Sausage stuffer

[rkropp]

I used my wife's Kitchenaid mixer grinding/stuffer attachment for making sausage. It worked okay, but it took a long time to do 12 #'s of meat, very slow process. Can anyone recommend a decent stuffer, vertical or horizontal hand crank or the water pressure driven one.

[sausageman]

I strongly suggest the upright hand crankers. Speed control is important and the hand cranks give you that. Last time I looked Bass pro had some nice stainless 8 to 12 lbers pretty reasonable and they will last a lifetime. I've looked high and low for a used 12 lb hand cranker but the F.Dick brand I want, used, is running $400.00 and up. I currently use a hydralic 50 lber,,,,thats a bit of over kill if I'm only doing a 10lb batch of snack.

[rkropp]

Thanks for the advice. $400 is a little steep for the amount of times I'd use it.
A web site has some refurbished units, but I'm not sure of the brand name. (http://www.westonsupply.com/) I may call them and see wht they say.
This past weekend, I made some sausage sticks using a Deer Hunter brand kit. They turned out okay, but I smoked to heavy with a mix of mesquite /hickory.
Salmonsmoker mentioned you may know of a recipe or kit that will make a sausage comparible to Dearborn Sausage Companies hunter sausage??? I enjoy the tasate and texture the best of any I've tried and haven't had much success replicating it.
Another question, where do you purchase your supplies. I went to Butcher-Packer in Detroit this past weekend and they seem to have about anything I'd need, just a little pricey.
Thanks again. :)