Meat Slicer Troubleshooting 101: Meat Slicer Not Spinning

  • By: Brendan

As with any tool, a meat-slicer, too, requires proper maintenance and may have problems. One of these issues is when the slicer stops spinning.

Let us walk you through a guideline to fix this problem.

If you are planning to troubleshoot all your meat slicer problems on your own then you need to know your device.

Meat Slicer Not Spinning

Since we are talking about spinning problems today, here’s something you must know. This electronic machine has an electric motor, ranging between 0.25 horsepower and 0.5 horsepower, which aides the spinning of the slicing blades.

What to do if the Meat Slicer is not spinning?

Identify the cause of the problem

There can be many reasons why your meat slicer has stopped spinning. It is time to try and understand the reasons.

Check the power switch:

If your meat slicer doesn’t spin, check for the simplest of all problems – whether the device is getting power or not.

Have you plugged the cord properly or it is loosely connected? Have you turned on the switch?

Make sure that the power at the outlet is on, and the power cord is plugged in properly.

Investigate the power cord or the switch for defects:

It is possible that the power cord has been cut, either by mice or by some other sharp instrumets, so the device is not receiving electricity.

It is even possible that the power switch of your device is not working correctly.

In this case, you’ll have to either repair the cord or switch or they have to be replaced.

Check the motor for damage:

If you are sure that the device is receiving power properly, then it is time to look at the motor, which is responsible for making the blades spin.

If your meat slicer has been noisy lately, it is a proof that the motor is overworked.

It is also possible that the teeth of the gears in the motor are damaged.

In such a case, the motor needs to be repaired or replaced, depending on the extent of wear-and-tear.

Check if the Meat Slicer required cleaning:

Prolonged use without cleaning can lead to food residue clogging the meat slicer.

If your slicer refuses to work properly, then it might need some thorough cleaning. Make sure that the auto-speed position sensor vane is clean.

If you follow the manual that came with your slicer, it should not be difficult for you to remove the blade and get rid of any residual food buildup or debris using glass cleaner or cleaning alcohol.

How do you lubricate a meat slicer?

Regularly lubricating your meat slicer at home or at deli would ensure you do not encounter the problem of the slicer not spinning. Lubrication would also ensure that the blades rotate with the least resistance thereby improving cutting efficiency and reducing power consumption.

Lubrication should always be done with a food grade lubricating agent which comes in both aerosol form or gel form (Petro-gel).

Never ever use vegetable oil for lubricating your meat slicer. I have received a lot of queries from readers on whether they can use vegetable oil for this and I highly discourage it.

Vegetable oil gums up the slicer parts and ends up damaging the slicer in the long run.

Here are the steps:

  • Step 1: Remove the food tube by releasing the knob underneath it.
  • Step 2: Tilt up the slicer on the side of the blade to expose the exposed Guide Rod, placed below the slicer.
  • Step 3: Apply the lubricant on the Guide Road using your fingers and slide the Slider up and down a few times to spread the lubricant properly on the Guide Rod.
  • Step 4: Next, to apply lubricant to the sharpening stones, remove the sharpening stone assembly by undoing the release knob.
  • Step 5: Use the aerosol lubricant spray to apply the lubricant on the main shaft as well as the shafts of the sharpening stones. A aerosol spray is preferred here since the sharpening stone assembly is small and it will be hard to apply the gel on the shafts located in narrow spaces.
  • Step 6: Assemble the slicer now and apply the lubricant on the food tube slide rod. Move the in-weight along the slide rod to uniformly apply the lubricant.

And you are done! That’s how you lubricate a meat slicer.

How to repair Meat Slicer at home?

If you know your way around electric devices, repairing or cleaning a meat slicer that is refusing to spin will not be a challenge. All you will need is a screwdriver, a glass cleaner or cleaning alcohol, and some lubricant.

  1. Dismantle the slicer carefully – This will help you to disassemble the blades, motor, product tray, etc. so that you can take a thorough look and examine if the product needs repairing, cleaning, or replacement.
  2. Be careful and safe – Make sure to unplug the power cord before you start with the process to ensure your safety. Be cautious about the screws and the different parts of the device. If you misplace any of them or fail to recognize where each of them goes, you won’t be able to put the machine back together.
  3. Call an expert – If you are used to repair electric devices and are confident enough, you can try to fix the problem of your meat slicer all by yourself. However, recognizing the exact problem or fixing it can get tricky sometimes. In that case, do not hesitate to consult a professional who is licensed to do this kind of job. This is particularly true if the problem is in the motor, or there is a need to replace any part of the slicer.

Conclusion

As it is true with any electronic device, a meat slicer, too, needs thorough and regular care, especially if you use it regularly. Ideally, a heavy-duty meat slicer should be cleaned every four hours. Even if you are using a slicer at home, make sure to clean and lubricate the product regularly to prevent issues. In case of any trouble, like when the slicer stops spinning, make sure to check for the simplest of problems first before you pull apart your device. If you feel that you are unable to recognize or fix the issue, remember that there’s no shame in calling an expert to help you, rather than experimenting with the meat slicer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *