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Artofex mixer -- was feelies in baking

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barry

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Jul 7, 2005, 5:25:42 PM7/7/05
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I just got off the phone with the US reps for Artofex. The lady there said
that they used to make a small one for lab work, but hadn't made it for
about 40-50 years. In fact, she said, they were looking for one for their
front office display, but hadn't been able to find one.

So I found one for them, but it's in Australia. It's a cute little mixer,
12" bowl diameter, about 6" deep. Looks neat.

Barry


Roy

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Jul 7, 2005, 10:55:10 PM7/7/05
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Barry you should have bought it ....It is good piece of equipment
already considered a vintage model.....made by an institution that
never wavered in quality craftmanship ....Unlike the kitchen
aide<sigh>.
Roy

barry

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Jul 7, 2005, 11:37:27 PM7/7/05
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"Roy" <rba...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1120791310.5...@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Roy,

I talked at some length to the lady at the US agent for Artofex. She said
that the machine was made in the 1940s, maybe 1950s. The bowl has
screwheads inside it, which she said was no longer allowed for sanitary
reasons, which doesn't bother me. She also said that it would cost a
fortune to ship it from Australia to here.

I'm going to keep looking for one here in the US.

Barry


barry

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Jul 7, 2005, 11:42:48 PM7/7/05
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"Roy" <rba...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1120791310.5...@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

I just got an "indicative" price quote from the people in australia.
A$3200.

Barry


Roy

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Jul 8, 2005, 12:03:23 AM7/8/05
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Barry.. how about here .... there is still a small scale model of such
Artofex mixer available..
http://www.processplant.com/used/Mixers.html
Roy

Roy

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Jul 8, 2005, 12:06:59 AM7/8/05
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> just got an "indicative" price quote from the people in australia.
>A$3200.
The artofex lady is right......It cost a fortune.....really a vintage
equipment<g>
Roy

Roy

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Jul 8, 2005, 12:09:17 AM7/8/05
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>A$3200.

Barry


Maybe this one is cheaper?
http://www.processplant.com/image.asp?ID=7444&pID=914815.jpg
Roy

Roy

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Jul 8, 2005, 12:11:52 AM7/8/05
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What a nice piece of equipment!
http://www.processplant.com/image.asp?ID=7444&pID=914820.jpg
Would the accompanying bench fit your kitchen?<g>
Roy

barry

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Jul 8, 2005, 12:54:39 PM7/8/05
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That's the one I found and which they will sell to me for the piddling sum
of A$3200, plus shipping, etc.

I'm going to keep looking. However, the lady at the company said that they
sold VERY few of them each year, so finding one might be impossible.

Barry


Roy

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Jul 8, 2005, 4:13:25 PM7/8/05
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Re- thinking my earlier point, where I compared the price to the modern
equipment of the same capacity. I will not trade that cute Artofex for
10 Quart HOBART or the same capacity Teddy Bear Varimixer(if I only
make doughs all the time.)
It just belong to a different class; being a vintage piece of equipment
which is already considered a museum showpiece much like a Stradivarius
violin(IMO) <g>.
Indeed it is worth its value to a dollar and you can still recoup your
investment as its likely to give you many years of service, that a
number of modern Asian made Kitchen Aide mixers, (you will
purchase,use, discard, get another one, ad nauseaum) summmed in terms
of total costs still cannot equal IMO the artofex craftmanship and
longevity.
Your only problem is when it breaks down ,its difficult to get a spare
part for repairs<sigh>.
Roy

barry

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Jul 8, 2005, 7:33:40 PM7/8/05
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"Roy" <rba...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1120853605.0...@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

I agree with your sentiments, but A$3200 for a home mixer? That's 50 years
old? :-))

My 25 year old Hobart/Kitchen Aid does well, but I was inrtigued with the
Artofex's action and the promise that it brings to making artisanal breads.
It looks like it will sort of mix and punch down at the same time.

What other makes of smaller professional-action mixeres are there? Do you
think there's enough of a market for these things to justify making them?

For $3200 (US) I can equip a good small machine shop and make these things.
If one could get, say, $800 for them, then it just might pay. Certainly the
advances in bearing and metal technology in the past 60 years are enough to
make the machines even more durable and wear-resistant than they were back
then, or make them so easily fixable that they would be almost ever-lasting.

I saw a picture of one with a 1/4 hp motor hitched to the back end and
driven via a gearbox on top. Well, an intelligent choice of gear head and
seals makes this arrangement last a long time and easy to fix when it wears
out. The arms could be carried by teflon sleeve bearings that would be a
snap to replace -- sell the machine with two spare sets. And so forth and
so on.

Barry


Roy

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Jul 8, 2005, 8:55:56 PM7/8/05
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>My 25 year old Hobart/Kitchen Aid does well, but I was inrtigued with the
>Artofex's action and the promise that it brings to making artisanal breads.
>It looks like it will sort of mix and punch down at the same time

To be exact, the mixer is suited to individuals that prefer an
equipment that simulate hand mixing of doughs.

>What other makes of smaller professional-action mixeres are there? Do you
think there's enough of a market for these things to justify making
them?


There are plenty....I have used a lot of laboratory scale, planetary
mixers( like Hobart), spiral mixers, artofex mixer, vertical cutter
mixer( like a food processor), Tweedy high speed mixer, Z blade mixers,
Oakses mixers( for cakes and aerated confections),
etc.
As long as baking laboratory exist and there is a need for smaller
scale equipment that can duplicate the large equipment in mixing
performance,; manufacturers will continue to do so.
There is a huge demand from R&D and other test ktichen and laboratory
baking instituttion for such.
Any chemical or food processsing engineer had to scale down any
potential recipes before they try that in production scale basis. They
market is significant for such miniature equipment.

>For $3200 (US) I can equip a good small machine shop and make these things.
>If one could get, say, $800 for them, then it just might pay. Certainly the
>advances in bearing and metal technology in the past 60 years are enough to
>make the machines even more durable and wear-resistant than they were back
>then, or make them so easily fixable that they would be almost ever-lasting.

If you had the aptitude or mechanical bent you can surely re-engineer
or fabricate any parts and even improve its performance.
IF we base it on the price of procurement of such institutional
equipment; its is a fact that they are priced above the toys we play
in our kitchen.Just consider the price of a 5 quart Hobart mixer, its
way above the cost of the similar bowl size kitchen model.
The former is built ot improve profit margin of the manufacturer while
the latter was built to last but with a higher price.
Therefore thinking further, if I am a dedicated bread baker I would not
mind buying and equipment which from experience is good performing.and
built to last.
If I spent my vacation money on it I wouldn't mind; and its still a
wise investment for me, as I spend more time in the kitchen than in the
tourist spots overseas.
Roy

RsH

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Jul 8, 2005, 10:50:23 PM7/8/05
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http://www.artofex.ch/html_de/englisch/occasion.html sells used but
reconditioned machines - located in Switzerland, a little closer :-)
=======================================================
<r...@idirect.com>
Copyright retained. My opinions - no one else's...
If this is illegal where you are, do not read it!

barry

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Jul 8, 2005, 11:32:39 PM7/8/05
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"RsH" <r...@idirect.com> wrote in message
news:npeuc1p49ks0pcqpm...@4ax.com...

Zing!! Right into my Favorites List! Thanks! Maybe they have a PH0 machine
or the lab machine.

The PH0 is 1 1/2' wide, 2' long and 2' high. It's got a 1/4 hp motor and
looks to be a heavy, solid machine.

Don't know what it costs, but if I had the space, I'd be tempted. :-)

Barry


RsH

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Jul 9, 2005, 8:02:33 AM7/9/05
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Read their site carefully and they state that they build NEW Artofex
machines as well. What they would charge I could not begin to guess,
but if they will build it, you can get it!

RsH
--------------------------------
On Fri, 8 July 2005 23:32:39 -0400, "barry" <john...@optonline.net>
wrote:

>"RsH" <r...@idirect.com> wrote

>> http://www.artofex.ch/html_de/englisch/occasion.html sells used but
>> reconditioned machines - located in Switzerland, a little closer :-)
>> =======================================================
>> <r...@idirect.com>
>

frank...@gmail.com

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Nov 30, 2017, 4:02:23 PM11/30/17
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I know this is an outdated thread. We have a tabletop Artofex double arm mixer, possibly from the 1940's-1950's that is in great working order. However the bowl is peeling its original finish off and it flakes into the dough. Have you come across anyone in the US the repairs this mixer, or anyone selling used newer models

Boron Elgar

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Dec 1, 2017, 8:24:40 AM12/1/17
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Maybe there is a contact number here:

http://www.excellent-bagels.com/triplemixer.html

Peter Flynn

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Dec 7, 2017, 4:04:33 PM12/7/17
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On Thu, 30 Nov 2017 13:02:22 -0800 (PST), frank...@gmail.com wrote:
[...]
> I know this is an outdated thread. We have a tabletop Artofex
> double arm mixer, possibly from the 1940's-1950's that is in great
> working order. However the bowl is peeling its original finish off
> and it flakes into the dough. Have you come across anyone in the US
> the repairs this mixer, or anyone selling used newer models

I assume it's the finish on the outside of the bowl (and that the inside
is bare metal). If the bowl can be removed, it should be a simple job
for any paintshop to strip the outside and powder-coat it. That gives
you a stoved finish which should last for decades. If it's just the bowl
that needs attention, I'd look to that method before trying to find
spares or maintenance.

///Peter

frank...@gmail.com

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Feb 6, 2018, 9:28:27 AM2/6/18
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Thank you for your help.
It is the inside of the bowl that is peeling. How durable is powder coating? Could it be used on the inside of the bowl?

Bertie Doe

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Feb 8, 2018, 6:54:26 AM2/8/18
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wrote in message
news:b5ff90b2-d912-4955...@googlegroups.com...
>anyone selling used newer models.

Forget the cute tabletop models. Scrap the cement mixer and bid for this
beauty :-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/artofex-mixer/362233124981?hash=item5456c6d875:g:fsgAAOSwLs9ad~R4#shpCntId

Can't believe the shipping to the States is only £13 :-)


Peter Flynn

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Feb 10, 2018, 3:50:24 PM2/10/18
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On 06/02/18 14:28, frank...@gmail.com wrote:
> Thank you for your help.
> It is the inside of the bowl that is peeling.

That is deeply worrying. Why would they coat the inside of the bowl
where it's bound to be abraded away over the years. What is it coated
with? The only thing I can imagine is that it's some kind of non-stick
coating. If that's it, it may be possible to get it re-coated and stoved
on like the original, but it's not a task you can undertake yourself
without a lot of special equipment.

> How durable is powder coating? Could it be used on the inside of the bowl?

Probably, but it isn't intended for abrasion, unlike non-stick coating.

///Peter

Peter Flynn

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Feb 10, 2018, 3:51:09 PM2/10/18
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On 08/02/18 11:54, Bertie Doe wrote:
[...]
> Forget the cute tabletop models. Scrap the cement mixer and bid for this
> beauty :-
>
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/artofex-mixer/362233124981?hash=item5456c6d875:g:fsgAAOSwLs9ad~R4#shpCntId
>
> Can't believe the shipping to the States is only £13 :-)

By boat, not by air.

P
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