Some of my handiwork


 

LMichaels

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I know some of you have been asking about the KitchenAid machines I rebuild and to see a few photos. The red one was pre-sold and I just took a few photos for posterity. The white one is one I took on trade for the red one. I am sorry I dodn't have before pics. But, to say they were absolutely disgusting would be an understatement. I honestly would not eat anything prepared on either machine prior to rebuild. The white one was especially awful. The PO have dogs and are smokers. The machine had been leaking oil all over itself also. I spent about 4 hours just cleaning and sterilizing it to get rid of pet dander, smoke stains and oil stains. Luckily no "parts" were necessary for rebuild only thorough cleaning, washing out old grease thread locking the motor bolts, and retuning the motor speed to spec.
The red one had a totally destroyed gear case and gear train because the PO was a "smart guy" LOL and figured he could do his own repairs not knowing anything and bought one of those silly kits you find on fleabay with some gears and a plastic cup of some horrid white grease. Well every bearing in that thing locked up, the gears were all stripped out and even the bushings pulled out of the gear housing. Needless to say I did not make much on that machine so am hoping to make it up with the white tilt head.

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Larry-
I have a classic kitchen aid that is really finiky with speed changes. Seems like something in not right inside the machine and has been that way for some time. Common problem? Love the machine otherwise. Probably 25 years old now.
 
Larry-
I have a classic kitchen aid that is really finiky with speed changes. Seems like something in not right inside the machine and has been that way for some time. Common problem? Love the machine otherwise. Probably 25 years old now.

Not sure what you mean by finicky but yes there are some issues that are somewhat common place like this but can be caused by a variety of "issues" internally. Some as minor as putting the tachometer to it and adjusting the speed controls or as serious as electrical or motor issues or a bearing seizing up internally. Without seeing it run very hard to diagnose. Also in the age you're thinking it may be you can have a K45 or a K45SS. If it actually says "Classic" on the band than it is a K45SS and parts are readily available. IN the age you describe I am also sure the grease has become either separated or solidified and needs to have the unit completely dismantled and cleaned out with a fresh load of quality lube installed.
 
Those are great. I love that red. There is not enough baking going on around here to justify one of those and not enough cabinet space to store one, but I know the KA mixers are the bomb for those who do a lot of baking and cooking.
 
Not sure what you mean by finicky but yes there are some issues that are somewhat common place like this but can be caused by a variety of "issues" internally. Some as minor as putting the tachometer to it and adjusting the speed controls or as serious as electrical or motor issues or a bearing seizing up internally. Without seeing it run very hard to diagnose. Also in the age you're thinking it may be you can have a K45 or a K45SS. If it actually says "Classic" on the band than it is a K45SS and parts are readily available. IN the age you describe I am also sure the grease has become either separated or solidified and needs to have the unit completely dismantled and cleaned out with a fresh load of quality lube installed.

Thanks Larry-
This was a gift and has meaning to me. I will look at it tonight and I may film it in action. Its not a make or break thing but maybee I need to have you give it a tune up?
 
I would be happy to. My basic rebuild starts at $65 and includes new grease, a thorough cleaning and full tune to factory spec. Any needed gaskets or seals are also included. Mechanical and or electrical parts are additional but for your model don't really amount to a lot if needed. I don't think I have ever had one go over $100 or if so not by much. On that model it is hard to justify to a customer to spend more than that because new ones are only about $180 to $200 depending on the sales you find. Let me know. I am currently doing 3 more like that red one but because they're "production" machines I can stop them at any time
 
Very nice work Larry. I got Barb a KA about 34 years ago and it gets a lot of workouts. Back then Barb was making pumpkin bread to the tune of 35 loafs at Christmas time and 90-100 dozen Christmas cookies. Not anywhere near that much now. But it still works like new, I use it to grind my hamburger also.
 
Larry,

Those are really stunning machines! I love both colors and especially the beautiful job inside and out that you have done with them. I wish I had known about you back when I bought my wife's Kitchen Aid. I will have to look and see which one it is. You will probably tell me it is not a good model, but it has worked extremely well for the fairly light duty it gets. Got it on a great on-line sale because it was an unusual color - I think it was called "eggplant". A very dark, dark purplish color that basically looks like black. It apparently wasn't very popular and was marked way down compared to the other colors. We are fine with it. One of yours would have been way better, though!
 
Yah, larry puts new Flavorizer Bars in all his KA's so they work really good when he gets done with them.
 
Larry,

Those are really stunning machines! I love both colors and especially the beautiful job inside and out that you have done with them. I wish I had known about you back when I bought my wife's Kitchen Aid. I will have to look and see which one it is. You will probably tell me it is not a good model, but it has worked extremely well for the fairly light duty it gets. Got it on a great on-line sale because it was an unusual color - I think it was called "eggplant". A very dark, dark purplish color that basically looks like black. It apparently wasn't very popular and was marked way down compared to the other colors. We are fine with it. One of yours would have been way better, though!

Honestly I would not tell you anything they made was not a good model. They're really all very good because they had a great formula started by Hobart (and now Whirlpool) and they've stuck with the format (unlike Weber). So almost every KA machine (standing mixer) even going back to the 1930's uses the same basic formula and some can even still use the same repair parts!
Honestly IMO the only thing KA has done "wrong" is the succumbing to possible lawsuit issues and going with an inferior lubricant to try and keep it "food safe" which it still is NOT. If you look at the MSDS sheet for the OEM KA grease and pain old chassis grease from industrial and auto applications they read the same. Both are toxic.
Honestly I have not looked at the MSDS for the product I use (though it too says food safe) but it is MUCH more reliable. It does not separate and leak out, it holds up much better to EP (extreme pressure) use, withstands the heat of the gear trains better also without breaking down, melting and or running.
True though there are some machines I tend to avoid. Not because they're "bad" they just don't have the profit margin I look for thanks to stores throwing them on sale dirt cheap. If you watch sales you can buy a "Classic" for as little as $150 on sale. I cannot compete with that. It means I have to sell the machine for only $80 to 90 to get it sold. Not worth my time. So I tend to stay with no smaller than the Artisan (tilt head) and the larger lift style machines like the red one you see there
 

 

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