# Motor size for grinder



## craddock (Mar 23, 2020)

I have used the search and found several threads but I have a question.  

I am motorizing an Enterprize or Chop-rite grinder.  For now it will be a #22.   I currently have a #8 LEM 1/3 hp and in the past I had a Cabela's #8 that was 1/2 hp but was stolen.   LEM has increased the hp on the #8 to 1/2 I believe.  Now the Cabela's was a beast.  They only bottleneck was the small throat size.  The LEM is weak.  I getting venison and I don't buy into the logic that silver skin makes for gamey taste one bit.  Because of this I like to grind partially frozen.  The LEM will trip the breaker when I try to load it to hard.  It is very frustrating and I feel like I am going to break it.  So with that said here is my question.
     I have seen threads on converting a manual grinder with variously size motors.  One person on here actually used a 1/8hp?!?!   What?   Plenty of others have used a 1/3 HP.   Ideally I would be looking for a 1/2 or 3/4 but there is a 1/3 HP 1720rpm that I can get locally for probably $10-15.   Is my LEM overrated?  I know how silly shop vac ratings are and even see amplifier ratings.   Will a stand alone 1/3 HP motor with proper reduction outperform my weak LEM?    The sausage supply store recommended 175-225 rpm but I have read on here 80 to avoid smearing the meat.   I really am just looking for info on hp rating and if people think a stand alone 1/3 is better than my POS LEM.

Thank You


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## pops6927 (Mar 23, 2020)

I bought a Cabela's 1 hp electric grinder brand new, getting a deal at Christmas time on it and never looked back,  I have since given it to my sons to share because of my failing health, and it will last them for years to come.  It has a #22 throat and can grind up anything you want with it's 1 hp motor, well worth everything I paid for it! And' it has all the safety guards built into it automatically. I've seen hands sucked into grinders (I was a professional meat cutter for over 40 years) and your fingers are worth much, much more than the "do-it-yourself" manual-to-electric conversion units out there)! For a few hundred $, do your hands and your family a favor and be a professional and get the professional equipment to do the job right the first time, instead of making a tragic error!  The investment in quality equipment is always the right choice!






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These are what I bought and they did the job just fine, and safely!


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