Just Beat It!!!

[talesofthesevenseas]

A while back I posted a Dover cast iron egg beater that was given to me by a friend. This beater had snapped off at the neck, due to a flaw in the iron, there was an air bubble in the the center of the neck, which essentially made it hollow. I tried to epoxy it, but it kept snapping off.



The other day I made cookie frosting and after beating, and beating, and beating with a fork until my arms were numb, I finally admitted that the time had come to give up on trying to repair the beater and locate another one.

My mother, bless her heart, tried to talk me into an electric mixer, reminding me that my grandmother had no qualms about using one and neither should I. Being the antique-loving nutcase that I am, I insisted in no uncertain terms that I would not allow an electric mixer into my kitchen! Mom shook her head and I think she said something like "Whatever makes you happy!"

This is what makes me happy- $29 for not one, but four antique beaters in various sizes! Woohoo!



All but the one in the back are clean and fully functional.

The one in front is made by A & J Manufacturing Co and here is what I found on it: "This rare sized beater was made only one or two years and was designed to fill the need for a beater for small amounts, such as for beating a small amount of cream, or a single egg, or to mix a small portion of mayonnaise. This was last shown in the A & J 1939 catalog – written on the wheel is: Beats Anything – In a Cup Or A Bowl – and also is marked: A & J – Made In United States Of America. Is a four wing beater with wood handles and is 7-1/4 inches length. (Reference from Jane H. Celehar’s "Kitchen’s and Gadgets 1920-1950" 1982 pg. 75) This small size would easily be confused for a child’s toy beater." Source: http://www.tias.com/12908/PictPage/3923918092.html

The second one from the front is marked "T&S" near the handle and "EGG BEATER MADE IN U.S.A PAT. APPLIED FOR". It is in the style of the Dover egg beaters, which were first produced in the 1850's and were so popular that the term "Dover" became synonymous with an egg beater. Dover made beaters through about the early 1900's, so it looks like this one probably falls in that same time frame.

The third one from the front is a really nice, large beater marked "SIDE SADDLE DOVER BEATER PAT. DEC. 27 - 98" I think this one is going to get the most use in my kitchen. It's surprisingly clean, has only two tiny smidgens of rust on the wheel and works great.

The fourth one all the way at the back is the only non-functional one and it is also the oldest of the bunch. It turns, but is so rusty that it catches on itself. The wood is gone from the handle. It is marked "DOVER EGG BEATER 1880", "PAT'D MAY 6TH 1878 APR 3d 1888 NOV 24 1881", "Boston U.S.A", "DOVER STAMPING CO." and a model number "6".

What do you guys think, should I try to clean up the last one with some white vinegar, then oil it to see if I can get it functioning smoothly again? There's no way to get a handle on it again, but it can work just fine without one. I could leave it alone and let it be a decoration. I am thinking however that it would be better for it to try to get rid of it's rust, do you guys agree?

[JoshandLila]

Very cool beaters Tales!! If you wanted to fix the first one a good bronze braze would probably fix it up strong as ever

[talesofthesevenseas]

What is bronze braze? 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Also remember the first one has a casting flaw, air pockets right in the neck where it broke.

[JoshandLila]

Brazing is a high temperature soldering process that works decent on cast. I recently got a couple radiators from my parents house and the cast iron brackets that held the radiator up on the wall had been broken and repaired with a bronze braze 50 years ago and they're still strong as new. welding it with tungsten would also work.. but most people dont have that kind of equipment lying around. Brazing can be done with MAPP gas from the hardware store and a small torch with a rod of bronze braze.. just an idea, I hate throwing things away. Probably more trouble than its worth unless its an heirloom egg beater lol

[talesofthesevenseas]

Since you have the means to fix it, if you would like to give it a good home I would love to give it to you. It was given to me by a friend and it belonged to her grandmother, so I was not going to toss it, but had been keeping its parts carefully in a little drawer for about a year and a half. I don't have the means or the skills to solder it. Would you like to have it? If so, message me with an address where I can send it. I would be glad if it had a home with someone who had the means to do right by it and could make it functional again.

[snowflake]

Nice! and here I thought mine was old. Not so much...

[cogar]

There's no way to get a handle on it again, .....

Tales, not really a big problem iffen you want a handle on it.

First you find someone with a wood lathe to "turn" you out a handle that is almost identical to the handle on the large beater in your picture …… making sure the length of the new handle is slightly shorter than the handle “shaft” of the old beater. That’s a 15 – 20 minute task for someone with a wood lathe.

Next, you drill a hole thru the center of the new handle that is slightly larger than the handle “shaft” of the old beater.

Next, using a sharp knife or wide blade wood chisel, ……. split that new handle, ….. in line with the grain of the wood, ……. right thru the center of the hole you drilled thru it. It will work best if you place the handle on a firm surface, align the knife or chisel just right and then “tap” the knife/chisel one time to keep it from moving …… and then strike it real hard to get a clean break.

Then sparingly apply some “waterproof” glue to the “break” …. then put the two pieces on the handle “shaft” of the old beater and clamp them tight until the glue dries. Then sand it, stain it, paint it ……… and you will never know it was replaced.

Cheers

[mart]

I would fill in the hollow with JB Weld and re-attach the handle !!

[talesofthesevenseas]

Mart, JB Weld is what failed, and it failed just sitting in a bowl, not even being used. I'm afraid that there is more air than metal inside the neck, so soldering it, maybe even inserting a pin into the air gap is probably the only thing that will work for this.

Cogar, I am thinking that maybe I should give the one in need of a handle to you, as I have no access to a lathe, if you would like it. If one goes to you and one to J&L, that still leaves me with the three functioning beaters in three sizes, which is perfect to cover every conceivable mixing concoction that could occur in my kitchen, and I'll have a set of three to hang in a row. Message me with an address to send it to if you would like it.

[cogar]

Thanks, Tales, I appreciate the offer but no thanks. My fixerupperin days are over with, thanks to that *X>%@#? RA. I done sold my lathe, router, drill press, table saw, etc., but still kept my old radial arm saw, planer and some small tools for those "honeydo" if my honey does them jobs via my supervision.

Like her latest “honeydo” project of wanting our small front porch enclosed to keep the snow and rain off of it, which was just completed about 2 weeks ago. And “NO”, she didn’t do it, she hired a “handyman” carpenter to do the work. And of course I figured neither one of them knew what they were gonna do …… so I had them take detail measurements of the 7’x15’ porch and via Micrografx Window Draw created highly detailed construction drawings. Then I sat around and supervised its construction.

HA, my biggest problem was trying to buy a Storm Door because I wanted one that I could hang “backwards”, ….. meaning, I wanted to hang it on the inside of the door jam so that it would open to the inside ……. and those young inexperienced Sales Clerks at both Lowes and Home Depot thought I was crazy because they knew fer sure that all Storm Doors open to the outside. Those youngens have got a lot to learn, ya know.

Anyway, here is what that completed “honeydo” project looks like.

[Oceans64]

HA, my biggest problem was trying to buy a Storm Door because I wanted one that I could hang “backwards”, ….. meaning, I wanted to hang it on the inside of the door jam so that it would open to the inside ……. and those young inexperienced Sales Clerks at both Lowes and Home Depot thought I was crazy because they knew fer sure that all Storm Doors open to the outside. Those youngens have got a lot to learn, ya know.

I'm with you on this Cougar. Our front door has a storm door on it that opens to the outside.  Makes me nuts!!  If I want to let people in the house they almost have to step off the small porch to get out of the way.  Then there is the issue of juggling the excited dog who has a clear path to freedom if you don't body-block it just right!!

Your wife's project turned out great!!  EXCELLENT supervision on your part 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Nice porch!! No worries on the beater Cogar, I can hang it along with it's more functional friends on the wall. Josh&Lila, your project beater is going into the mail today at lunch. 

[talesofthesevenseas]

The beaters in their new home on the kitchen wall...

[Rauville]

Tales;
Nice display. You've got an interesting little collection right there.
BTW: You must be a real sardine lover by the looks of that tin on your cupboard.