Soft serve ice cream machine at home?

[Mercury00]

Is it possible? I'm obsessive about ice cream and have it every day if I can. As much as I love the parlour flavours (blueberry is my favourite) you just can't beat pink and white Mr. Whippy, so I was wondering if it was possible to get a machine like they have in ice cream vans for use in my house? Sounds a bit mad but it's something I've been thinking of for years.

[TokyoSexwhale]

Are you GALLARDOGUY under a new name?!



I'd have thought so but might be costly to keep 'on stand by' from a leccy point of view.

I'd also assume it's supposed to be cleaned out daily maybe...

But other than that, go for it!

[Sharted]

Dream topping.

Make it a bit thicker than suggested and freeze for a bit in a piping bag.

Could add any colour/flavour you like.

[littleguy]

of course it's possible. Whether it's 'sensible' is a different story altogether.

http://www.taylor-company.com/product/soft-serve_l...

[G600]

What about cornetto soft? Not quite Mr whippy but a lot more practical at home http://www.wallsrefrigerationsolutions.com/product...

[FiF]

A long time ago when I was still earning a crust as a forensic material scientist was asked to examine the parts of one of these soft serve ice cream machines. One of the components, a stainless steel tube had corroded right through the wall.

The analysis of the deposits on the ice cream side means that I have never eaten one of these soft serve ice creams since.

[Wacky Racer]

FiF said:

A long time ago when I was still earning a crust as a forensic material scientist was asked to examine the parts of one of these soft serve ice cream machines. One of the components, a stainless steel tube had corroded right through the wall.

The analysis of the deposits on the ice cream side means that I have never eaten one of these soft serve ice creams since.

I thought stainless steel was immune to corrosion...(Think knives and forks)

[Du1point8]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cuisinart-Soft-Serve-Ice...

[FiF]

Wacky Racer said:

I thought stainless steel was immune to corrosion...(Think knives and forks)

Thought wrong. That's why there are so many different types of stainless to withstand different environments.

This was a case of lousy specification at design stage compounded by a lack of understanding of the sort of crap that goes into and develops in these machines if not looked after correctly.

But to say that it managed to eat a hole right through the wall of 304 stainless which is the stuff that knives and forks can be made from says something unpleasant is in there.

[cold thursday]

FiF said:

something unpleasant is in there.

What was it ? did you find out ?

[FiF]

Sorry it's 40 years ago now. Some sort of pitting corrosion was the failure mechanism.

[hidetheelephants]

Bacteria are quite capable of creating conditions that will chomp through something as crappy as 304, especially with lots of food present. Machines like that need frequent cleaning to avoid harm to either the machine or the consumer.

[spikey78]

I wonder if the ingredients have changed in the last 40yrs to lose the 'pitting mechanism'?

[hidetheelephants]

spikey78 said:

I wonder if the ingredients have changed in the last 40yrs to lose the 'pitting mechanism'?

No idea, although the quality of stainless steel has improved a fair bit in that time.

[FiF]

hidetheelephants said:

spikey78 said:

I wonder if the ingredients have changed in the last 40yrs to lose the 'pitting mechanism'?

No idea, although the quality of stainless steel has improved a fair bit in that time.

True but if the machine is kept clean then 304 should be more than adequate.

If, for example some gloop is allowed to encrust on the surface and isn't removed, you get an area below the deposit where the oxygen level is reduced. At this point there is insufficient oxygen to maintain the very thin layer of chromium oxide which is the protection layer. Just away from the deposit the oxygen level is sufficient to maintain the passive layer. You get a small aerobic- anaerobic electrochemical corrosion cell set up, and just like a battery one of the cell electrodes corrodes. A pit forms, corrosion deposits make the whole thing worse and you're through the wall in no time. Basically in this case it was lack of hygiene which resulted in all sorts of nasties developing.

[Mercury00]

I thought it was going to be a case of finding a machine torn from a van and running it

[Mr Pointy]

FiF said:

True but if the machine is kept clean then 304 should be more than adequate.

If, for example some gloop is allowed to encrust on the surface and isn't removed, you get an area below the deposit where the oxygen level is reduced. At this point there is insufficient oxygen to maintain the very thin layer of chromium oxide which is the protection layer. Just away from the deposit the oxygen level is sufficient to maintain the passive layer. You get a small aerobic- anaerobic electrochemical corrosion cell set up, and just like a battery one of the cell electrodes corrodes. A pit forms, corrosion deposits make the whole thing worse and you're through the wall in no time. Basically in this case it was lack of hygiene which resulted in all sorts of nasties developing.

Crumbs, that's an eye opener. I'll change my order to a choc ice please.

[dtmpower]

Mercury00 said:

I thought it was going to be a case of finding a machine torn from a van and running it

I've only driven an ice cream van once. My brother in law bought one and asked me to pick it up. The ice cream machine was shaft driven off the engine ( and there was rodent droppings present in the cabin which has put me off ice cream vans for life )

[calibrax]

dtmpower said:

( and there was rodent droppings present in the cabin which has put me off ice cream vans for life )

Naah, they were brown sprinkles and choc chips

[Welshbeef]

cold thursday said:

What was it ? did you find out ?

Did you ever find out we are still waiting.