My Meat Slicer Is Not Spinning – Our Troubleshooting Guide & Solution
A common problem that can occur in meat slicers is when they stop spinning, this prevents them from being able to slice through meat with ease and can be difficult to troubleshoot if you are a beginner with these tools.
Most of the time, a meat spinner will stop spinning if there is an issue with the power, the power cord, motor or the device needs lubricating and cleaning, luckily, these issues can be easily remedied and your meat slicer will be back to spinning in no time with a few simple steps.
We have put together an extensive guide below which will familiarise you with the main parts of your meat slicer, which parts might be stopping your slicer from spinning and how to lubricate and repair your machine if your slicer has this issue.
So without further ado, let’s get into it!
Main Components Of a Meat Slicer
Before we can get into troubleshooting our meat slicer to see what is preventing the device from spinning, it’s a great idea to familiarise yourself with the different parts of your slicer so as you can see how the mechanisms work together.
We have listed the main parts of a meat slicer down below and how they work so as you can get to know your slicer better before troubleshooting it.
- Motor – One of the most important of a meat slicer is the motor, the stronger the motor then the faster it will spin the blades around to slice meat on your machine. The horsepower of these motors typically ranges between 0.25 and 0.5 horsepower.
- Blade guard – Blade guards on a meat slicer are easy to take on and off but are essential for safety when you are not using the machine as the blades of the slicer are very sharp.
- Pusher – A pusher in a meat slicer allows the meat or whatever food you are slicing to be kept stable.
- Gauge plate – The gauge plate is what surrounds the blade on your machine and will adjust accordingly when you change thickness settings on the slicer.
- Sharpener – Most meat slicers have built-in sharpeners which allow you to keep the slicer bade sharp and enable easy cleaning of the device.
What Causes a Meat Slicer Not To Spin
Now we know the main components of a meat slicer and how their mechanisms operate, we will troubleshoot and explore the main causes which could be causing your meat slicer not to spin below if you having issues slicing your meat.
We have listed the most common causes below.
- Try the power switch – One of the first causes of a meat slicer, not spinning could be a faulty power switch. Check for any damage on the switch and make sure it has been plugged in correctly into the socket, loose connections can often cause a meat slicer to play up.
- Check the cord of your machine – After checking the power switch of your meat slicer you should also check the cord of the machine, frayed cords or damaged cords can cause your slicer not to function properly.
- Look for any motor damage – The teeth of the gears in your motor might be worn down, or if your motor is noisy it could indicate that the part has been overworked and damaged.
- See if it needs cleaning – Old food build-up and an unclean blade can cause the meat slicer to become clogged and not freely spin, you will need to remove the blade to fix this issue and clean any blockages which are causing the blade of the machine to get stuck.
How To Lubricate Your Meat Slicer
Lubricating your meat slicer can also help to ensure that the machine will spin freely without getting stuck too often, we have listed out some basic steps below for lubricating your device as parts of your meat slicers are routine maintenance, you should never use vegetable oil to do this, as it can ruin the machine and cause build-up.
- Step one – Remove the food tube of your meat slicer and tilt it up with the blade exposed on the machine to show the guide rod.
- Step two – Apply lubricant to the guide rod of the meat slicer then apply more to the sharpening stones of the device, do this by removing them via twisting the knob of the machine.
- Step three – Use a spray lubricant for the shaft of the machine and apply the gel lubricant to the foot tube slide rod of the machine.
How To Repair Your Meat Slicer
If you have figured out the cause of your meat slicer and want to clean it or repair it, then you will be glad to hear this process is pretty simple, you just need to ensure that you have a screwdriver, glass cleaner and some cleaning alcohol.
We have listed the steps for you to follow below.
- Step one- First of all you need to do is dismantle the meat slicer, take the model apart following it manual component by component so as you can have a closer look at each section to see if it has been damaged.
- Step two – Lubricate any sliding parts you see and inspect the cord and switch, remember where each screw goes and keep them in a safe place for when you re-assemble the machine.
- Step three – If you can’t figure out what is wrong with your meat slicer, you will either have to send it to a professional or replace any parts that you suspect are worn out, after re-assembling then double-check if your slicer is working again, never keep forcing your slicer to spin if it is stuck, doing so can damage the machine more and lead to it overheating eventually.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meat Slicers Not Spinning
When should I sharpen the blades of my meat slicer?
The best way to check when the blades of your meat slicer need sharpening is with the food test, you do this by holding an apple up to the meat slicer and see how much pressure you need to apply to the food for it to slice through the machine with ease.
You should additionally inspect the meat that is cut by your meat slicer to see if it is being torn or smoothly cut.
Why does my meat slicer sound very noisy?
If you have a noise problem coming from your meat slicer then this is probably down to the motor of the slicer, you might have to replace the part if it is worn out or check around the blades for any foreign objects.
How do I stop the blades of my meat slicer from getting stuck?
The most reliable way to stop the blades of your meat slicer from getting stuck is by avoiding cutting frozen meat, slicing in small batches and keep the blades of your machine sharp. You should also make sure to lubricate parts of the machine to ensure smooth movement.
Why does my meat slicer keep overheating?
Your meat slicer might keep overheating due to faulty parts or a blockage in the blades, ensure all parts are lubricated and don’t force the machine to spin if it can’t freely, instead take it a professional to prevent further damage if you can’t identify the problem.
Final Words
To conclude, your meat slicer is most likely not spinning due to the blades not be cleaned properly, lack of lubrication or a faulty motor or power cord, it’s important to check all of these components to make sure they are working properly just in case and perform maintenance on your slicer often to prevent old food building up.
If you can’t troubleshoot your slicer yourself we would recommend taking it to a professional to get it fixed, never force the machine to spin when it can’t.