help with getting precise weight of chocolate into each mold

beth campbell
@beth-campbell
06/15/17 01:08:20AM
40 posts

hi there,  I am trying to determine the most efficient and effective way to fill molds with an exact amount of chocolate.  I recently weighed many of my bars that are coming out of custom made plastic molds (not as rigid as poly-carbonate), and they all come out at different weights.  If there is a particular way to use funnels and scales?  I am looking for details....ie. what type of scale in order to get precise and also be able to hold the weight of the entire mold (4- 1oz cavities)?

What type of funnel and where would I find it?  What type of machine? if there is one that doesn't cost the moon.  I really have no idea if there is a small scale depositor that would be in my reach financially, but if so please recommend. 

Thanks

Beth

mitch
@mitch
06/15/17 08:28:30AM
9 posts

I don't have the answer, but whoever does is going to want to know what accuracy you are seeing and what your target is (i.e., +/- x grams for each case).


updated by @mitch: 06/15/17 08:29:01AM
thepunisherplan@gmail.com
@fox-anders
06/15/17 01:25:08PM
18 posts

Could I ask how you are filling them now?

beth campbell
@beth-campbell
06/15/17 01:56:23PM
40 posts

So I am wanting .01 of a gram accuracy, and the bar is 28 g.  And I currently use a different mold (polycarbonate) and because it is rigid, and the shape of the bar narrower, I don't have as much deviation in the weight of each bar.  I fill them by hand either with a scoop, or the spout on my Perfect Air temperer.  And then I scrap off excess.  It is very messy and if I could afford a fancy tempering machine with the depositor that would probably eliminate alot of trouble. In the meantime, we are currently looking at buying a scale that reads to .01g and then purchasing a funnel to deposit the chocolate, but I am concerned about how time consuming that process will be.  Also we are trying to get a funnel that can handle inclusions. 

What do other folks use who don't have the fancy machines to do it for them? 

Potomac Chocolate
@ben-rasmussen
06/15/17 04:35:36PM
191 posts

I would look into a large syringe over a funnel. There's a link in a couple threads either here on the Chocolate Life or on Chocolate Alchemy. You can be very precise with them and they're not messy. Larger inclusions would be a problem, though.

Potomac Chocolate
@ben-rasmussen
06/15/17 04:39:07PM
191 posts

You could also look into a pancake batter dispenser. I got one a while back, but never got around to really testing it out. It would probably work with larger inclusions than a syringe, but may not be as precise. You could fill it from the spout on your tempering machine.

The one I have is manual, but they also make motorized versions. Here's the one I have:

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/aluminum-pancake-waffle-batter-dispenser/158PCD13.html

mitch
@mitch
06/15/17 06:31:09PM
9 posts

How did you arrive at 0.01g?  0.01g / 28g is 0.04%.  That seems like it might be overkill for chocolate.  An inclusion would weigh much more than that.

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