TR: Help Me Build A Taffy Pulling Machine

**bedtime4bonzos** · 10-05-2008, 12:52 AM

Thanks very much for the comments... made me think about lots of things I hadn't considered.

The Kitchenaid mixer lead I had fell through. But this morning I saw a listing for a garage sale on Criagslist with a very well used (daily for several years) one near my place. I got it for $40. Score. (Did need a little work tho.)

I went to an industrial supply shop but they didn't have the range of sprockets to quite get the gear ratio i was looking for, so I ordered the sprockets, bearings, and chain from McMaster. They should get here on Wednesday (the 8th).

Ended up going with ANSI 25 chain (1/4" pitch). The bearings and sprockets all fit 1/2 diameter. Sprockets are 72 tooth (x2), 14 tooth, and 20 tooth. One of the smaller two will be the idler. Not sure which yet, but it gives me some flexibilty in choosing a gear ratio (either 1:5, or 1:3.5). The size of the 2 big sprockets (5.88" OD) means that I have to have my arms at least 6" apart. Luckily I was thinking of having about that for spacing anyway.

Here's an mspaint sketch of how I'm picturing the sprocket positions:

Originally Posted by Patches

... mount the sprockets BETWEEN the bearings, not outside. Not only will this change the loading to double shear (better), but now you can put washers or short pieces of pipe on either side of the sprocket to fill the space between it and the bearings, so the sprocket itself will act as a retainer to keep the shaft from falling out of the bearings.

^^^^^ I like this. Going to try to make it happen.

Originally Posted by khakis

only thing I'd suggest is since this thing appears to be independently supported, I would use a 3-piece universal joint type shaft to couple the mixer output to the input for your contraption, otherwise you would have to have said contraption square and level with the mixer, and both bolted down tight.

^^^^^ Good points. Made me re-think the mixer/puller interface. After thinking on it a bit, I realized that the mixer port is actually designed to take care of this issue. When you hook up an accessory (like a meat grinder), you not only mate the drive, but there is a notch in the mixer housing that reacts the torque that the drive creates (there's also a bolt that keeps everything together once you're "plugged in").

This feature will keep me from having to bolt anything down. I'm going to try to find the cheapest Kitchenaid accessory I can and weld the connecty part to the 1/2" diameter rod. Right now, I'm thinking that I won't need the universal joint.

[Edit: I just found the cheap accessory... Actually, I found a whole bunch of them, and they came with another Kitchenaid mixer. All for $50. Looks like I'm going to end up with a mixer too.

The can-opener was the easy choice for which accessory to sacrifice to the taffy puller... I just can't imagine a scenario in which attaching a canopener to a Kitchenaid mixer would be more convenient than using the $2 one I already have.]

Originally Posted by khakis

seems solid stainless rod would be a better choice for the arms on this thing

^^^^^ Agreed. Now to find some.

Originally Posted by jondrums

use TEFLON tubing to coat the outside of it - something like this:
mcmastercarr.com
Part Number: 8547K47

not as cheap as copper tubing, but more "inert" and is also food grade.

^^^^^ I really like this idea. There are plenty of cheap, food-grade tubings that would do the trick. This also made me consider having replaceable (disposable) tubing on taffy-touching parts of the arms. I had worried a bit about how to clean the arms after using it, and this would make it a snap -- just toss 'em after use. I can probably use the same tubing as a spacer between sprockets and bearings, like patches suggested.

**snoboy** · 10-05-2008, 03:42 PM

You know about Google Sketchup... right?

**jondrums** · 10-06-2008, 02:44 PM

btw on the conduit idea - I had intended to mention that you could use a conduit bender to make the entire arms from one piece, and the sprocket shafts can be welded right to it.

For the speeds this thing is going to see, and I assume a fairly slack chain tension, you probably don't need those "high end" cartridge bearings like in make magazine. A hole through a 2x4 with a plastic bushing pushed in will do you for a really long time! (x2 on each side of the sprocket)
Jon

**GeezOar** · 10-06-2008, 03:34 PM

I read this thread and had to go up on the boardwalk and get some salt water taffy. Sat on a bench eating taffy and watching the machine. Pretty relaxing.

**jfost** · 10-07-2008, 12:59 AM

Dude! Now you've done it... how will you rapidly open the 300 cans of corn syrup you need???

**khakis** · 10-07-2008, 01:01 PM

score on the second mixer! I still think you'll need a couple universals between your output and input though.

I think it's onlinemetals.com that has specialty metals available in small quantities if you decide to go with the stainless rod?

bushings instead of pillow blocks is probably a really good call, and cheaper and easier to keep clean than bearings

**RootSkier** · 10-07-2008, 04:30 PM

This thread is cool.

I have nothing to add.

**bedtime4bonzos** · 03-22-2009, 10:22 PM

Success!

Vid:

This finished product:

Sorry it took me so long to post this. Thanks to everyone with suggestions! You can see a lot of those suggestions in the pics above. Internet collaboration is pretty cool.
__________________________

And edit to add: Despite all the really helpful posts, GeezOar definitely wins for my favorite comment. This one made me smile.

Originally Posted by GeezOar

I read this thread and had to go up on the boardwalk and get some salt water taffy. Sat on a bench eating taffy and watching the machine. Pretty relaxing.

**pechelman** · 03-22-2009, 10:26 PM

about time!

wheres my peppermint taffy?

**Tuckerman** · 03-23-2009, 07:29 AM

I was expecting this to be NSFW.

**h2d** · 03-23-2009, 09:06 AM

Forgive my jonging english arse...
what is taffy and why do you need to pull it??
Guessing its just sugar and you pull it so it doesn't harden???

Am i missing out on this stuff?

**bedtime4bonzos** · 03-23-2009, 09:23 AM

Ya, it is pretty much just sugar... but pulling it aerates it to give it the light melt-in-your-mouth texture. (Plus, it's fun to watch.)

This pic shows both pulled and unpulled taffy next to each other:

Ice cream is mixed for the same reason.

**bio-smear** · 03-23-2009, 09:25 AM

This deserves HOF status.

**jondrums** · 03-23-2009, 10:49 AM

awesome!

**ArmadaBC** · 03-23-2009, 10:55 AM

Bravo!!!!

**khakis** · 03-24-2009, 02:05 PM

nice work!

**sensiblesolutions** · 04-07-2010, 11:24 PM

I am so impressed with the kitchen aid system...

How much would you charge to build on for me? I LOVE this!

**lemmycaution** · 04-08-2010, 04:52 PM

this thread should really be a sticky, and i am not saying this only for the pun.

**sensiblesolutions** · 04-09-2010, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by bedtime4bonzos

Ya, it is pretty much just sugar... but pulling it aerates it to give it the light melt-in-your-mouth texture. (Plus, it's fun to watch.)

This pic shows both pulled and unpulled taffy next to each other:

Ice cream is mixed for the same reason.

THIS WHOLE THING IS TWISTED! I WANT ONE REAL BAD HOW MUCH WILL YOU SELL ME ONE FOR?

**Eastside** · 04-09-2010, 02:23 AM

I frequent several forums on a regular basis. This one (TGR) has the most interesting and creative shit by far.

MF

**Huck_Schmuck** · 04-10-2010, 12:06 PM

My teeth are hurting from need. GF says no.

Good effort.

**Curly Early** · 08-09-2010, 03:30 PM

Now that its working, what if anything would you change? This is what I've wanted for some time and my next project, any tips would be appreciated.

**Mowerman** · 10-18-2011, 05:48 AM

Can anyone tell me if I can use a1/2"chuck electric drill slowed down for my motor? I'm having a very hard time finding a kitchen aide mixer or anything else that is slow and strong enough to turn the taffy puller. Any suggestions would be very helpful so PLEASE HELP!!!

Thanks Mowerman Also this is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time.

**Mowerman** · 12-13-2011, 08:51 AM

the chain idea sounds good for the fact that there is no slipping. I'm using pulleys and instead of a V belt I'm going to use a round belt. It seems that it will work on both the v side of a pulley and the ideler

pulley which does not have a V, but is flat. what ya think?