazon, third party sellers who sell through them make you pay the return postage (Mine was $32) when you return an item, even under warranty. I am going to take that up with Amazon!

Lei Ann