Just bought a big fat Bender releaser for wikipidia

[Dale Mahalko]

I won it, I won it, on ebay for $159...

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(YES IT IS UPSIDE DOWN. THIS IS THE SELLER'S PHOTO.)

Not to worry maplers, I only want it for documentation and demonstration purposes on Wikipedia. When I'm done with it, it is going back on eBay again. Though "done with it" likely won't be until summer as it's c-c-c-cold outside right now....

I previously tried to post here, that if you want it please don't bid against me in the auction, but the moderator didn't approve of it. Oh well, as I said in that non-existent post, I will be relisting starting at exactly what I paid for it. I'm not losing money on this item for a dairy farming technology history project that I'm just doing as a hobby.

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Woot! It has integral 1.5" ISO 2852 sanitary fittings, no check valve adapters needed!

I've never seen this style before. Dunno what the big white rubber plug is for on the vacuum dome of this model.

I should call the Bender Machine Works again, and see if they have any old user manuals they can contribute to this documentation project on Wikipedia. By extension, this would benefit other people out there who are also looking for the manuals.

- Dale

[meadster02]

well at least i know who out bid me now ha ha good luck with the releaser

[Dale Mahalko]

Aw it broke. The little flared stainless steel horn/bell in the top center section literally popped off with no force at all while I was cleaning it. Unclear what happened there, looks like a bad weld. I believe the horn is a splash guard to keep liquid spray from sucking up into the vacuum line.

Oh well, there is someone around here who welds stainless steel for a living so I'll get it welded back on, proper. That will add on to my ebay relisting price though.

The top and bottom white rubber ring-seals are badly cracked and splitting. Though it sounds like there's a dairy supply company about 40 miles away that still (???) stocks the rubber parts for this 30-40 year old releaser. I'll have to take it in and show it to them.

The red plastic cap and the whitish big plug in the dome have the word "caplug" embossed on them. Woohoo, some luck there for new bits:
http://www.caplugs.com/

[Dennis H.]

Don't worry to much about the SS bell thing. On the one Bender that I have it fell off 2 yrs ago and I haven't had any problems.

If you are going to re attach it, it will have to be soldered back on. That is how it was attached to being with so welding will be way to much work, 1st clean all solder then weld.

I found that Hamby Dairy has the white round rubber gaskets. I can't remember what I paid for them but they do have them.

I am not sure to what extent you are fixing this up but I just want to give you a heads up that you have about the amount of money tied up in it that it is worth. So any more that you spend on it you may have a tough time getting it back.