13mm is about the smallest I’ve stuffed with. I think you could go smaller with additional water. The other thing I’ve found is that on smaller sticks, I have to turn the speed down quite a bit or I’ll pop the breaker. I wish my (not Walton’s) brand had an ammeter to show just how much torque the motor was pushing. I might have to wire something up.

I have a 20# electric. Starting with a 25# meat block, adding cheese, water, Sure Gel or Carrot fiber, I always seem to end up right about 32-34 pounds. That makes for two refills, and give me a break between batches. From what I’ve seen of 30# stuffers, they look to just be taller, not wider around. As long as it’s not larger around, the stress on the motor should be the same, but the motor will be running a 50% higher duty cycle than a 20# stuffer.

Are you sure it’s two tablespoons of curing salt? That seems excessive. Even two tablespoons of conventional salt seems a lot for 3 pounds of meat.

I suspect you went to high on the sous vide. I normally do the drying, smoking, and thermal processing up to the 140 point. At that point, I pull, cut them and vac seal. I then put them in the bath for 4-6 hours at 141. That is high enough to pasteurize while not getting fat out.

The up side is that you know there are no pathogens alive in the bag, the down side is the sticks are slightly damp when they come out of the bag. I usually roll them on a paper towel.

I made a 3D printed adapter to use the patty maler on a LEM stuffer. It’s at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4370508.

Grimpuppy said in Patty Maker sausage insert:

Whether I make a new bottom spacer piece or a new poly piece for the top, I still have to make another piece. I don’t think I would really be saving anything there. You would have to find a way to secure the bottom piece so it can not slide, where as if you made a new poly top, you can use existing mounting holes. Six of one 1/2 dozen of the other.

Virgin PLA with a stainless head is considered food contact safe. There is an argument that could be made about microscopic pores and holding bacteria. Since I am not using it as food storage, or processing every day, I am ok with using it to make a few patties 3 or 4 times a year, sanitize it and move on. If I find that it is a problem, I will just coat it.

I guess you learn something new every day. FDA approved food safe PLA wasn’t available a year ago when I was designing the adapter collar. Would you consider sharing the CAD either here or on Thingiverse?

Two things: To make a thinner patty, you could make a piece that goes on the bottom that doesn’t slide. You’d need a hole to allow the top plate to fill, but otherwise would just be a filler. No new polycarbonate needed.

2nd thing, I don’t know of any FDM printer that can produce a food-contact safe product. I printed an adapter to allow the patty maker to be used with a LEM stuffer, but the design ensures that the meat doesn’t actually touch the adapter. As far as I know, none of the SLA resins are food-contact safe either. Possibly the best solution would be to get a 3D print exactly what you want, then look to have a metal SLS version made or print with SLA and then epoxy coat it for protection.

Are you looking for temperature control or smoke element control? If you’re going for temperature control, look up solid state relays and PID controllers. A little bit of work, but you can hold very accurate temperature.

PETG is not soluble by acetone, only ABS. There are solvents for PETG, but they are pretty nasty. The issue is not really “safe for food contact” but can it be sterilized. A 3D printed single use item is fine. I’ve tried to print air tight vessels and realized just how porous 3D printed items are. You end up with juices and fat pushed into the pores, which then collect bacteria, which then contaminates the next batch.

Just be aware of the food safety issues with anything 3D printed in contact with food. There is really no way to sterilize an FDM printed item. SLA printing might be viable, but I haven’t researched food safe resin. You might be able to 3D print and then epoxy coat to seal the print.

I printed an adapter collar for the patty maker to fit on my LEM stuffer. It holds the faces of the horn to the output of the stuffer, so isn’t in contact with food. Used it last weekend to do 40 pounds of patties. I did the as above but I vacuum seal 4 patties to a pack.

I purchased a patty maker that didn’t fit my stuffer. I 3D printed a collar and adapter to make it work. (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4370508). Surprisingly enough, even printed in PLA, it’s held up pretty good.