Bread Maker Machine -- Second Life?

So, after 15 years of glorious fresh bread, our old bread machine is due for retirement. The seal at the bottom of the bread pan finally went, and it's leaking grease upward. It's a pretty specialized piece that can form the seal and yet take baking temperatures. I can't see a way to repair it.

Yet everything else still works. So what else can I (or someone else) do with it? Thoughts?

If it heats but doesn't seal, can you put a secondary pan in it and cook other things? I am familiar with bread machines that have a removable pan the bread goes in, and the liner pan, not sure which one blew, or if I'm not seeing the right type in my head. Can you toss a link that machine?

It's an Oster. The removable baking pan has a rotating mixing paddle through the middle of it. That's where the gasket disintegrated.

I suppose I could take apart the rotating paddle assembly. Maybe the grease could be cleaned out and a brass bushing put in place. It's a lot of work for an old machine though.

The other option is to remove the rotating paddle entirely and seal the hole with a round-top stove bolt. The mixing motor could be disabled. Would anyone want it as a "bake only" mini oven? I'm not sure.

Did you check with Oster for replacement part? I use their old blenders, and buy the part that has the grease seal that always craps out.... They sell parts for their old stuff. I like their old tech MUCH better than anyone's new tech.

Modify the paddle, turn it on it's side and make it a rotisserie :D

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:It's an Oster. The removable baking pan has a rotating mixing paddle through the middle of it. That's where the gasket disintegrated.

I suppose I could take apart the rotating paddle assembly. Maybe the grease could be cleaned out and a brass bushing put in place. It's a lot of work for an old machine though.

The other option is to remove the rotating paddle entirely and seal the hole with a round-top stove bolt. The mixing motor could be disabled. Would anyone want it as a "bake only" mini oven? I'm not sure.

If it has the right settings, it can also be used for proofing, baking small things, when you don't want to heat the oven/ whole house - like say, baked potatoes? Baking, rather than microwaving mug cakes, or for small souffle... anything that you might want to do on a small scale, really.

Pearl Sutton wrote:Did you check with Oster for replacement part? .... They sell parts for their old stuff.

Good info! I assumed that was a dead end. I'll sniff around.

If you have the model number, check ereplacementparts.com for it. They have a pretty good selection.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:

Pearl Sutton wrote:Did you check with Oster for replacement part? .... They sell parts for their old stuff.

Good info! I assumed that was a dead end. I'll sniff around.

My blenders are... hm... mid 80's models? And they still sell parts for them on the Oster website.

I've seen one modded into a countertop composter.

William Bronson wrote: I've seen one modded into a countertop composter.

Only gets permie points if it runs off a solar panel. :-)

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:

William Bronson wrote: I've seen one modded into a countertop composter.

Only gets permie points if it runs off a solar panel. :-)

How about off a treadle? :D
Or by using the weight of chickens who have to step on a paddlewheel to get out of their coop? :D

if it has a rise function you could conceivably seal off the bottom and use it as a yogurt maker.

I looked on the web and there is a full range of replacement parts including the whole bowl insert.  Happy bread making

Sadly, Oster no longer has parts available for my machine. It certainly owes me nothing. I will fiddle with it and keep my scrounger's eye peeled. But it's a long shot.

Meanwhile, we bought a Hamilton Beach that has tons of good reviews and a 5-year warranty (in theory). Considering that a loaf of good quality bread from Cob's Bread is $4-5, it will pay for itself in no time (and save gas).

Bonus: I was able to use up a gift card that was cluttering my junk drawer for 80% of the cost. The salesperson had never seen one like it -- so old it didn't have a barcode.

Mulling over additional creative reuses (in addition to those already mentioned):

With mixing motor disconnected:
- micro crock pot
- slow coffee maker
- chicken egg incubator
- anything that can be cooked in a tall pot or tin can with a 5-1/2" diameter

With heating element disconnected:
- mixer for grout or hydraulic cement

Or:
- give it to school kids so they can tear it apart and see what's inside (urban kids often have no clue how things actually work; that's the cost of living in an engineered desert)