Have you been able to source replacement huns for your melanger wheels? It feels so wasteful to replace the whole wheel if you don't need to. Would also add backup thermometer to the list after I managed to drop mine into a pan of boiling sugar last night 😖
Backup thermometer is a great idea! sorry for your loss :) I’ve heard from makers recently that DCM has sent replacement hubs, though the type varies between blue/plastic and the new brass. They sent me the original white style when I reached out, two years ago.
Hey there. Can you tell me more about out your DIY melter? Do you pour your chocolate out of the melanger when ready into it? Do you temper it John Nanci style with Silk? And then do you use the sous vide thing to keep it at a constant temp while you dip the ladle in to fill your molds?
I ask because I pour my chocolate out of the melanger and into a glass bowl. I stir and wait to get temp down to about 95-96 and temper with Silk I have made myself. Then I pour into a disposable clear pastry bag and cut the tip and dispense from that pastry bag of molten chocolate into the mold I have set on the scale.
Sorry for the long questions, I just subscribed to your site and I think I am going to love it! I am mostly self taught so I have sort of developed my techniques through various books and things.
I use my melter a few ways. (1) is to have a large amount for a "big" tempering run. I can get 2 full batches from a tilting tabletop into it, so I make one, pour it in, make the second, pour it in, then on the day batch 3 is ready I set up to temper, pour #3 out of the melanger into a bowl to cool, and temper that one. I follow up 2 more tempering runs that same day. This way I lessen the number of time I have to clean the melanger between batches (same identical batches, so no cleaning). I also use it to (2) to melt chocolate that I've poured and let set up in a hotel pan (same size as what the pitcure shows w/ the melted chocolate). No chopping, just plop the pan into the melter and it's melted the next a.m.
Yes, I use cocoa butter seed--I make my own using a sous vide, but I also have an EzTemper, which makes seed. I most often make inclusion bars or swirl bars that can't be melted/re-tempered, and so I add seed a bit lower, at 93.3 to be certain it all goes well!
I am struggling to remove one of my wheels and I think it is because there are ridges inside the hub. I asked Premier and they offered to sell me a new wheel (for £80 and my machine is only 14months old and used maybe 20 times) - they didn't mention I could replace the hub! Is it easy to remove and replace them?
First~~there’s the issue of ridges inside the hub. This would imply there’s uneven pressure, which is causing wear. This (I think) is the crux of an ongoing issue that DCM denies/won’t (or can’t) address. As for removing the hubs: many makers have experienced a hub or both simply falling out (one maker told me the wheels arrived with none at all). If they’re secure/tight: use a heat gun, being careful not to melt the hub, then using a flathead screwdriver and mallet, tap it out.
As for their customer service issue (charging a lot to correct a problem they know about) it makes me sad to say, but this is also an ongoing problem that I don’t have an answer for.
Have you been able to source replacement huns for your melanger wheels? It feels so wasteful to replace the whole wheel if you don't need to. Would also add backup thermometer to the list after I managed to drop mine into a pan of boiling sugar last night 😖
Backup thermometer is a great idea! sorry for your loss :) I’ve heard from makers recently that DCM has sent replacement hubs, though the type varies between blue/plastic and the new brass. They sent me the original white style when I reached out, two years ago.
Good to know! I'll reach out to them next time I need replacements
Hey there. Can you tell me more about out your DIY melter? Do you pour your chocolate out of the melanger when ready into it? Do you temper it John Nanci style with Silk? And then do you use the sous vide thing to keep it at a constant temp while you dip the ladle in to fill your molds?
I ask because I pour my chocolate out of the melanger and into a glass bowl. I stir and wait to get temp down to about 95-96 and temper with Silk I have made myself. Then I pour into a disposable clear pastry bag and cut the tip and dispense from that pastry bag of molten chocolate into the mold I have set on the scale.
Sorry for the long questions, I just subscribed to your site and I think I am going to love it! I am mostly self taught so I have sort of developed my techniques through various books and things.
Hi David, no such thing as long questions!!
I use my melter a few ways. (1) is to have a large amount for a "big" tempering run. I can get 2 full batches from a tilting tabletop into it, so I make one, pour it in, make the second, pour it in, then on the day batch 3 is ready I set up to temper, pour #3 out of the melanger into a bowl to cool, and temper that one. I follow up 2 more tempering runs that same day. This way I lessen the number of time I have to clean the melanger between batches (same identical batches, so no cleaning). I also use it to (2) to melt chocolate that I've poured and let set up in a hotel pan (same size as what the pitcure shows w/ the melted chocolate). No chopping, just plop the pan into the melter and it's melted the next a.m.
Yes, I use cocoa butter seed--I make my own using a sous vide, but I also have an EzTemper, which makes seed. I most often make inclusion bars or swirl bars that can't be melted/re-tempered, and so I add seed a bit lower, at 93.3 to be certain it all goes well!
I am struggling to remove one of my wheels and I think it is because there are ridges inside the hub. I asked Premier and they offered to sell me a new wheel (for £80 and my machine is only 14months old and used maybe 20 times) - they didn't mention I could replace the hub! Is it easy to remove and replace them?
First~~there’s the issue of ridges inside the hub. This would imply there’s uneven pressure, which is causing wear. This (I think) is the crux of an ongoing issue that DCM denies/won’t (or can’t) address. As for removing the hubs: many makers have experienced a hub or both simply falling out (one maker told me the wheels arrived with none at all). If they’re secure/tight: use a heat gun, being careful not to melt the hub, then using a flathead screwdriver and mallet, tap it out.
As for their customer service issue (charging a lot to correct a problem they know about) it makes me sad to say, but this is also an ongoing problem that I don’t have an answer for.