The Fresh Loaf

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Black deposit on Ankarsrum 6230 bowl scraper

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

Black deposit on Ankarsrum 6230 bowl scraper

I've been using my AKM 6230 since I purchased it on amazon.com July 9, 2018. I have noticed that quite often there is a black deposit on the bowl scraper which, unless I am careful, can be mixed into the dough. This is unsightly and potentially harmful. I'm wondering if this is a problem with the bowl since that is the only surface which the scraper comes into contact. I am absolutely sure there is no foreign substance on the bowl as I am very careful to fully clean it after every use. I can also say that I never experienced this problem with an older DLX version of the mixer that I bought used on eBay.

So my question is whether other owners have reported the same issue.

Thanks,

Terry McCann

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Give Ashley McCord a call @ Ankarsrum USA  770-516-0577. I will venture a guess and say that the black rubber “dust” comes from the rubber ring on the dough roller.

Please let us know what she tells you. Others have also had this issue. I have seen this once or twice before.

Danny

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

Your idea of it coming from the black rubber collar makes sense since when I've see the crud in the dough it appears as specks. I opened a conversation with Ankarsrum before posting here so perhaps I'll hear something definitive from them.

Terry

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

I always recommend Ashley. She is extremely knowledgeable and an active baker. She has helped me on a number of occasions. You won’t go wrong with her.

For the short term, just make sure the rubber ring doesn’t rub against the bowl.

David R's picture
David R

I also have seen this discussed before. I can't remember whether the true outcome was "you need to re-adjust some parts on your machine" or "it's a defective part", but I'm pretty sure the result was satisfactory anyway.

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Hey Terry, I called Ankarsrum USA and found out that Ashley is at a conference. She’ll be back next Monday. I wanted to discuss the black dust issue with her. Ive seen a few post link this before and wanted a definitive answer for myself.

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

I'll also plan to call Monday. Perhaps multiple complaints can get some action.

Terry

wheatbeat's picture
wheatbeat

I saw black substance on my machine and in my dough as well. At first I couldn't fathom where it came from until I ran my finger on the rubber wheel and my finger became blackened. Mind you, this was upon the first few uses on a brand new machine. I know many people swear by this machine and love it, but having black rubber come off into my dough was unacceptable to me and I promptly returned it. 

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

WheatBeat, I really liked your review of the Famag. I have no doubt it is fantastic. But for me <too bad> the machine is too heavy and the overhead requirements are to high for my kitchen. If I had a designated baking room, there would be a Famag on the counter.

Your website is outstanding!

Danny

wheatbeat's picture
wheatbeat

Thanks, appreciate the feedback. Just started the site for my own amusement and because of my passion for all things wheat. I hear you on the kitchen size constraints. My kitchen is not exactly McMansion-sized either and the Famag takes a lot of room. My wife did me a big favor by letting me squeeze it in there.

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

I spoke to Ashley today and she had me check the alignment of the roller to see if the rubber ring could ride over the top of the bowl, which it did not. She then checked the serial number of my machine and said that she has had a few cases with machines in my SN range where the scraper was slight out of spec causing the deposit of a streak of black crud on the top one inch of the scraper which is exactly what I observed. She is sending me a replacement scraper to see if that resolves the issue.

I'll post the results with the new scraper after I've used it.

Terry

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

Okay, I received the new scraper. In addition they sent a new bowl, roller and spatula! Talk about good customer service. Wow!

I did a mix of brioche bun dough as my test case since that dough is the one that I saw the most obvious problems. The recipe calls for a 20 minute knead to develop the dough and I used the new equipment and the technique I've used in the past with the roller in contact with the bowl. After about 12 minutes I could see an accumulation of the black smut on the top 1 inch of the scraper. I cleaned that up and locked the roller about 1/2-inch away from the bowl and completed the development. There was no further fouling of the dough. I examined the bowl after removing the dough for bulk rise and there was a clear deposit of black particles along the top.

Based on this experience I'm ready to say the deposit must be coming from the roller rubbing on the bowl. I'll get back in touch with Ashley to let her know what I've found. I still want to try the roller from my old DLX to see if it has the same issue.

Thanks to everyone for their input and I hope this helps others who may have the same issue.

Terry

DanAyo's picture
DanAyo

Hey Terry, I have seen what you’ve written about (black dust at the very top of the dough scraper) on 1 occasion that I can remember. A very light coat of fine dust-like particles. I don’t remember it happening again and I don’t know what caused it.

I considered the possibility that some residual flour remained in the roller groove and manifested as gray (dyed from the rubber groove?) particles.

Maybe we should let the roller ride along the rim with f the bowl and see what happens.

It has not been a big problem for me. I hope we can get the bottom of this...

Danny

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

Danny,

I did have the roller set to roll with bowl for the first 12 minutes which produced the deposit. The final 8-9 minutes with the roller locked away from the bowl resulted in no additional deposit. Also, I was using the brand new roller so there certainly wasn't any four residue in play. I'm ready to buy in on your earlier supposition that, "black rubber “dust” comes from the rubber ring on the dough roller." 

Terry

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

Why are you mixing or kneading the dough with the roller in contact with the rim? The dough would cause the roller to occasionally stop turning and the rubber to rub on the rim  and well, rub off. As far as I know, all doughs, even high hydration, are mixed with the roller a half inch or more away from the rim. Only liquids are mixed with roller-rim contact.

gary

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

... with the DLX9000 I bought used on eBay. That technique worked fine with the DLX9000 and never produced the particles I see with the 6230. That said, it is apparent that I probably need to change my method. I want to do one more batch of the brioche dough using my old technique and the roller from my DLX9000 just to see whether the problem is replicated. This is just to give Ashley another data point.

Terry

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

Perhaps the older, used roller is worn smoother with a glaze? The manual actually calls for a minimum of 1 inch separation and up for doughs. Only while incorporating dry ingredients into the liquids do you have roller-rim contact and run at dead slow.

My manual is for the 9000 series and the n28 (newest at the time). You have the next iteration, the n30 (6230), so I doubt there's any difference in the instructions.

g

tlmcca's picture
tlmcca

As in most cases, pilot error. 

 

Terry

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

'It happens.

It may be, though, there is/was surface rubber that rubs off when new. As a precaution, you might  hand-wash with vigor and check it again. 

gary