Berkel 808 Slicer: Craigslist score today!

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 08:26

While browsing Craigslist today I saw an ad for an older Berkel slicer.
Ad said it was in great shape and blade was sharp.

Called the number and a lady answered, said she owned a bar and that they bought the slicer 4 years ago (used) in hopes of opening a sandwich shop inside the bar.

Instead they bought an automatic fryer and the sandwich shop idea never came to fruition.

She said she was tired of it sitting in her office collecting dust, and it was too heavy for her to move. She was asking $500 for it, so I offered her $200 cash and told her I would do her a favor and get it out of her office so she could reclaim some of her desk space!

She said "It's yours for $200...as long as I don't have to help you carry it out of here!"

Sounded like a good deal to me, so I bought it. Figured for $200 I couldn't go wrong.
It is big and heavy, but I can carry it by myself thankfully.

Got it home and plugged it in and it runs smooth and quiet!
Found the model number and it is an 808 model with a 12.5" hollow ground stainless blade.
Also has the original sharpener attached to it.

While looking it over, I found bits of dried mystery meat in the cracks and crevasses so I am going to give it a full disassembly and deep cleaning/sanitizing so I have a baseline to start with.

Good news is that all parts that touch the meat are stainless steel and dishwasher safe!

Will post a pic tomorrow.

Can't wait to get slicing!

Now I just need to get a good PH meter and I should be set for a while.

Post by **Butterbean** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 18:20

That's a good find. Berkel makes reliable equipment too.

Post by **redzed** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 20:12

Now I just need to get a good PH meter and I should be set for a while.

Yeah right! Jason you are hooked! There is no end to it. You'll be "needing" other tools not long after that pH meter.

The Berkel is a good buy and will last you a lifetime. I have a Hobart 410 that is probably 50-60 years old and I'm sure it will be slicing long after I'm gone.

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 06:29

Funny you say that, as the Hobart 410 was what I was looking for when I found this Berkel!

The 410 is nice, as it is much smaller, and is a horizontal slicer, before gravity feed was popular.
Has the sharpener inside the trap door behind the blade, and is a smaller lighter unit for sure.
That was what I was looking for, but I couldn't pass up the Berkel.

Found a 410 on ebay last week for $300 + $65 shipping and it was in really good shape, with the original sharpener included.

Offered him $235+ $65 shipping ($300 total) but he said he wouldn't go that low.

So I decided to wait and ended up snagging this Berkel 808, which is built like a tank!
I still can't believe how heavy duty this slicer is, and how well made and engineered it is.

Still looking for a 410, but will probably keep this one due to its 12.5" blade versus the smaller 10" blade. And at $200 it was a steal.

I am also still looking for an early 1900's Berkel flywheel machine, just to restore for fun!
I build custom motorcycles as one of my hobbies, so I love anything overtly mechanical.

Those early Berkel's are a work of mechanical art!

Post by **redzed** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 23:00

Here is an inspirational video of man and the slicer he loves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K4FcqErePo

Post by **Bob K** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 23:11

How could he possibly resist tasting the prosciutto

didn't make it past the salami though

What a machine!

Wish I had room for another immovable object in the kitchen!

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 08:06

Yep, I love that video!
There is another one on YouTube that I like as well, the guy that restores them. He is showing the restored early Berkel's, and shows how to use the sharpener and how sharp it makes the blade.... and then proceeds to cut himself about 10 seconds later! OUCH!! then he says it has happened before! Around 1:25 or so in the video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DouzyOxJ53k

The early Berkel's are beautiful works of mechanical art.

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 04:23

I finished rebuilding my Berkel 808 today. 100% disassembled, and I put on $115 worth of new parts.

New belt, new carriage sealed bearing, new carriage bushing, new meat pusher bushings, new knife scraper, new sharpening stones and complete sharpener rebuild, new knife box seal, new rubber carriage bumpers, lubes all the gears on the index assembly, new knife bolt and carrier, all new bolt plugs, knife spacer and plug, etc.

Basically the slicer is brand new now, runs excellent, and cuts paper thin! Cut some coppa today that you could literally read the newspaper thru it!

It is built to last a lifetime, and with the complete cleaning and rebuild it should last forever with the normal occassional use of a home hobbyist.

I also picked up an excellent shape Hobart 410 today on ebay for what I think is a great deal. It should be here on Friday.

If the smaller Hobart 410 works as well as the Berkel 808 does, I may sell the Berkel as it is a beast and my wife can't lift it by herself.

So if anyone is interested in a 100% rebuilt 808, it may be for sale shortly!

Post by **Bob K** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 18:17

harleykids wrote:If the smaller Hobart 410 works as well as the Berkel 808 does, I may sell the Berkel as it is a beast and my wife can't lift it by herself.

So she can lift the Hobart 410?

Post by **redzed** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 19:00

Yeah the Hobart 410 while small is not exactly portable either. A few months after I bought my Hobart I got a sweet deal on a Globe GC12D, made in Italy, medium duty commercial grade and in mint condition, for $250. MSRP on this slicer was over $2,000. I thought that I would sell the Hobart and keep the Globe but when I brought it home it would not fit on my counter and it weighed 65lbs. So I kept the Hobart and sold the Globe to a logging camp for $750. The profit also paid for my Hobart and I even had some change.

Globe GC12D Slicer

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 05:07

The Berkel 808 compared to the Hobart 410 is like comparing a heavyweight to a fly weight.

The Berkel had a 12.5" blade and weighed a solid 90 lbs and was about 30" long.
The Hobart 410 weighs around 35 lbs and is about 18" long. MUCH easier to move and handle.
It's lighter than my #22 grinder!

My wife can move the Hobart, no issues.

The 410 I got had a small crack starting in the meat pusher so I TIG welded it just in case and it's as good as new now. It is in above average/excellent shape. The only flaw was the small crack and its welded and ground down now.

Post by **redzed** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 19:16

My 410 is also in very good condition but runs a bit noisy. Like a squeaky sound. I`m not very mechanically inclined but I guess I should turn it over one of these days and take a look. Did you get the sharpener attachment with yours? I've got one but it seems that it's missing from most that are out there for sale.

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 21:27

Hey Chris, yes, I got the sharpener attachment. Stones are in great shape.
Only flaw on mine was the small Crack on the meat pusher, but it's fixed now.
That was a design flaw, they should have made the bearing arms solid, not cut out and relieved. This crack is very common on the 410's.

Inside the sharpener box on the unit, there is a big flat screw. You are supposed to remove it from time to time and put a teaspoon of slicer/food grade oil in this hole and replace the screw.

If yours is noisy it may be the gears are worn or the bearing is worn.
They are from the 40's afterall.

A little food grade grease should quite it down if it is the gears.

How does your slice? I haven't used mine yet to slice anything.

Post by **Bob K** » Sun Feb 14, 2016 14:38

Having almost convinced myself that I need a better slicer

, will the smooth (non serrated) blades slice bread?

harleykids · Post by **harleykids** » Mon Feb 15, 2016 18:10

Bob,

Not sure, good question! I will drag out my Hobart 410 today and experiment on cutting some bread with it.

That's the least I can do for you, as you have answered many of my questions on this forum!

Will report back tonight!

thanks!
Jason

Berkel 808 Slicer: Craigslist score today!

Berkel 808 Slicer: Craigslist score today!

Slice Bread?