An Epic Equipment Quest
Have you seen this Joylent video?
Joylent, the leading Dutch competitor to Rosa Labs’ Soylent, has their own production facility, with a big, industrial mixing machine, and a big warehouse full of pallet racks and mountains of stuff.
Needless to say, I’m super jealous. ;)
Rusted relics of ages past…
So, I realized I needed to get a mixing machine of my own. Not only would it make production a fair bit faster, it would also eliminate the occasional reports I get of an insufficiently mixed order – always a disappointment when it occurs. These machines are thorough – they, and by “they” I mean industrial ribbon blenders, can be used to mix powders to a very precise degree, not only for foods but for chemicals and pharmaceuticals as well.
That’s pretty thorough.
The elephant barn.
These machines are also crazy expensive.
A big mixer like the one Joylent has? Probably cost the same as a new car. Yes, a car.
Pretty expensive for a machine with only one moving part. :p
It’s so cute!
Even the small ones are really expensive. And the used ones? Also expensive.
It’s the law of supply and demand, I guess.
Anyway, it was quite an experience last week to drive over to Machinery & Equipment and stand around in a warehouse (or several, actually) full of machines of mysterious origins and unknown purpose, which could easily crush or dismember me if I were to make any sudden, unexpected movements (I suspect), while seriously discussing the prospect of choosing among prices listed in the tens of thousands of dollars.
No, I haven’t bought anything yet. Time for some comparison shopping…
As far as the eye can see…
You know anyone with a used ribbon mixer they’d like to get rid of? Let me know. ;)
I might be in the market for a decent auger filler or weigh and fill machine too, for that matter. You know, if you have one lying around.
Or even a double impulse vacuum sealer. You never know when one of those might come in handy. But am I getting ahead of myself?
I don’t know. You tell me.
Why not contact Soylent proper? They’ve got more demand than supply, so you’re not exactly cutting into their market by getting advice on gear. If anything, a positive contribution to the market at large should increase the perception of the market’s viability. They’ve also got open-source at their hearts. I hope they’d help a bit, either with used gear of their own or recommendations for where to go.
That would be a great idea, except Soylent (unlike Joylent, for example) doesn’t do their own production. They outsource manufacturing to a co-packer called RFI Ingredients, so they don’t have any equipment or even expertise on equipment in house.
Well, Day Two. I am using for breakfast only. I told you I am training for Aidslifecycle,
a 545 mile Bike Ride, from SF to LA, completed in 7 days. They have been doing this for
15-18 years and have raised 135 million (through 2014) for HIV/Aids research. We ride until there is a cure. Anyway, my plan is to use Schmoylent for breakfast and lunch because I figure since you want to get on your bike and ride ASAP after eating, why have a full belly that then has to do its thing churning all that food into something assimilable
when I can just drink my Schmoylent and rock and roll. So far so good. Except after a
couple hours I start feeling a bit hungry. I think that is because I rode 115 miles over the
weekend and haven’t really recovered since then. In fact, I am thinking of taking a days
supply and doing it in half. We shall see and I will update you on that as I go along.
On Saturday, I am doing my first 100 mile ride. I will, for sure, have S’lent for breakfast
to start it out.
Now, to reply to this above story of the big machines and the money and all. I donated to a Kickstarter fund to help finance a documentary on what libraries are all about.
If I can put money there, why not think of crowdsourcing for S’Lent. You promise us that we can get say double the amount of S’Lent for what we give you. We are fronting you the capital to buy the mixer and other tools, you are giving us a one time deal.
Anyway; that is a thought.
By the by; I was a little bummed I didn’t get a mixing think like Soylent gives its first time
customers. Also, you are right sabout needing a vacuum sealer. as the 7 baggies sure didn’t very professional. I overlooked all of that, though as I am one of the last hippies from the Sixties (72 years young) but it would look good to give each 1st time customer
a mixing container of some sort. Also a decal for the car and a way to buy at-shirt.
So far, I like the woodsy sort of taste for the Classic Schmoylent. I will see if I need to
customize my order in the future for more carbs. more protein.
Peace,
Jeffrey McMeans
Maybe it’s time to look for funding.
Perhaps. :p
Kickstarter campaign maybe.