I have been watching Craig's List and eBay for a used soft serve machine to go along with my Breakmate, Kegerator, and Frozen Concoction Maker in my media room. Does anyone have one of these? Just wanting some personal experiences.

Mike

I am comming back and responding to my own post. I bought a commercial soft serve machine on Craig's list for 500.00 a few weeks ago and it's awesome, easy to use and clean. I buy the mix locally for about 6.00 a gallon (makes 2 gallons of soft serve) and it's a great conversation piece.

Mike

How good is the ice cream good for one put into the machine?

How good is the ice cream good for one put into the machine?
I am not sure I understand your question. The ice cream out of the machine is very good.

Mike

How good is the ice cream good for one put into the machine?

I think the question is how long is the mix good for once you put it in the machine.

Got it....The machine has a standby feature and it keeps the liquid soft serve mix cool in the top of the machine and only makes a small amount of ice cream as needed. I have left it in there for a week with no problems.

Mike

Soft serve machines can also be used to make frozen Margaritas, Daiquiris, etc.

Soft serve machines can also be used to make frozen Margaritas, Daiquiris, etc.

Have you ever tried that? I thought this might be possible also but in talking to the customer service department at the company that made my machine they said it would not work.

Mike

Yes, many times. I bartended my way through college in the 70's. Most often used were Taylor soft serve units.

Machines have been specialized or optimized since then but the concept is the same, that is, a rotating drum with a cooling jacket. The trick is the temperature setting. The alcohol and the % alcohol in the mix keeps the liquid from freezing (lower freezing point) so the temperature on the unit has to be adjusted. Keep some spare seals and lube on hand.

What brand machine did you buy?

I have a Stoelting, it was a perfect size for us. Here are some pictures:

http://blackcows.com/ss/

Mike

I wondered about getting one of those to. I may look for one soon...

Mike, looking at your pictures, I can't see any reason you could not use it for frozen cocktails.

Mike, looking at your pictures, I can't see any reason you could not use it for frozen cocktails.


Would I just put some margarita mix and tequila in the top? I guess really the only thing that could happen is that it wouldn't work and I would need to clean it out.

Mike

Yes Mike, you can scale up your favorite recipe based on your machine size.

An easy thing to do would be to buy one of those buckets of mix (Margarita, Daiquiri, Mojito, etc.) that you add alcohol to and try it out.

Make sure the seals, O-rings, are in good shape and that you're using sanitary lube.

i had bought a home version of the soft service machine for my brother who heavily fancied soft serve ice cream and the upkeep was always problem. do these require you to freeze the cylinder 24-hours before using or does this always keep it cold?

i almost forgot the most important question. i wasn't able to judge by the picture, but does it make the twist?

Word up, I'm new here.

I've been wanting to get a soft serve machine myself for a few months now. I've searched ebay, craigslist, and google. But I can't seem to find anything other than big industrial models. I'm looking for something exactly like mbartenhagen's Stoelting. Something that's not huge, but ain't puny either. Can anybody point me in the right direction? I'm fine with getting a used machine since they are generally much cheaper. I really don't want to spend over $600.

To mbarten: How do you like your Stoelting? How much effort does it take to clean? How much ice cream can it hold?

i had bought a home version of the soft service machine for my brother who heavily fancied soft serve ice cream and the upkeep was always problem. do these require you to freeze the cylinder 24-hours before using or does this always keep it cold?


It doesn't require you to freeze anything. Assuming that the machine was cleaned and put back togeather from the last use it takes about 5 minutes to make ice cream.

Mike

i almost forgot the most important question. i wasn't able to judge by the picture, but does it make the twist?


No, the twist machines require two barrels so that you can have two flavors of ice cream and therefore twice the clean up, size, cost, etc.

Mike

Word up, I'm new here.

I've been wanting to get a soft serve machine myself for a few months now. I've searched ebay, craigslist, and google. But I can't seem to find anything other than big industrial models. I'm looking for something exactly like mbartenhagen's Stoelting. Something that's not huge, but ain't puny either. Can anybody point me in the right direction? I'm fine with getting a used machine since they are generally much cheaper. I really don't want to spend over $600.

To mbarten: How do you like your Stoelting? How much effort does it take to clean? How much ice cream can it hold?

It's really easy to clean, it probably takes 15 to 20 minutes to take apart, clean, and put back togeather. It was amazing to me how simple the thing was. Next time I have it apart I will take some pictures.

The amount of ice cream it can make is limitless. I say this becuase the way a soft serve machine works is that it basically makes a small amount on demand. You pour your liquid soft serve mix into the top chamber, I think mine holds about 3 gallons which is one of the smaller commercial machines available. From here the mix is gravity fed into the mixing chamber, here a small amount is made into ice cream. As you draw out ice cream more liquid flows into the freezing chamber. With my machine we are able to draw 4 or 5 cones or bowls of ice cream before having to wait 1 to 2 minutes for it to catch up. When the machine is not in use it goes into stand by mode, the top stays cool, keeping the liquid cool and the auger in the mixing chamber doesn't run. So the reason I say it is limitless is that you can continue to add mix to the top and you will always be just a few minutes away from soft serve.

I paid 500.00 for mine from a person who had purchased it from a small restaurant.

Mike

[QUOTE=Malice187] Can anybody point me in the right direction? QUOTE]

You may want to look for some places that sell used restaurant equipment. I live near Omaha, NE and there are a few places around here so I am sure in a more populated area there are a lot of these.

Mike

I am starting to loof for one today... I will post back if I have any luck... :)

[QUOTE=Malice187] Can anybody point me in the right direction? QUOTE]

You may want to look for some places that sell used restaurant equipment. I live near Omaha, NE and there are a few places around here so I am sure in a more populated area there are a lot of these.

MikeFirst off, thanks for the reply.

See, I live in a VERY small town. There are no restaurant supply stores around here. Believe me, I looked. But hey, if you ever find one around your town, let me know if the place has a website, or phone number, and maybe I can get them to ship it to me. If you ever have the time, or remember, that is. Again, thanks for the reply.

@joerod: Please, do let us know of your findings. Thanks.

Surely there must be a "big city" near by.

Well, not one that I can get to. I don't yet have a car(working on it. **** is expensive).

After searching ebay, I found this auction: http://cgi.*********/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230145406619&sspagename=ADME:B:AAQ:US:1

What do you guys think of that machine? It's model number is Y338-27 according to the seller. But I can't seem to find any information on it searching for that number on Google....

EDIT - What the hell? Why won't the link work? Anyway, if you can't reach the link, It's a Taylor 3 Flavor Soft Serve Machine. Model No. Y338-27

EDIT 2 - Found some info on the unit: http://www.taylor-company.com/product/ss_twintwist1.htm

Where did you buy your mix?

Norm

Where did you buy your mix?

Norm

The first few times I made it myself but I gave that up for a few reasons. At times if you get to much cream the machine will make butter, the ice cream actually has flakes of butter and tastes like butter, yuck. Also it is cheaper to buy it than make it. I had been purchasing from a local dairy (Highland Roberts) at a cost of about 6.50 per gallon but just this weekend I puchased from Sam's Club. It costs just a little more but comes frozen and has an expiration date that is about a year out, much more convinent than the stuff from the local dairy that only lasts 3 weeks. The stuff from Sam's cost 32.00 for a case (4 gallons). I think most Soft Serve machines run at about 50% over run which means the machine adds about 50% air to the mix (which is how you get soft serve) so 4 gallons actually gives you 8 gallons of ice cream.

There are also places like this; http://www.uec-hawaii.com/products2.html that sell dry mix that you add water to. It is shelf stable and doesn't need to be kept cold. For anyone that has been to Disney World and had a Dole Whip in the Magic Kingdom you can make your own using the mix from this site.


Mike

After searching ebay, I found this auction: http://cgi.*********/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230145406619&sspagename=ADME:B:AAQ:US:1

What do you guys think of that machine? It's model number is Y338-27 according to the seller. But I can't seem to find any information on it searching for that number on Google....

EDIT - What the hell? Why won't the link work? Anyway, if you can't reach the link, It's a Taylor 3 Flavor Soft Serve Machine. Model No. Y338-27

EDIT 2 - Found some info on the unit: http://www.taylor-company.com/product/ss_twintwist1.htm


Looks nice from the info on the Taylor site. I can't get to the eBay auction but I am sure this machine will bring many thousands of dollars.

Mike

Well, the auction actually has it listed for under $200. I contacted the person selling it, and he told me he bought it new in 2002 and had been using it in a small business until 2005. He says it's in great condition and still fully works. Apparently he tested it about a week prior of putting it up for auction... I'm trying to decide if I should bid on it or not. I'm kind of weary of buying a used machine that's 5 years old. But the price seems great.... Decisions decisions.

EDIT - Also, if you want to get to the auction, replace the *****'s in the link with e///bay.com(without the ///)

It's a steal at 200 bucks, mine is over 20 years old.

You really think so? I may just give it a shot and bid on it. If yours is 20 years old and still works, than hopefully this one will. Did you visit the auction?

Well, there goes that idea. The bidding has already went over $700. Too rich for my blood. If anybody finds anything for $500 or under, please let me know. Thanks.

What is the auction number?

230145406619

If something like is mentioned here is too big for you there is a soft serve maker on sale at Target this week . It's a one quart

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-10/qid=1182880494******sr_1_10/601-9905631-7861708?ie=UTF8&asin=B000M9OUMS

Two important things I forgot to mention for people looking for a soft serve machine. The first is to see how the machine is cooled. Mine is air coolled but there are some models that are water cooled, I am not exactly sure how this works but it doesn't sound like it is for home use. The other is to see how it is powered, mine plugs into regular 110 but some require direct wiring.

Mike

Man, I have exhausted ALL searching options. Craigslist, e/Bay, Google, EVERYTHING! And I can't find a machine for under $1,000. I really have my heart set on the Taylor 338 counter top model. It's air cooled and 110v as well. But, it doesn't look like I'll get one anytime soon. Kudos to you mbartenhagen for finding a machine for under $1,000!

If anybody can help me out in my search, I would greatly appreciate it. My email is imgonnasnap2@yahoo.com AIM is themalice666

Thanks.

Just got one from thr Nashville TN Craigslist for $600 - Works great! I had to get the beater welded, but everything else is perfect - VERY fast - ready to eat in 5-10 minutes. Here are a couple pics...

Excellent machine at a great price.

Mike

Anyone making their own flavors yet?

After being without a computer for 2 weeks, I'm back on the hunt. And I've found........ Nothing. I envy you guys that found one of these things at such great prices.

Dont give up - you'll find one. Where you are, I am sure there will be some available. I would suggest trying to locate resturant supply liquidators, particularly in Baltimore. Here is an example of one near Atlanta - visionequipment.com (I bought a popcorn and cotton candy machine from them) - They get this kind of thing in from time to time. I would expect some to come available nearer summers end,also, as this is prime season, and they are probably making too much money with them to sell right now. Keep an eye on ebay auctions near your zip also. Theres a countertop Electrofreeze in NJ for under 700, but theres 8 days left on the auction...

Jerry

A few notes about Ice cream machines. I would stick to Taylor. They tend to be the better machines in the price range your looking at. I would stay away from the powdered mixed, they taste like cardboard. Most units are air cooled, water cooled works better, freezes faster, but dumps the water into the drain. If you have a septic tank it could be an issue if you use it often. I would clean the machine every day. this is milk and it will grow bacteria fast. Maybe a weekend, then dump what you do not use and clean and sanitize. If you can find a machine with a pump in to fill the freeze chamber it will help make better ice cream. You will be able to control the over run and add air to the mix and fluff up the product. The difference is like Dairy Queen ice cream vs. buffet ice cream . I like Carpigiani, its higher end equipment, but it would be out of the price range of most people. I would stay away from trying to make frozen drinks in an cream machine. They are not designed to do that, and a frozen drink machines are easy to come by. If anybody has any questions I can try to help answer them.

Here are some pics with the machine inside - We LOVE it!! Definitely been a hit so far!

A few notes about Ice cream machines. I would stick to Taylor. They tend to be the better machines in the price range your looking at. I would stay away from the powdered mixed, they taste like cardboard. Most units are air cooled, water cooled works better, freezes faster, but dumps the water into the drain. If you have a septic tank it could be an issue if you use it often. I would clean the machine every day. this is milk and it will grow bacteria fast. Maybe a weekend, then dump what you do not use and clean and sanitize. If you can find a machine with a pump in to fill the freeze chamber it will help make better ice cream. You will be able to control the over run and add air to the mix and fluff up the product. The difference is like Dairy Queen ice cream vs. buffet ice cream . I like Carpigiani, its higher end equipment, but it would be out of the price range of most people. I would stay away from trying to make frozen drinks in an cream machine. They are not designed to do that, and a frozen drink machines are easy to come by. If anybody has any questions I can try to help answer them.

All good suggestions I am sure but we are discussing putting these machines in our homes. A water cooled machine would mean that you have to get water to the machine and away from the machine, not always easy in a home setting. Same thing with the pump, I agree Dairy Queen ice cream is some of the best soft serve you can get but again it's much easier to keep soft serve mix in a seperate, cold location and pump it to your machine in an ice cream store than it would be in my house. Same situation when it comes to cleaning daily. If I had a 14 year old boy I was paying 5 bucks an hour I would probably clean it everyday but I leave mine on for a week at a time (so far the longest is 10 days) with no problems. It only takes me about 15 minutes to take mine apart, clean, and put it back togeather but it isn't something I want to do everyday. I agree it's "milk" but in my machine the machine keeps the soft serve mix cold so I don't see much difference between keeping mix in my machine and in my fridge.

As I said I agree with most everything you said but there is a difference between what can be acomplished in the home and in a store setting.

Mike

Here are some pics with the machine inside - We LOVE it!! Definitely been a hit so far!

Ours has been a great hit also, I only know of two people that have a soft serve machine in their house, you and I so it certainly has a Wow factor. Did you have any problems with power in you kitchen? I have mine in a room in the basement and kept tripping a breaker when it would kick on so I put it on an outlet that was dedicated to a sump pump and haven't had any problems.

What have you been using for mix, making your own or purchasing it?

Mike

All good suggestions I am sure but we are discussing putting these machines in our homes. A water cooled machine would mean that you have to get water to the machine and away from the machine, not always easy in a home setting. Same thing with the pump, I agree Dairy Queen ice cream is some of the best soft serve you can get but again it's much easier to keep soft serve mix in a seperate, cold location and pump it to your machine in an ice cream store than it would be in my house. Same situation when it comes to cleaning daily. If I had a 14 year old boy I was paying 5 bucks an hour I would probably clean it everyday but I leave mine on for a week at a time (so far the longest is 10 days) with no problems. It only takes me about 15 minutes to take mine apart, clean, and put it back togeather but it isn't something I want to do everyday. I agree it's "milk" but in my machine the machine keeps the soft serve mix cold so I don't see much difference between keeping mix in my machine and in my fridge.

As I said I agree with most everything you said but there is a difference between what can be acomplished in the home and in a store setting.

Mike

Some equipment has a built in pump in the hopper that feeds the machine. Again its your stomach, but I would not let that stuff sit for that long. Just some professional advice.

Hey Mike,

I use Gold Medal Frosty Freeze dry mix - very good, and available locally pretty cheap, and Purity dairy mix, also available locally. The Purity is creamier, but also higher calorie/fat. The Frosty Freeze is tasty, and firmer, so it stands up well on a cone - some folks (about half) like it better. I like it because its cheap, and shelf stable, so it doesnt tie up freezer or refrigerator space. A case costs about $33 and makes about 15 gallons of soft serve. I am planning on wiring a dedicated 230 volt circuit for the machine, but for now am using a circuit I wired for my air compressor, which also is 230 volt. I generally only fire it up on the weekends, and store a few containers in the freezer for during the week. They keep well, and don't freeze hard at all - They also dont last long :)

Jerry

I would agree that cleaning the machine frequently is a must. The issue is not so much the ice cream itself but the components that dispense it. The ice cream is kept frozen but everything beyond the temperature controlled environment can grow bacteria quickly. There is a reason that restaurants clean their machines daily. You can always remove the mix and add it back after the machine is cleaned.

The newer machines have "heat treat" features built in, which essentially pasturize the mix as it dispenses. Taylor claims that they can be left on up to two weeks between cleanings. Non heat treat machines, however, even those with refrigerated mix storage recommend cleaning each day. I think you would be safe leaving it on overnight, however, and cleaning at the end of the next day.


Jerry

Hey Mike,

I use Gold Medal Frosty Freeze dry mix - very good, and available locally pretty cheap, Jerry


Where did you find this locally? I would like to have some dry mix around but I am not sure who I should contact to find it?

Mike

Hey Mike,

I really like this stuff, because while it isnt as creamy as the dairy mix, it is much lighter has a pretty good "home-made" flavor.

If you have a local Gold Medal distributer, you can buy it from them - there should be one in most mid and large towns. I live near a city of ~200K people, and we have one (Heart of Dixie Popcorn Supply). Here is a link to the Gold Medal branch offices...

http://www.gmpopcorn.com/gold-medal-locations.php

Call the nearest one, and they should be able to direct you to a dealer.

You can buy it here online for ~$30 a case + shipping:

http://www.instawares.com/vanilla-frosty-freeze.gmp-1217.0.7.htm

I have been wanting to try some of this product but have not ordered any yet...

http://getfrozen.net/

They also market a home soft serve machine (can be had for about 25-30% less than the site shows I think.

What have you been using, and how do you like it? I looked up some soft serve recipes on the net, and have been tempted to try one - they usually use pudding or gelatin to thicken the mix, along with milk, so they would be lower calorie - I may try - Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess :)


Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I found a dealer about 10 miles from me so they will be getting some for me on their next order. I have been using a liquid product that I get from a local dairy. It works good but like you said it takes up space in the fridge and also it is about a 30 minute drive for me so it requires some planning. I will probably still get the liquid but I would like to have some dry mix around so that I always have something available.

The first time I used the machine I made my own mix. It was good but some thought too much sugar. The next time I made it I ended up with butter, the ice cream had flakes of butter and was terrible, same recipie so I don't know why it didn't happen the first time. After doing some reading I figured out that you have to be careful with the amount fat you have in the mix or you end up with butter because the machine spins so fast. From what I could tell most of the recipies that I found on the internet were put togeather with the idea that you would try to make soft serve in a inexpensive home ice cream maker rather than in a commercial machine so they may not actually work well in a soft serve machine.

I just ordered and received some Crunch Coat from here:

http://www.msconcession.com/mid_states_concession_supply_012.htm

It cost about 25.00 for a big carton delivered. I have been looking for this for a while. It's a perfect match for what they have at DQ on the Crunch Cone, very good.

If you want to try some different flavors you could try these:

http://stevesfrozenchillers.com/Ice%20Crceam%20Flavorings.htm


For my daughters birthday she wanted chocolate so we made that but other than that we have stuck to vanilla becuase anyone will eat that and we keep a lot of topping around and root beer on tap for root beer floats.

Mike

I am thinking that a lot of people are reading this thread because they like "toys", I mean who really needs a soft serve machine in their house? I thought I would post a picture of one of my other favorite toys. It's my Coca-Cola Breakmate. They haven't been made for a while but you can still always find one on eBay. Take a look part way down in these pictures and you can see mine:

http://www.blackcows.com/bcb/

Here is some more information, they are much more compact than you would think:

http://www.mrbreakmate.com/cpi/html/basics.html

Mike

We also have a Breakmate, but I am currently using an old mini Cornelius machine - I am probably going to go back to the Breakmate, since the drinks are fizzier.
Heres a couple pics of some of the other toys...


My wife is understanding and FANTASTIC!!!

Cool pictures. How messy is the popcorn machine? I thought about getting one but microwave bags seem much cleaner. Is it necessary to give the popcorn machine a major cleaning? Do you think it's safe around younger kids (6 years and older)?

What is a mini Cornelius machine? I make my own beer, root beer, and hard cider and use Cornelius kegs to store and serve. I have room for 4 in my kegrator but I have been thinking that one of those portable pop type things (don't know what you call them) that I used to see at the church picnic and school carnival might be a good system for serving a few more types of beer during a party, they had plastic taps and connect to Corny kegs. Is that what you have?

Mike

The popcorn machine is very easy to keep clean - I just empty it out and wipe it down. The cotton candy machine is messier, but not ridiculously so. I hope I never have to give up the popcorn machine - we really enjoy having it. Its safe around kids, although I would not let them too near when its popping as the kettle gets pretty hot.

The Cornelius machine is essentially a converted mini fridge with a CO2 pressurized dispensing system tacked in - There is a Stainless water tank inside, pressurized with CO2, and syrup containers in the door - 3 flavors. Its no longer made, but its simple and easy to use. I prefer the Breakmate (more fizzy - and simpler), although refilling the syrup is a pain.

The problem with the other mini machines I have seen is that most require some sort of cooling (ice or freezer) for the cold plate to chill the carbonated water. The colder (without freezing) the better - holds more Co2. The Breakmate is the smallest self contained unit out there by far. A larger self contained system would be pretty neat, but the final product really does not taste any better, and the system is significantly more expensive, large, and complex.
Attached is a pic of the soda machine, and another toy - a home-made arcade machine I made.


Jerry

What does the front of the pop machine look like? Is that where the soda is dispensed?

I like the arcade machine, is it a MAME? I thought about trying to put one togeather but I think I already have too many hobbies.

Mike

Jerry,

What do you think of this machine, they have showed up recently on eBay and are a lot cheaper than the popcorn poppers that I have seen in the past:

Item Number: 290140834222

Mike

Jerry,

What do you think of this machine, they have showed up recently on eBay and are a lot cheaper than the popcorn poppers that I have seen in the past:

Item Number: 290140834222

Mike

Mike,

A pic of the soda machine is attached below. I really wouldnt recommend one though (even if you could find one), since its ild, and spare parts are non-existent. I only paid $75 for it. The game machine is a mame machine, along with some other games, or you can just surf the internet on it :) I would not personally recommend that popcorn machine. Its probably not a bad one, but probably wouldnt hold up for a very long time like a commercial machine would. It is very similar to the Helman poppers sold at Costco/Sams -

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11201859&search=popcorn&Mo=4&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=popcorn&Ntt=popcorn&No=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1


They had an 8 ounce machine for under $200, but I can't find it now. I found my 14 oz Gold Medal machine on Ebay from a resturant supply place for $350 - Spectacular machine - Be prepared though, as it required some looking, last minute parts scrounging at the place I bought it, and some cleaning. I would suggest checking with the Gold Medal dealer you contacted - they might be able to offer you a pretty good deal on a machine.

Jerry

Mike,

I know you were going to get some Frosty Greeze (Gold Medal) mix. If you did, try mixing some powdered milk in with the water (2 or 3 quarts worth of powder). It makes the soft serve MUCH creamier, and adds a very nice additional flavor. I bought a big box (22 quarts worth) at Sams for $9.50. I actually like it much better than the dairy mix - Its lighter/fluffier, and has a better flavor - I think very near DQ quality. Also, it moves through the machine better - the dairy mix is so thick it sometimes runs low in the freezing chamber when its being dispensed at a high rate...

Jerry

Thanks Jerry, I have the Frosty Freeze but I haven't tried it yet, I will give your method a try. Is it 2 or 3 quarts per gallon?

Mike

Hey Mike,

It's kind of up to personal tastes, but I think 3 quarts worth adds a rich flavor and smoothness. If you dont like the flavor as much, but like the smoothness, I would use 2 quarts worth.

Jerry

Sorry Jerry I didn't phrase my question very well. Is the 2 to 3 quarts that you add to the soft serve mix added to each gallon of soft serve mix or each two gallons or something different? Are you adding 2 quarts of powder or 2 quarts of milk made from the powder?

Mike

Mike,
I am adding the equivalent of 2 or 3 quarts (for full strength reconstitution as per the Carnation box) of the powdered milk mix to the 1 gallon of water I mix into each carton of Frosty Freeze mix. The total volume is about 5 quarts after its mixed up. I would guess it makes 2 to 2.5 gallons of soft serve, and the total cost is about $7.50 - about a buck cheaper than I would pay for an equivalent amount of the dairy mix.

Jerry

If I owned one of these I would weigh 400 lbs....

I have a Stoelting, it was a perfect size for us. Here are some pictures:



Mike

Is that some home brewing equipment I see back in your closet?

Is that some home brewing equipment I see back in your closet?


It is, here are some better pictures:


http://blackcows.com/bcb/

Mike

I am talking to a guy regarding a Taylor Model 337. Here is a website with the specs http://www.taylor-company.com/product/ss_twintwist1.htm . I am wanting to use it for personal use, is this machine viable? I was wondering if it could be used just air cooled as I don't have a drain or water line I could attach to it. Also, it says that it requires a dedicated electrical source, how hard is it to wire one of these things without any preexisting electrical wires in the spot? Thanks for the input.

vili,
You will need a water supply and drain if it is water cooled. It will probably be quieter though. It wouldn't last long not hooked up to cooling - likely a fire hazard also. It is easy to have it wired for a 230 volt dedicated circuit, which is the same your AC, dryer, Hot water heater, and stove use. Definitely make sure it not a three-phase machine, as that is more involved. It should say which voltage/phase, etc. it is on the manufacturers label.

On the spec sheet it gives both air cooled and water cooled, does that mean I have to use both or either-or? My house doesn't have any place I could run a drain, I could run a water line easily, but a drain would be another story.

Sorry, I thought you meant it was water cooled. They are either/or, not both. If its air cooled, there will be an air outlet vent at the bottom, and no water line connections. I would steer clear of a water cooled unit unless you get a fantastic deal on it.

Jerry

Thought I would resurrect this thread - not much talk lately about soft serve - Any folks got one/thinking about getting one?

Breakmates are OK (We had one in our company years ago), but the issues with them are that the syrup containers are only 1 liter, and cost much too much money prefilled.

You can fill them yourself which is a pain the neck, or design an autofiller (We actually did that for our diet coke flavor), which used a float connected to a switch, connected to a pump. It kept the 1 liter tank filled with diet coke syrup.

I considered one for my home, and could have gotten one from a local company that refurbs them, and warranties them, but instead I went with the "real-thing".

Check out the pics at: http://pblq.com/Soda.html

Reed

Holy crap! That is the coolest thing ever!!!! Where do you get the thing that switches syrups etc.?

Holy crap! That is the coolest thing ever!!!! Where do you get the thing that switches syrups etc.?
You can get a complete setup from either athomesoda.com (http://www.athomesoda.com/sys-tmpl/door/) or www.sodabarsystem.com (http://www.sodabarsystem.com/index_Soda_Dispensers.htm). He indicates on his link, that he got his from athomesoda. But be prepared for sticker shock if you are thinking of buying a setup like one of those new. Starting price if you need to have the lines go further than 6 feet away from the remote cooler/refrigeration unit, is about $3,500. If you can do it with 6 feet of line or less, then it's about a thousand bucks less. But if you need to go over 6 feet lines then you need the heavier duty remote refrigeration unit that also has chilled conduit lines inside the bundle that runs up to the bargun, otherwise the both the syrup and carbonated will warm up that's sitting inside the long lines. Not only does that means the soda/syrup that's sitting inside the long lines would be very warm when it's first served after sitting, but the carbonated water part of it can even start to go flat as a result of getting warm. I contacted both of the above vendors, and I was quoted just under $4k for a system from both of them with what I would need as far as length of lines and the H/D remote cooler/refrigeration unit. Sorry, but that is a bit too much.

Soooooo... I went on ebay and hung around and waited for something that was just right to finally to show up. And it did just last week, and I won the bid on a complete system that was just removed from a club/bar, that ran two barguns, with one of them being up the second floor of the club. And the system I won is only 5 years old, the refrigeration unit was manufactured on 05/2003. I just received it all two days ago. and it included, one H/D remote chiller/refrigeration unit, not just one but TWO 12 button Wunder-Bar barguns, 8 syrup pumps, CO2 regulator and all the pressure gauges, one bundle of line 20 feet long, and second bundle of line 60-70 feet long, and a manifold to hook it up to run both barguns at once. In fact, the remote cooler/refrigeration unit that it came with, is the exact same H/D one that sodabarsystems quoted me for $3,800 shipped, and that was without a bargun. With everything I got on the one I won on ebay, my guess is that it would be over $5k for everything if I bought it all new.

My winning bid for it all, was $250, and shipping was another $225. So for just under $500, I got what would be well over $5,000 worth of equipment if it was new.

I hope to get it all setup and running, probably somewhere around in a few weeks to a month.

Here is a picture of my soft serve machine with a few other toys I have added. I just bought the frozen drink machine and so far it has been a big hit. I now have one side filled with cherry slush and the other with margarita. I thought the soft serve machine was simple to clean but this thing is extremly simply to clean and operate.

http://blackcows.com/toys/

Mike

Wow Johnla. Good deal! I could totally do one of these in less than 6' as I have a stairwell behind my counter. I should hold off for now though. I have already done plenty of overkill. Thanks for the information and good luck with your new system!!!!

Here is a picture of my soft serve machine with a few other toys I have added. I just bought the frozen drink machine and so far it has been a big hit. I now have one side filled with cherry slush and the other with margarita. I thought the soft serve machine was simple to clean but this thing is extremly simply to clean and operate.

http://blackcows.com/toys/

Mike

Very cool setup there. Is this on the entrance to your theater or in it?

Wow Johnla. Good deal! I could totally do one of these in less than 6' as I have a stairwell behind my counter. I should hold off for now though. I have already done plenty of overkill. Thanks for the information and good luck with your new system!!!!


There is another one on ebay right now, so far it's at $100. Item # for it is 330238998978 in case you are interested in it.

Thanks I think. Wow that could be sooooo cool! I will totally bid on that. So what else do you need besides the syrup? I suppose you would need a co2 tank too right? Anything else?

Mike,

I know you were going to get some Frosty Greeze (Gold Medal) mix. If you did, try mixing some powdered milk in with the water (2 or 3 quarts worth of powder). It makes the soft serve MUCH creamier, and adds a very nice additional flavor. I bought a big box (22 quarts worth) at Sams for $9.50. I actually like it much better than the dairy mix - Its lighter/fluffier, and has a better flavor - I think very near DQ quality. Also, it moves through the machine better - the dairy mix is so thick it sometimes runs low in the freezing chamber when its being dispensed at a high rate...

Jerry

I think it's safe to say this guy likes his ice cream :rolleyes:

Um yeah. How long does that stuff keep in the machine? I sold one of those really nice commerical machines a year ago. I was tempted to keep it, but it seems like a lot of hassle and produces more than we could eat. But I guess if it keeps for a long time, you would just have to pay for the electrical expense.

On the other hand it would be a big crowd pleaser! (sometimes a big crowd pleaser isn't the best thing though :) )

Here is a picture of my soft serve machine with a few other toys I have added. I just bought the frozen drink machine and so far it has been a big hit. I now have one side filled with cherry slush and the other with margarita. I thought the soft serve machine was simple to clean but this thing is extremly simply to clean and operate.

http://blackcows.com/toys/

Mike

Any plans for one of these on the roof?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d4/7-eleven-brand.svg/170px-7-eleven-brand.svg.png

I hope you have kids, their friends must love hanging out at your place!

mbartenhagen definitely needs to add a Slurpee machine to the mix!

This one is close enough for me. Bring on the summer heat!

http://blackcows.com/toys/photos/rs0.jpg
http://blackcows.com/toys/photos/rs2.jpg

"Thank you, come again!" :)

"Thank you, come again!" :)

ahahaha! lol

Awesome! OK so you totally have to have one of those hot dog roller steam tray thingers too.

A good Hot cocoa machine would be nice for the winter.

Very cool setup there. Is this on the entrance to your theater or in it?

Would you believe it is my furnace room? Here are a few more pictures of the room (we call it the "Bob Marley Room").

http://www.blackcows.com/bcb/

We had thought about adding a bar to our basement but our kids are still young and the area the bar would go into was a big open area where our kids played a lot and we wanted to keep that open so we came up with the idea of painting the celling in the furnace room, putting in some lighting, adding a few cabinets, and a sink. We have the added advantage of being able to close the door to that room and making the basement a touch more formal or opening the door, turing on the neon and making the basement party central. If you look at this site you can see a few pictures of the basement in the background:

http://www.infantilespasms.com/albums/brocsswing/index0.html

Mike

Awesome! OK so you totally have to have one of those hot dog roller steam tray thingers too.

A good Hot cocoa machine would be nice for the winter.


Actually I am going to look at this tomorrow:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/for/695875557.html

My wife says that it would be really stupid to buy this because we can heat hot dogs up in the microwave in about 30 seconds. I am trying to convince her that they will taste much better cooked in this machine:D


Mike

Um yeah. How long does that stuff keep in the machine? I sold one of those really nice commerical machines a year ago. I was tempted to keep it, but it seems like a lot of hassle and produces more than we could eat. But I guess if it keeps for a long time, you would just have to pay for the electrical expense.

On the other hand it would be a big crowd pleaser! (sometimes a big crowd pleaser isn't the best thing though :) )


I leave mine in there as long as a week with no problem. The way the machine works is that the liquid mix is kept in the top (cold) and only a small amount is in the freezing chamber and more is added as you serve ice cream. I paid about $500 for mine and it was a great investement, we have had a lot of fun with it and I am sure I could sell it for that if I wanted to.

Mike

Actually I am going to look at this tomorrow:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/for/695875557.html

My wife says that it would be really stupid to buy this because we can heat hot dogs up in the microwave in about 30 seconds. I am trying to convince her that they will taste much better cooked in this machine:D


Mike

You totally need to get that dude. Doesn't matter what your wife says.
If it helps, I saw that exact same unit sell at a grocery store liquidation auciton for over $250.00 plus buyers fees.

They will totally taste better. Tell your wife that eating hotdogs cooked in the microwave causes cancer. I'm pretty sure that eating hotdogs in any form causes cancer so you aren't lying. :D

I leave mine in there as long as a week with no problem. The way the machine works is that the liquid mix is kept in the top (cold) and only a small amount is in the freezing chamber and more is added as you serve ice cream. I paid about $500 for mine and it was a great investement, we have had a lot of fun with it and I am sure I could sell it for that if I wanted to.

Mike

Maybe I shouldn't have sold them. :( On the other hand, that is a feaking lot of soft serve for me to eat in a week. :D

i can help eat

If I had the machine I would invite you over to help eat my weekly 8 lbs of icecream. On the other hand, I'm not sure that it would be a good value to drive from OH to UT just to get free ice cream especially with current gas prices. :D

must be some fat bastards in here. Hot dog steamers? Pounds of ice cream? It would be great to have, but my butt would be the size of a cement truck in a week if I even had a popcorn popper

must be some fat bastards in here. Hot dog steamers? Pounds of ice cream? It would be great to have, but my butt would be the size of a cement truck in a week if I even had a popcorn popper

I have convinced myself that I may be able to get a job as a plus size model if I can only gain enough weight.

Mike

Hey dude good idea. My doctors office called today and mentioned that according to my latest blood work, I need to eat better and exercise more. :D

Hey dude good idea. My doctors office called today and mentioned that according to my latest blood work, I need to eat better and exercise more. :D

What, the pushing of the remote buttons isn't enough?

I mean I have to walk to the fridge for food. I also have to walk to the bathroom to pee. I thought that was enough. :D

I don't want you to go thinking I'm some kind of hater. Nobody loves cheeze whiz and hotdogs more than this guy. I just have this funny feeling if I ever bought one of these devices that I would transform into Rosie O'Donnell. Like this ice cream machine. The kids would eat the bulk of it I'm sure, but I'd be sneaking cones in all the time for sure! And cheddar popcorn, wow I'd go nuts on that

We don't think you are a hater. I know you secretly have a thing for rosie. :D

I mean I have to walk to the fridge for food. I also have to walk to the bathroom to pee. I thought that was enough. :D

Beer is the answer for getting more exercise.. Seeing has how you really only rent the beer for a rather short amount of time before it moves on after you drink it. ;)


If you drink more beer, you will also walk to the fridge more often to get more beer, and you will also walk to the bathroom more often to pee more often.
End result, you will walk more and get more exercise. Truely, a vicious but happy cycle just to get more exercise....:D

Same with coke to a lesser extent.

Same with coke to a lesser extent.


Yeah, but as Cliff said to Norm on Cheers, there are advantages to drinking beer.....;)


"Cliff Clavin's Theory of Beer

One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. and here's how it went:

Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first.

In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.
And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

Good point!

OK Point!

Where can I get the soft serve mixes dairy and otherwise?

Where can I get the soft serve mixes dairy and otherwise?

For the dry mixes you can check for a Gold Medal dealer in you area. For the liquid mixes I get them at our local Hy-Vee (Grocery Store), they stock half gallons in the summer and in the winter if I give them a call they can get it for me in a day or two. You can also get it at Sam's Club, their's is frozen and keeps for a year so I usually have some of that around also but the kids like the fresh better. I think I pay about $6.00 a gallon for either and becuase of the way soft serve is made you get about 50% overrun (air mixed into the ice cream) so a gallon of mix makes about 1 1/2 gallons of ice cream.

I have also ordered some yogurt mixes on line but we didn't like those much.

Mike

Thanks Mike.

must be some fat bastards in here. Hot dog steamers? Pounds of ice cream? It would be great to have, but my butt would be the size of a cement truck in a week if I even had a popcorn popper

Word.
+1
FTW and all that.

On the other hand, I think this is the "coolest" thread I've ever seen on this site. Nice work, gents. :cool:

it's a great thread, no doubt. Soft serve ice cream is the jam. That's why I said I'd be fatter than hell if I got one. Heck, even a small freezer in my home theater would be tough. It would be filled with Drumstick (all time best ice cream treat) and choco tacos

why did you post that whiskey now i really want a softserve badly druuuumSTIIICk!!!!!!

Yeah instead of the whole soft serve machine thing, I should get a nice box freezer and fill it with Fat Boys, Ice Cream sandwiches, Drumsticks, etc......

I just ordered some of this - Much lower calories, and they say its pretty popular in Hollywood. They eat it all day long they say...
They told me its sort of a frozen "protein shake" as far as nutrition goes.

http://www.carbawhey.com/index.html

is that the Ron Jeremy brand?

oh funk he bought something from ron jeremy?

No idea what you guys are talking about. I will post about the quality of the mix when it gets here. They were very quick to ship, and the price was pretty good.

Jerry

I just ordered some of this - Much lower calories, and they say its pretty popular in Hollywood. They eat it all day long they say...
They told me its sort of a frozen "protein shake" as far as nutrition goes.

http://www.carbawhey.com/index.html

hollywood + protein shake = Ron Jeremy brand soft serve?

I'm out - Thanks for smelling up the thread fellas...

Well let us know when you get your mixes.

So has anyone tried the soft serve mixes in the compressor based ice cream makers such as the Musso? I wonder if it can create the same basic quality. I have been looking at buying one of these as it can do regular ice cream and pina colada type stuff.

Came across a Sani Serve, don't know the model number yet. Anyone have any information or knowledge about this manufacturer.

Came across a Sani Serve, don't know the model number yet. Anyone have any information or knowledge about this manufacturer.

http://www.saniserv.com/products.jsp

Watson5,

Probably two things that will be important are toi see if the machine is 110V, many are 220V, and also if it is air cooled as some are water cooled.

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the good information. Just wondering how you use yours: Do you use everyday or just weekends and special events? Do you keep it on when not in use or turn it off completely? Also, can the chamber be kept cold without any mix in the top, sort of a standby mode? I suppose if its not kept on it would take a while for the chamber to get cold enough.

Mike,

Thanks for the good information. Just wondering how you use yours: Do you use everyday or just weekends and special events? Do you keep it on when not in use or turn it off completely? Also, can the chamber be kept cold without any mix in the top, sort of a standby mode? I suppose if its not kept on it would take a while for the chamber to get cold enough.

No real method to how we use ours, during the summer it is full a lot of the time. Once I fill it I will usually leave it filled for about as long as a week but much past that the ice cream starts to taste bad. It only takes about 10 minutes or less to clean so after I clean it I put it back togeather and it is ready to go. I think you would find they really are very flexable, in the winter it may sit empty for week and in the summer it may be full for a week cleaned out one night and filled the next to stay full for a week again.

Mike

As for keeping the machine cold while it is empty that would not be necessary. On my machine I would guess it takes 5 minutes or less to go from turned off and empty to serving ice cream. I always have it cleaned and put togeather when it is empty and that way if we decide to have ice cream I turn it on and pour in the mix and away we go. The way a soft serve machine works is that the mixing chamber holds a little bit of mix and as you draw ice cream out the liquid in the top (which is kept cool but not frozen) flows into the chamber.

Mike

So do any of you guys use a shake mixer to make flavored shakes with your machines?

Having one of those setups would expand your soft serve into new super cool dimensions!!!!

I have thought about it but we just use a spoon to make shakes and it works well and gives one less thing to keep clean.

Mike

Yeah I can see how the spoon would work, but the Electro Freeze mixer is just too cool. :D

Why spend big bucks for something like a Electro Freeze mixer? Just buy one of the lower cost normal Hamilton Beach "Drinkmaster" 727B drink/shake mixers for about $30 from amazon, they work great and are very easy to clean. Clean up takes less than 5 minutes. Yes it's made with mostly with plastic and not metal, but if you don't abuse it, it works just fine. If you want a better one, move up the line to one of their all metal ones like they have in the "Eclectrics" series, such as the 65110 for about $66.


http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/products/drink-mixers-all-drink-mixers.php

I didn't know how much those suckers cost. We got one for free. Don't have the ice cream machine to go with it though. :(

Anyone else added a soft serve machine lately? I found a new toy to go with mine and thought I would share.

I always thought about buying a mixer to make Blizzard or McFlurry type of drinks but didn't want to deal with the mess. I was in McDonalds the other day and saw them making a McFlurry, I guess I never paid attention before but on their machines they use a spoon for an agitator. It clips on to the shaft, mixes the McFlurry then pulls off of the shaft and goes with the McFlurry to the customer so they have absolutly no mess...very cool for a neat freak like me. I did some searching and found a company that sells the spoons, 800 in a box, which should last me a few years and now am looking for a mixer. The mixer needed is a Vita-Mix VM0800 which is a common mixer, you can find them on eBay under a lot of different names.

One other thing I found at the same distributor is a shelf stable vanilla soft serve mix that is liquid and tastes very good. I have tried many mixes for my machine, the frozen gallons from Sam's Club is good but requires some pre planning as it is frozen. I can get a fresh liquid from the local grocery store but they only stock in the summer and again requires some preplanning and only lasts about 10 days so it can go out of date. I have tried the powdered mix which is also good but requires some mixing prior to using. The liquid ready to use is great becuase it is shelf stable for 2 years and is ready to use at anytime. No mixing just cut the corner of the bag, pour it in and a few minutes later great ice cream. Here is the place I purchased mine:

http://www.mccormackdistributing.com/

They sent is UPS and I had it in a day.

Mike

OK, so what is the brand name of the liquid soft serve mix? The link you posted really don't provide much information.

It's KanPak: http://www.kan-pak.com/

Mike

Hmmmm..... Looks like even Kan-Pak likes to keep it a mystery.
I don't see the reason for it, but they pretty much have no real information about any of their products on their own web site.

What kind of info are you looking for?

Mike

Most companies when you go to their web site, they at least have some more detailed information about what their products are. And usually when it involves any kind of food products, that information also includes at least the basics of what the product is made up with. This company pretty much gives you nothing but the names of the products, and also leaves you wondering about what their basic contents are.