Page 203 - Alfa International 2023 Catalog

MEAT GRINDING TIPS For meat-grinding plates and knives, see pp. 86-88.

Never run your meat grinder dry. Always have meat Clean your grinder frequently and thoroughly. Remove
in the hopper and lubrication on the plate & knife cutting all meat build-up from the plate surface and edges so the
edges before you turn the machine on. A dry plate and plate seats on the inside of the grinder ring properly. Also
knife can heat up quickly resulting in discolored meat and clean the threads on the head and the ring so it will tighten
possible damage to the machine itself. easily by hand.

DIMENSIONS

GRINDER PLATES

PLATE SPECIFICATIONS

PlAte # of PlAte PlAte
Size notcheS DiAmeter thicKneSS
5 1 2.10" .26"
8 1 2.40" .26"
12 1 2.75" .32"
22 1 3.25" .36"
32 3 3.90" .43"
52 3 5.06" .56"
Diagram shows diameter sizes for
commonly-used grinder plates.

SERVICE TIPS AVOIDING “MUSHY MEAT”

• Tighten the End Ring hand-tight only. Over- The ‘mush” comes from the meat being pushed by the
tightening the ring is a common problem. See our feedscrew through the plate holes but not being cut cleanly
ring-tightening hand tool, p. 74. by the grinder knife. This can happen if the knife and plate
• Always use the same Knife and Plate together. When are dull, or if the tension between plate and knife insuffi-
you reverse a hubless plate to use the other side, a cient to allow the knife to cleanly cut the meat. How to tell
new knife should be used. ALFA recommends that if the tension between the plate and knife is set properly:
two knives be purchased with each hubless plate. the ring can tighten the plate tight against the knife. This
Hubbed plates only allow one side to be used, so can only occur if the plate protrudes out of the cylinder
ALFA Recommends that one knive be purchased
with each hubbed plate. somewhat, allowing the ring to contact the plate and
• Never operate grinder without meat or some food- tighten it against knife. Most feedscrews have a washer on
safe lubricant, such as mineral oil, present on the the rear feedscrew’s round shaft, and this washer can wear FAQS & SCHEMAS
plate surface. This is doubly important because for out or get lost. This allows the feedscrew to insert too
many manufacturers, failure to use adequate lubrica- far into the cylinder, allowing the plate to recess into the
tion will void the warranty on their grinders. See cylinder instead of protruding out. Also, meat ground too
lubricants, p. 142-143. many times will become ‘mushy’.

ALFA International Catalog 2019 / 2020 • Ph 914.273.2222 / 800.327.ALFA (2532) • www.alfaco.com 197