Cracking Black Walnuts with the best little home made nut cracker. Well, it's the best I have seen! There may be a better one made by someone somewhere!
I like your idea of a black walnut cracking apparatus, pretty ingenious if you ask me. I've been watching many black walnut cracking methods but I haven't really seen one that uses gears to give a mechanical advantage. My idea, just in my head so far, nothing on paper or any mathematical calculations as far as gear ratios, is to use maybe a timing gear and chain set from a vehicle or some other kind of gears and attatch a hand crank to one of the gears to gain a mechanical advantage. I have no idea yet what gear ratio would be the most effective or even if timing gears and a chain would work well but I think if it's done right would make an interesting nut cracker, especially for very hard nuts. Obviously a machine like I'm thinking about wouldn't be necessary and is probably over kill but people like interesting things and that's kinda where I'm going with my idea, something effective and interesting at the same time. And heck, if it works out well and is interesting to use I might even be able to sell a few. 👍
There are several using gears, one that is ancient used a section of ring gear. There is a new version sold commercially not sure of the name, but my neighbor got one and was disappointed. It would crack pecans great, but not very good for black walnuts. There are old ones that have more mechanical advantage www.lemproducts.com/product/walnut-cracker/veggie-fruit-tools
Something incorporating a fractal vise to produce a better, more complete surround for the shell to fracture it into many small pieces without damage to the goodies.
I use to pick up black walnuts for my father in law. Over the years it must have been millions. Id pack bags full and my wife took them to pop. Oh I was in a wheelchair doing it all around my block. I new where every tree was.
I first saw the design in an old USDA pamphlet from the 30s that the Agri teacher had in his library. At that time most truck and car starters used the acme thread shaft and a bendix gear, now they are rare with most starters engaged by electric solonoid.
I have been experimenting with using u bolts and the flutes on a 3/4 concrete drill bit to replicate the action of the Bendix screw. Not much luck,so far.
@@shermanhofacker4428 itd be something to have a gravity nut drop into a revolving vice with a catch for the meat& shells separated. Lol i can dream. With a hand crank.
One revolution of the bendix screw moves 3/4 inch. One revolution of the drill moves 1 and 7/8 inch so much more force needed and less control. I haven't found a source for old starter bendix or a double lead thread and nut that isn't outrageous in price.
Great machine! I use my blacksmith's post vise to crack them. As you said, I do that cracking at one time, maybe a hundred or so at a time, then I bring the cracked nuts into the house to clip the shells off while i watch TV. I cut the side out of a 5 gallon plastic pail so when I snip the shells, the bit bounce off the back side of the pail and don't get onto the rug.
Good idea with the plastic bucket. I use a cardboard box to more or less contain my shell fragments. Making a pair of cup shapes with magnets holding them to the vice jaws could produce a lot of cracks over much of the surface of the nut.
The bench and cracker was made closer to 60 years ago than the 30 I mentioned in the video! Just a old man's time memory; can't believe my kids are over 50!
If you can find an old style bendix, most anyone with a welder and angle grinder can fabricobble one in just a little bit. The stuff done on the lathe is completely unnecessary and could be done with hand grinding.
A bit of checking Bendix starter thread revealed it is a multi start thread so my making threads for the cracker is beyond the capability of me and my lathe! Also eliminates purchasing nuts and threaded rod to make with new parts. The major diameter of the Bendix thread is 7/8 inch and it moves one inch in one full turn. Actually the movement is 3/4 inch per turn; the one inch was just guess from before I measured.
@@shermanhofacker4428 I've got no problems with the video, and you sure figured out a common problem there. This would save me loads of time. Still need to make one.
When I was in the navy my sister always sent me marshmallow cream fudge made with walnuts, unfortunately I had to share it so I would only get a couple pieces from each box!
I knew what it was made out of when I saw it . I rebuild starters an alternators that bendix is either an old ford tractor or a model A that is a pretty smart ideal I’m building one Thank you
If you make one a video showing the construction would be great for others to see what goes into it. I have no idea what the starter came from. I found the remnants of the starter after it had been already salvaged for copper.
It was something that came from a USDA pamphlet my Agri teacher had. I've looked for the original online and at the library with no luck. It (this one, not the original!) was put together around 1961, I think it was second year project. The drawings and write up for the project, plus the build made for three good grades in the class!
🤘😁 I like your nut cracker. I had a classmate that had a spring loaded pecan cracker. It had a spring on a plunger that youd pull back and let go to crack the pecan.
I applaud your skills and mastery of using old parts and beer time is part of process when cracking those walnuts. Your Gramma and I are in agreement about the more intact the nutmeats come out the better. Mom always cracked them with a hammer and dug out the meats with a bobby pin and she made the best real fudge in the world. I find it very therapeutic to crack walnuts and have tried various methods through the years and a few years ago, I splurged for a heavy duty iron nutcracker found at the feed store and it works great except I haven't figured a way to make a work bench that I can use in the house by the fire. I don't build much these days so right now I just clamp it to my kitchen table. It works but isn't as stable as it should be.
When I helped grandpa we did the cracking with a ballpeen hammer on the anvil in his forge shed. A short piece of railroad iron on a chair, between my legs, was for any recracking in the house.
An arbor press can work to apply cracking pressure but is difficult to control. Some method of limiting the travel to prevent crushing usually is needed.
I been using the 1 ton arbor press from Harbor Freight with a very thick, large flat washer to hold nut. Works good, easy to control but I think the twisting motion of this rig is producing a more shattered nut. I'll check at the starter rebuild shop. Great video, thanks so much.
Thanks sherman ! I like you , you remind me of my grandpa when i was a young boy, hope you dont mind me saying that . what kind of cup's did you use on your cracker ? I want to make one just like it . im even gonna name it after you ! Thanks again !
Wish I could claim it as my design, the actual original was published by the USDA in the thirties as part of the then pres's program to get folks to recycle, reuse, and repurpose long before that slogan became popular!
As far as the inner triangle shell I just hold two and squeeze them against each other in my hand. Putting the sharp edge of one against the curved back of the other.
My dad would put the meat of the black walnuts into a dishpan of cold water when he was done cracking the nuts. The little shards of shell float and the meat sinks. Skim the shell bits off the top of the water and drain the meat and pat dry with a paper towel. Black walnuts are great in breads and candies.
I have never cared much for most candy; chocolate in any form is another story! A friend used to make pecans with a glaze of honey and ginger for gifts around the holidays, I talked her into substituting black walnuts for the pecans one year and she decided that they were too addictive.
that gadget really works great, I might see if I can find a starter drive and make one, that pliers idea also works great,, this year our Black walnuts have been really crappy, I ''d say that at least 1/2 are no good, these I am working on have all been checked in water to see if they float, these sank and were still many bad.
Neighbor that uses the cracker mentioned nippers didn't work out for him. I checked his side cutters and noticed the tips were rather thick. Looking at my side cutters seems the same and don't work as well as the mini bolt cutter style I normally use. Going to take the die grinder to mine and see if they will be better after thinning the tips.
They are packed with nutrition, I think a person could survive on what they got out of the shells, but they wouldn't be spending the extra time to get the goodies out in large pieces!
No, it's mostly just lining things up and welding them in place. This was made when I was 15 or 16 and I am now somewhat older! I have given up finding a bendix locally and just ordered one online that should work. If it is what I think, I will make another one and keep track of the measurements. Possibly try to make a video and post it. I have looked for the bulletin that was used as reference but can't find it anywhere.
Listening to this reminds me of an Australian poster who signs on with the monicker of warblesonalot😁. Not that I'm like him except for the warbling on alot. And age! ua-cam.com/video/RnZtvnc240I/v-deo.html
Just be careful since your cracking nuts anything can happens!!!!!well!!! it is a great idea!!!!cracking and eating!!!!!!🔴🤫🫢if your grandson ask where is papa your grandma might say cracking his whole basket of nuts!!!!🔴🤫🫢
Wow, you need some serious practice or another way to do that. Disappointing results. Ha! I grew up doing that with my grandfather endlessly and we cracked them just fine outside only not destroying the inside like that. No picking.
Glad to learn you spent a lot of time working with your grandfather. Often young people are too busy with friends and hobbies so older family members are left out of their lives.
I like your idea of a black walnut cracking apparatus, pretty ingenious if you ask me. I've been watching many black walnut cracking methods but I haven't really seen one that uses gears to give a mechanical advantage. My idea, just in my head so far, nothing on paper or any mathematical calculations as far as gear ratios, is to use maybe a timing gear and chain set from a vehicle or some other kind of gears and attatch a hand crank to one of the gears to gain a mechanical advantage. I have no idea yet what gear ratio would be the most effective or even if timing gears and a chain would work well but I think if it's done right would make an interesting nut cracker, especially for very hard nuts. Obviously a machine like I'm thinking about wouldn't be necessary and is probably over kill but people like interesting things and that's kinda where I'm going with my idea, something effective and interesting at the same time. And heck, if it works out well and is interesting to use I might even be able to sell a few. 👍
There are several using gears, one that is ancient used a section of ring gear. There is a new version sold commercially not sure of the name, but my neighbor got one and was disappointed. It would crack pecans great, but not very good for black walnuts.
There are old ones that have more mechanical advantage
www.lemproducts.com/product/walnut-cracker/veggie-fruit-tools
Something incorporating a fractal vise to produce a better, more complete surround for the shell to fracture it into many small pieces without damage to the goodies.
Banana nut bread with black walnuts is HEAVENLY ❤️👍
I agree, but almost anything is good with black walnuts. Hey, you must be one of the few who watched me blather on till the end!😆
Now that’s what I call old school, I used to do that 40+ years ago
I use to pick up black walnuts for my father in law. Over the years it must have been millions. Id pack bags full and my wife took them to pop. Oh I was in a wheelchair doing it all around my block. I new where every tree was.
Did you use one of the wire cage nut retrievers?
That's a great homemade cracker!
I first saw the design in an old USDA pamphlet from the 30s that the Agri teacher had in his library. At that time most truck and car starters used the acme thread shaft and a bendix gear, now they are rare with most starters engaged by electric solonoid.
This looks like the best design i ever saw!
I have been experimenting with using u bolts and the flutes on a 3/4 concrete drill bit to replicate the action of the Bendix screw. Not much luck,so far.
@@shermanhofacker4428 itd be something to have a gravity nut drop into a revolving vice with a catch for the meat& shells separated. Lol i can dream. With a hand crank.
One revolution of the bendix screw moves 3/4 inch. One revolution of the drill moves 1 and 7/8 inch so much more force needed and less control. I haven't found a source for old starter bendix or a double lead thread and nut that isn't outrageous in price.
I can see it using a forced air separation unit!
Great machine! I use my blacksmith's post vise to crack them. As you said, I do that cracking at one time, maybe a hundred or so at a time, then I bring the cracked nuts into the house to clip the shells off while i watch TV. I cut the side out of a 5 gallon plastic pail so when I snip the shells, the bit bounce off the back side of the pail and don't get onto the rug.
Good idea with the plastic bucket. I use a cardboard box to more or less contain my shell fragments. Making a pair of cup shapes with magnets holding them to the vice jaws could produce a lot of cracks over much of the surface of the nut.
The bench and cracker was made closer to 60 years ago than the 30 I mentioned in the video! Just a old man's time memory; can't believe my kids are over 50!
I wish I had that setup its awesome
If you can find an old style bendix, most anyone with a welder and angle grinder can fabricobble one in just a little bit. The stuff done on the lathe is completely unnecessary and could be done with hand grinding.
Thanks I’m gonna try to find one with a bendix and is the arm and screw shaft found with the bendix as well the other side is self explanatory
A bit of checking Bendix starter thread revealed it is a multi start thread so my making threads for the cracker is beyond the capability of me and my lathe! Also eliminates purchasing nuts and threaded rod to make with new parts. The major diameter of the Bendix thread is 7/8 inch and it moves one inch in one full turn. Actually the movement is 3/4 inch per turn; the one inch was just guess from before I measured.
That's one of the better single-nut crackers I've seen. Nice video.
I have to say the video quality isn't great; basic phone camera and minimal editing, it's the information that's important, not production quality!
@@shermanhofacker4428 I've got no problems with the video, and you sure figured out a common problem there. This would save me loads of time. Still need to make one.
Great design!
Don’t forget the fudge, I’am going out tomorrow and pick up the ones under my tree,you made me HUNGRY 😛
When I was in the navy my sister always sent me marshmallow cream fudge made with walnuts, unfortunately I had to share it so I would only get a couple pieces from each box!
I knew what it was made out of when I saw it . I rebuild starters an alternators that bendix is either an old ford tractor or a model A that is a pretty smart ideal I’m building one Thank you
If you make one a video showing the construction would be great for others to see what goes into it. I have no idea what the starter came from. I found the remnants of the starter after it had been already salvaged for copper.
Those are some giant walnuts
Just normal size around here.
Appears to be an Awesome Design. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !! H.
It was something that came from a USDA pamphlet my Agri teacher had. I've looked for the original online and at the library with no luck. It (this one, not the original!) was put together around 1961, I think it was second year project. The drawings and write up for the project, plus the build made for three good grades in the class!
@@shermanhofacker4428 👍. I have never seen it ?? H.
🤘😁 I like your nut cracker. I had a classmate that had a spring loaded pecan cracker. It had a spring on a plunger that youd pull back and let go to crack the pecan.
I applaud your skills and mastery of using old parts and beer time is part of process when cracking those walnuts. Your Gramma and I are in agreement about the more intact the nutmeats come out the better. Mom always cracked them with a hammer and dug out the meats with a bobby pin and she made the best real fudge in the world. I find it very therapeutic to crack walnuts and have tried various methods through the years and a few years ago, I splurged for a heavy duty iron nutcracker found at the feed store and it works great except I haven't figured a way to make a work bench that I can use in the house by the fire. I don't build much these days so right now I just clamp it to my kitchen table. It works but isn't as stable as it should be.
When I helped grandpa we did the cracking with a ballpeen hammer on the anvil in his forge shed. A short piece of railroad iron on a chair, between my legs, was for any recracking in the house.
A simple bench that can stow away and works well with nut crackers. ua-cam.com/video/aixbbc5A2g0/v-deo.html
Good job, clever use of spare parts.
I wish I could find the publication with the original idea or plans. It was in the agri shop library of literature that was old in the 60's.
I have a starter shop and a box of old drives now I know what to do with them. Nice job. I been using my arbor press.
Any possibility you will produce them for sale?
@@shermanhofacker4428 When I get some time I will try to build one, when I do I will let you know.
I have an arbor press too, I always wondered if that would work. Thanks for the info
An arbor press can work to apply cracking pressure but is difficult to control. Some method of limiting the travel to prevent crushing usually is needed.
I been using the 1 ton arbor press from Harbor Freight with a very thick, large flat washer to hold nut. Works good, easy to control but I think the twisting motion of this rig is producing a more shattered nut. I'll check at the starter rebuild shop. Great video, thanks so much.
Excelente su trabajo mis saludos desde Argentina !!!
Thanks, hope you are having a good year!
Thanks sherman ! I like you , you remind me of my grandpa when i was a young boy, hope you dont mind me saying that . what kind of cup's did you use on your cracker ? I want to make one just like it . im even gonna name it after you ! Thanks again !
I made them by welding graduated washers stacked together then used Dremel to grind them smooth. The grinding was not at all necessary.
Great idea! Good day, sir! ;)
That is great cracker
Bendix! That's a good idea right there.
Wish I could claim it as my design, the actual original was published by the USDA in the thirties as part of the then pres's program to get folks to recycle, reuse, and repurpose long before that slogan became popular!
Checking for starters equipped with Bendix drive; seventies or before, the drive to crush and replace older vehicles makes them scarce
One more thing , what kind of nippers are you using ?
Knipex mini bolt cutters, good tool, but tractor supply has similar tool for less than half price.
Regular side cutters work well if the tips are ground thinner. Clipping nut shells doesn't put much strain on the cutters.
My dad still just uses a bench vise.
I spent a bunch of years with a piece of railroad iron and a ballpeen hammer cracking walnuts and butternuts
Did you ever use this on brazil nuts?
I have absolutely no experience with brazil nuts! I'm sure the outer shell would be too big to fit between the cups and I have no idea how hard it is.
@@shermanhofacker4428 well I'll find out. I've got materials to build one. Thanks for replying. If it works, I'll let you know.
As far as the inner triangle shell I just hold two and squeeze them against each other in my hand. Putting the sharp edge of one against the curved back of the other.
My dad would put the meat of the black walnuts into a dishpan of cold water when he was done cracking the nuts. The little shards of shell float and the meat sinks. Skim the shell bits off the top of the water and drain the meat and pat dry with a paper towel. Black walnuts are great in breads and candies.
I have never cared much for most candy; chocolate in any form is another story! A friend used to make pecans with a glaze of honey and ginger for gifts around the holidays, I talked her into substituting black walnuts for the pecans one year and she decided that they were too addictive.
Although Ruth never shared her recipe this one seems close, I'll be trying it this year.
saltinmycoffee.com/honey-ginger-spiced-nuts/
that gadget really works great, I might see if I can find a starter drive and make one, that pliers idea also works great,, this year our Black walnuts have been really crappy, I ''d say that at least 1/2 are no good, these I am working on have all been checked in water to see if they float, these sank and were still many bad.
Neighbor that uses the cracker mentioned nippers didn't work out for him. I checked his side cutters and noticed the tips were rather thick. Looking at my side cutters seems the same and don't work as well as the mini bolt cutter style I normally use. Going to take the die grinder to mine and see if they will be better after thinning the tips.
@@shermanhofacker4428 yes, I just have normal side cutters and they don't work well either, maybe his kind are what's needed
The mini bolt cutters can be bought cheaper than what I paid at tractor supply. About 18 bucks, I paid nearly 40 at an electric supply house.
I carefully thinned the tips of a couple side cutters with a die grinder and they now work very well for snipping the shells.
Black walnuts are a pain to shell and you would starve to death if you had to live of what you could crack but they are worth every hour spent! 😋
They are packed with nutrition, I think a person could survive on what they got out of the shells, but they wouldn't be spending the extra time to get the goodies out in large pieces!
Do you have any plans for this ?
No, it's mostly just lining things up and welding them in place. This was made when I was 15 or 16 and I am now somewhat older! I have given up finding a bendix locally and just ordered one online that should work. If it is what I think, I will make another one and keep track of the measurements. Possibly try to make a video and post it. I have looked for the bulletin that was used as reference but can't find it anywhere.
If it would help, I can post measurements of the parts and distance between them.
@@shermanhofacker4428 yes I can use the measurements to make me one
@@fergusonto-2032
ua-cam.com/video/yuikTqmB01M/v-deo.html
Silly old man !!!
Very perceptive!
Quite right!
Мне нравятся эти при ду реки! То что мы вы с рали при царе они представляют открытием!
Lost something in the translation! But thanks for the comment.
Вы прекрасный человек!
@@victop6281
You must be looking deeper than the surface! But thanks.
How I have been getting the hulls off this year.
ua-cam.com/video/krFAsmgsVQg/v-deo.html
Listening to this reminds me of an Australian poster who signs on with the monicker of warblesonalot😁. Not that I'm like him except for the warbling on alot. And age! ua-cam.com/video/RnZtvnc240I/v-deo.html
Careful you don't crack your own sitting that way😅😅😅😅
Not a chance, plenty of room and space between!
Just be careful since your cracking nuts anything can happens!!!!!well!!! it is a great idea!!!!cracking and eating!!!!!!🔴🤫🫢if your grandson ask where is papa your grandma might say cracking his whole basket of nuts!!!!🔴🤫🫢
Козья ножка проще будет, и доступнее.
Goat legs must be much harder and easier to swing In your neck of the woods!😃
Wow, you need some serious practice or another way to do that. Disappointing results. Ha! I grew up doing that with my grandfather endlessly and we cracked them just fine outside only not destroying the inside like that. No picking.
Glad to learn you spent a lot of time working with your grandfather. Often young people are too busy with friends and hobbies so older family members are left out of their lives.
Since stoneage a hammer is used with gratis succes
As long as fingers aren't caught between or the whole winds up smashed!