I've got a medium commercial machine.

Don't use butter or regular oil for popping, because the machine takes the oil over 500*F and regular oil will scorch or break down.

Don't use "popcorn oil" from those food service places either, it's greasy junk.

You want real Coconut Oil - it's high temp, healthy stuff.

Add Flavacol to the hot oil for real movie theater taste.

flava.jpg

Back in the day, Big Corn paid to have "research" done to try and demonize Coconut Oil, the same way a single law firm paid to have childhood immunizations "become" the cause of autism .

Nowadays people are claiming that Coconut Oil is the next big "cure all" and best source of MCTs.

Always follow the money.

This.

There are 2 popular Flavacols; standard and better butter.

The better butter is slightly sweeter. At $2.50 a box, get 'em both and pick your favorite.

Also, don't put those "candy corn" glazes into home poppers.

You can only use them in pro poppers with a special setting.

You will be very sorry if you coat your home machine with permanent glazing, lol.

Using regular melted butter kind of dissolves the popcorn into a soggy mess.

High end theaters that brag that they use "real butter" use Clarified Butter or Ghee .

Clarified butter is often in the seafood section and Ghee is in the ethnic section of the grocery store. They are both basically the same thing - butter with all the excess moisture removed.

(can you guys tell I've installed many a commercial popcorn machine? lol)

VID'S GUIDE TO REPAIRING HOME POPCORN MACHINES:

At some point you will note that the Kettle does not heat up, or it does heat up, but only 10% of the kernels pop.

When you call the company, they will tell you that your kettle needs replacing at $90 to $175.

First check that you have voltage at the plug the pigtail plugs into on the roof of the machine when the Heat switch is engaged.

On inexpensive machines, the heating element is braised to the kettle itself - but the element almost never burns out in a home setting.

After checking that the heating element is conductive with your meter, you now know that it is the thermostat or the high limit switch.

If the thermostat has the tiny set screw adjustment in it, you can often just give it a turn to clean the tip and then put it right back where it was set. If that does not fix it, replace it ($5 part).

If the thermostat/limit switch looks like a metal diode, just replace it (.50 cent part).

You can put the disassembled kettle in a vice and test the whole thing on your bench with a laser thermometer, but be careful as you don't want to touch a 500*F element by accident.

therm.jpg

Your Cholesterol is just your bad genes more than anything you eat.

My doctor, she is a strict vegan (no fish, no milk....) and her cholesterol would be crazy high w/o medication.

Take your Lipitor, enjoy good popcorn.

Nacho cheese on a hotdog is good stuff.

Don't bother cleaning it good.

Just like you never clean a coffee pot, you never clean a popcorn kettle.

The flavor keeps getting better and better.

(just like the 212*F boiling water kills any germs in the coffee pot, the 500*F temp of the popcorn kettle REALLY kills any germs.

Maybe once a month I wipe out the kettle with a paper towel just to get the crap off of the stirrer.

Otherwise my machine has not been cleaned back to bare steel in probably 8 years.

Tastes great, less cleaning.

ebay.com link: USED Popcorn Machine MAKE OFFER

You can often get used commercial machines for cheap.

http://www.htmarket.com/lianbl8ozpop1.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=86382744801&gclid=CK_JnfP9hcECFeJcMgod0VwA5Q

The popular 8oz home poppers are ~18x20" base size

Buy real popcorn, it usually comes in 50 pound bags for $20 USD. Get giant Yellow or White.

Don't get "mushroom" popcorn because that is only for candy coating (like caramel or toffee ).

Don't put candy coatings in regular popcorn machines (unless there is a low-temp switch for that purpose on the control panel).

Only use Coconut Oil. The Red Coconut Oil looks great on popcorn (yellowy looking).

Usually you get 25 bags with the home units.

They are really small bags, you won't be impressed.

LOL.

Bags, boxes and buckets are fine. Just make sure to get some good sized ones.

Make sure the bags are flat bottomed, or they won't stand up, and can't be set down.

Buckets are the least likely to leak all over you.

Cones are the best scam if you are selling popcorn - they look huge, but actually hold very little product:

corn cone.jpg

I've never been able to eat the microwave crap.

Each time I used to see "super movie butter" , "ultimate butter", "REAL movie butter" I'd try it at someone's house and spit it out.

Not fit for human consumption.

Don't put too much in the oil !

For a 6oz corn pop , put 1 teaspoon (that's the little spoon in the set) and it will taste just like the movies.

If you want it to taste like the super salty bar popcorn, put 1.5 teaspoon per 6oz corn - this will make you drink more beer.

Don't forget, it has to go into the coconut oil and get cooked, it's not to be shaken on top.

No, flavorcol salt does not leave any sticky residue behind.

The kettle itself will become "seasoned" after about 10 batches of coconut oil, and then you will have the best tasting popcorn in the world. Same as your BBQ grill or Cast Iron Skillet.

Wipe out any salt and old maids with a dry paper towel.

http://www.homearcades.com/Jukebox%20Popper.htm

http://www.zygmuntonline.com/za_vending_popper.html

You don't clean them, ever.

Unless the inside of the kettle burns black because you put some crazy wrong oil in there, you just leave it.

Just like a coffee pot, you don't clean it because the boiling water kills any bacteria - you don't clean the kettle because 500*F is going to kill bacteria (an autoclave only heats up to 250*F) and the flavor only gets better the more seasoned the kettle gets.

Exactly.

No matter how much butter and salt you put on air pop, it still tastes like the same pile of shit.

1/2 oz (machine probably came with a little spoon) Red Coconut Oil $22/gallon

8oz (again, it probably came with cup). Buy a 50lb bag for $26. DON'T buy "mushroom" popcorn, that is only for making caramel corn.

Flavorcol - get both regular and Better Butter - at $3 a box, you can try both. Use 1/2 of what the box says, otherwise it's WAY too salty. Make sure the Flavorcol goes INTO the oil, don't sprinkle it on the popcorn!!!!!!

Get real clarified butter with the moisture removed, often called "Ghee", although the Flavorcol might be all you need. Pour on finished popcorn, don't put it in the machine!!! $6

Melting regular butter makes for soggy popcorn because of all the moisture.

How tall is your counter?

You need to be able to get your mouth under the spout.

You did not put butter into your kettle popper did you?

Butter can't handle that kind of heat.

Always add the butter AFTER the corn has been popped.

lol

Get real butter topping instead of crappy chemicals:

http://www.popntop.com/popntop_topbutterfat.html

Don't clean it.

It needs to be "seasoned" to produce the best corn.

Same with a grill or a cast iron frying pan.

Wipe it out with a dry paper towel once in a while.

Don't let your wife clean it either.

Bacon fat might catch fire in the high heat of the popcorn popper, as it's smoke point is only 350*F.

If you are going to use it, you should probably only use it as a topping - not as a popping oil !

They sell it at those "popcorn factory" stores, and they will even serve it with drizzled dark chocolate....mmmmmm

I just let the kids (and adults) go crazy with their oily, salty fingers.

It does not hurt the games and it smells better than the kids normally do.

The popcorn popper should have the doors closed, otherwise it will pop all over the floor.

A full kettle of corn will for sure open the kettle lid and explode into the machine.

Most modern machines have a gap above the doors to let the steam out, so the corn stays crisp.

Read your manual.

Sure, you know your machines, but what I was saying is that many modern machines (like those ultra- popular 8oz Lincoln and Great Northerns) say in the manual to:

" Step 9 - Close doors on main unit "

So that is why I said:

So you don't get popcorn all over the floor, lol.......

Yep, super fast to just make your own mix.

Search on "concession supplies" in your metro area.

http://www.cjdannemiller.com/ OH

http://www.americanconcessionsupply.com/ CO

http://www.detroitpopcorn.com/ MI

Just give it to the dog.

Popcorn is like french fries, you got to eat it fresh.

You can make 1/2 batches next time.

My dogs eat it all the time.

They also eat chocolate, squirrels, onions, and probably everything else that "they" say is bad for dogs.

BTW: they get all the bacon grease poured over their food too, lol.

That's how he steam cleans his walls.

Usually those premade kits already have the Flavorcol in the oil.

Those are great for making popcorn to string up around the Christmas tree!

But the corn it pops is strictly for ornamental use, do not ingest.

Coconut has a super high scorch temp, so the corn comes out pure.

Other oils make it heavy and dirty tasting.

It will take about 12 batches for the kettle to become seasoned, and the corn to taste it's best.

Just wipe the kettle with a dry paper towel, and let the crap fall into the old maid drawer.

Clean the glass whenever it looks too funky - probably once a month for most users.

`

You can always do 1/2 batches of 4oz corn instead a full batch of 8oz.

Find your local "concession supply" company.

Don't buy "mushroom popcorn" unless you are glazing it.

The oil needs to be really hot (425*F) before adding the corn, 3 minutes seems too soon.

If you don't have a laser thermometer, drop in a single kernel. If it does not almost instantly pop, it's not hot enough.

A nubie mistake is too put the corn in too early, and when it finally pops, it comes out kinda chewy (like stale popcorn).

Make sure the oil is crazy hot, before adding the corn.

There is a high limit cut off switch bolted to a stud on the bottom of the kettle that keeps the oil from getting too hot should the normal thermostat switch fail.

Should the thermostat AND the high limit switches both somehow fail, it could ignite the oil.

5 minutes is all you need.

You can check it with a laser thermometer.

I would not leave oil 15 mins unattended, just in the one in a million chance that both switches failed.

1 Tablespoon coconut oil (that's the big one, not a little teaspoon) for 8oz corn.

Yes, figure that there is 16oz in a cup, so 8oz in a 1/2 cup.

Usually you use "Red Coconut Oil", but try that organic stuff and see what it does.

I can't taste any coconut flavor putting Red Coconut Oil directly in my mouth.

Maybe the organic stuff is different?

When you drop all that corn in, the oil temp instantly falls and then takes a minute to return to popping temp.

If you drop a single kernel in, it will pop almost immediately.

I like the Flavorcol "Better Butter" .

It must have got hotter at some point, or I don't think the corn would have popped.

Aim that laser into a pot of boiling water and see if it's working correctly (212*F, or 100*C)

The light usually turns on the warmer for home units.

8oz is just fine for home use with the occasional party.

You see 8oz in small bars all the time. They cook up 4 batches to start the night, then play it by ear.

Most machines say to coat the interior metal parts with coconut oil to "season" the metal before you start to use it.

The baked on oil coating helps prevent rust from all the salt.

Any restaurant supply or sheet metal shop could bend you a new roof out of stainless steel, if you don't like the look of the galvanized metal reacting to all the salt.

A 24"x 24" square of 26ga stainless is ~$20 + .25 hour shop time ~$15.

Or if you have a sheet brake at work or your father in law's garage, bend it yourself for free.

Hell, run off 25 of 'em and sell them on Pinside.

LOL

You know it probably started out with a stainless roof and screws, but China will ship anything they can get away with.

Do you think the paint on the unit contains lead....?

We are pinball owners.

We own tools.

We fix things.

We are men.

The only part that would possibly need replacement is the single galvanized roof panel. A very simple job, well within the abilities of any pin tech.

Like my grandfather used to say:

"When your Frisbee is stuck in the rain gutter, there are only 2 kinds of fathers in the world. One who tells you to wait and see if the lawn guy will climb up and get it for you, and one who pulls out a ladder."

I'm going to do a guide on clearcoating the paint and bending new #8 mirror stainless for the roof.

The mirror finish makes the popcorn 6% brighter looking.

Just don't pour in all 8oz of the corn.

Save the 2oz of corn from each packet for future use.

If you put too much corn in, the popper won't have enough BTUs. You will get more unpopped, 1/2 popped or smaller popped kernels.

Every 3 poppings, you will have enough to pop a batch.

Not too inconvenient.

If you don't want to do that, just throw them to the birds - they love that kind of stuff.

For the price of a box of mix, just get a 50lb bag of corn $23, a gallon of red Coconut oil $22, and a box of Flavorcol $3.50.

That's what I'd do.

If you get a new roof, you can "season" it with oil before you install it. Just bake it in the oven like you would a cast iron skillet

In America, "Warning" has the same meaning as "Beware" in Canada.

A cast iron skillet or iron grill grate will have the same oxidation, and those are in constant contact with the food.

Continue to feed the kids and wife; you won't have to worry about their iron deficiency.

Only in certain contexts.

I don't think they care.

Those are the cheapest of the kettle style popcorn poppers out there.

Chinese made, entry level, bla bla bla.....

Do they pop great tasting corn? Yes.

Does the cart-stand cost more than the popper? Yes, lol.

As long as the element still heats up, it's still all good.

No one is ever going to look inside your kettle and say "Dude, did you leave this thing on or what?".

Scrub out any Carbon flakes and put it back to work.

The cart has that kitchy look to it, so you love it or you hate it.

It does let you keep your oil and kernels handy and out of sight.

A ton of steam escapes from the popper, so don't put it near your Madonna posters or it may wrinkle them over time.

superman-iii.jpg

Yep, it's coming all the way from China; in a Container, with their next shipment of poppers.

Personally, I would not even bother swapping it out.

Just put it aside and in about 10 years when the old one rusts all the way through, then install it.

4oz popper is too small, really.

You can always pop 4oz in an 8oz popper, but you can't pop 8oz in a 4oz popper.

Just buy another kettle and now you have 2 machines.

I'd use the first machine until the roof rusts all the way through. Then after about 15 years, use the new roof as a template to cut another out of stainless steel sheet.

In honor of JDubbs (God rest his soul), I say we raise this thread out of the basement.

Basement posts are not on my main page on my phone.

The GFCs I've seen have Vogel popcorn kits in 24 packs.

They taste good, but you can make the same thing for 1/20 of the price by buying your own Flavorcal, Coconut Oil and Kernels.

The 50 pound bag is usually the same price as the 20 pound, so it makes sense to buy the #50.

Pour the corn into some 5 gallon buckets and stand on the lids to seal them up for storage.

Keep your daily supply in a tupperware.

Never put the corn in the fridge, because the fridge will suck all the moisture out of it.

Switch to Coconut oil if you want it to come out less greasy.

Find your local "concession sales" and buy a gallon of "Red Coconut Oil" and #50 large yellow corn.

I just use a wooden spoon.

Coconut oil turns into a liquid on a hot day, so you can always pour it into a margarine tub.

Take the jug into the shower with you and watch your wife's reaction.....

Try 1tsp and see how you like it.

Put it in the coconut oil, don't put it directly on the corn.

I think the "Better Butter" tastes better than regular Flavacol, but try 'em both and decide for yourself.

Cheap risk for $4

GMP2019_(resized).jpg

The amount of oil is not critical enough to even worry about.

Scoop it up in a measuring spoon and scrape it into the kettle.

A little over or under will not matter, it will pop.

You see the kids at the theater making the popcorn, they are not carefully measuring it.

(The really nice machines draw up and measure their own oil)

Those are nice looking bars!

Just use the Save N Seal to seal 'em up.

They don't actually need refrigeration.

Kenmore_Elite_Seal-N-Save_Vacuum_Sealer0p7Detail_(resized).jpg

A lot of 'mom&pop' bars have those Lincoln Poppers.

Not commercial duty, but they seem to hold up to nightly use.

The back end of the scoop is like a funnel to put the popcorn into bags/cones.

Watch at the movie theater to get an idea why it's shaped that way.

It's probably a R30 reflector bulb 60W - common bulb at any hardware store.

Unscrew it and the watts are printed on it somewhere.

Freethinkers unite!

nikola_(resized).jpg

Throw the unpopped kernels out to the birds.

Even if you soak them in water to re-hydrate them, they pop into a turd.

Having a big machine is great.

I always bring a garbage bag full of popcorn to Christmas/Thanksgiving/Easter and everyone goes crazy "OMG, I love REAL theater popcorn!!!!".

They cry like bitches when I forget. I have to laugh because there are lots of delicious appetizers that took hours to prepare sitting around and everyone wants chemical popcorn.

48oz_popper_(resized).jpg

You can get those bulbs for $2-3 at any real hardware store.

They are nothing exotic. Just plain incandescent bulbs with the reflector neck.

They are .99 cents at Adoramma

http://www.adorama.com/sp150ml.html

All normal incandescent bulbs will be phased out due to laws in 2012.

Specialty bulbs are exempt, otherwise your kitchen oven, lava lamp, photography lights, stage lights and popcorn machine would be obvious victims.

That's a perfect scoop!

If you like that AMC or MJR style "butter" hot topping, you can get the Odell's Super-Kist NT at Amazon too:

http://www.amazon.com/ODells-Popcorn-Supur-Kist-Topping-Non-Trans/dp/B002YLNUL4/ref=lp_6479153011_1_1

It tastes more buttery than real butter, without greasy or soggy feeling kernels. No trans fat, so your heart will thank you....

Don't buy the popcorn kernels or Flavorcol at Amazon, it's 3x the price of any local concession store.

2 things.

The popping oil AND the Flavacol both have yellow color to them.

That is why you buy "red" coconut oil, and not the white kind. The red color is beta carotene that they add to the oil (you get your daily dose of anti-oxidants while you snack) .

Same thing with the popcorn oil that stays liquid at room temperature. It is a blend of coconut oil, corn oil, butter flavor and beta carotene.

ef2441362429756752_(resized).jpg

Note to self: Do NOT pour oil onto a fire hoping to extinguish it.