8145

Overview

The Hobart 8145 is a compact commercial food cutter, better known in trade kitchens by its longtime nickname: the Buffalo Chopper. As parts suppliers put it, "The food chopper usually called the 'Buffalo Chopper' uses revolving knives to cut things up" — a spinning knife shaft working over a bowl that turns on its own axis. Hobart's product literature covers the 8145 alongside its closely related sibling model, describing the pair as food cutters that cut and mix, with various attachments available through Hobart, including #12 attachments.

The 8145 itself runs a 14-inch diameter, 2-inch deep bowl holding a listed 2 liters / 5 gallons, cut by two 2.25-inch long involute blades. A 0.5 HP motor turning at 1725 RPM drives the knife assembly while the bowl rotates at 22 rpm — the slow bowl, fast knife arrangement that defines this style of chopper. Electrical service is simple: single phase, 60 hertz, 115 volts at 7.8 amps, which is why refurbished listings flag the machine simply as "115V."

Because the 8145 is a legacy model, today's market is almost entirely used and refurbished equipment. Current online listings run from about C $1,118.95 to C $2,517.66, and a refurbished 115V unit has been offered at US $2,500. What keeps these machines in service is parts availability — suppliers still list 48 separate components in their 8145 chopper categories, noting they sell "most parts still available for these machines. Blades, knobs, belts, bearings and seals."

Key Features

• 0.5 HP motor at 1725 RPM — the half-horsepower motor spec'd for this model, with motor speed listed at 1725 RPM.
• 22 rpm bowl rotation — the bowl turns slowly under the knives so product is chopped evenly.
• Two 2.25-inch involute blades — the knife specification calls for (2) 2.25" long involute blades on the knife shaft.
• 14-inch bowl, 2 inches deep — listed capacity 2 liters / 5 gallons; dealer listings commonly describe the machine as a 5-lb capacity chopper.
• 115 V single-phase electrical — 60 hertz, 7.8 amps.
• Cut and mix capability — Hobart's literature describes these food cutters as machines that cut and mix, with various attachments available through Hobart, including #12 attachments.
• Compact footprint — 28 inches long, 17 inches wide and 21 inches high, with an 11.75-inch infeed height.
• Deep parts support — knives, combs, knobs, belts, ball bearing knife shafts, seals, retaining rings and handles are all still catalogued.

Specifications

Figures below are taken from the published specification listing for the Hobart 8145:

• Manufacturer: Hobart
• Model: 8145
• Product type: Food cutter (Buffalo chopper)
• Capacity: 2 liters / 5 gallons
• Bowl diameter: 14 inches
• Bowl depth: 2 inches
• Bowl rotation: 22 rpm
• Knife specification: (2) 2.25-inch long involute blades
• Infeed height: 11.75 inches
• Overall dimensions: 28 inches (L) x 17 inches (W) x 21 inches (H)
• Motor: 0.5 HP
• Motor speed: 1725 RPM
• Electrical: single phase, 60 hertz, 115 volts, 7.8 amps

Replacement Parts & Accessories

The 8145's parts catalogue is unusually deep for a machine of its age. Parts suppliers list 48 separate components in their Hobart 8145 chopper categories and state plainly: "We sell most parts still available for these machines. Blades, knobs, belts, bearings and seals." Highlights include:

• 14-inch open-end buffalo chopper knives — about $54.99, listed as fitting the 14-inch Hobart bowl.
• Knife retaining assembly — the 14-inch knife retaining assembly lists at $149.00.
• Ball bearing knife shafts — front shaft $14.99, rear shaft $15.99.
• Knife shaft hardware — knife shaft insert $24.99; knife shaft retaining ring $3.69.
• Controls and handles — fluted knob $10.99; locking handle with roll pin $49.99.
• Bowl comb — a 14-inch stainless steel comb for the 8145 lists at $69.99; aftermarket comb part number 116642 is listed at $76.74 against a list price of $102.32. Replacement combs are precision lasered from food grade 304 stainless steel.

Belts, bearings and seals round out the wear-parts list, which is why so many older 8145s are still running in working kitchens.

Applications

A buffalo chopper earns its counter space in kitchens that need uniformly chopped product in small-to-medium batches. With a 5-lb class capacity and a 14-inch bowl, the 8145 suits:

• Chopping onions, peppers, celery and other vegetables for salsas, relishes, soups and sauce bases
• Reducing cooked meats — ham, roast beef, poultry — for salad spreads, sandwich fillings and pâté-style preparations
• Cutting and mixing in the same bowl, as Hobart's literature describes, rather than chopping and then hand-blending
• Breadcrumbs, nuts, hard-cooked eggs and other prep jobs where a food processor's capacity is too small and a grinder is the wrong tool

Delis, diners, small independent restaurants, institutional kitchens and butcher counters are the typical homes for a machine like this — anywhere batches are measured in pounds, not tons.