What is the most efficent way to get shaved and crushed ice?

I have been trying to get the scoop on shaved ice and have had no luck. I enjoy using my snoopy snow cone maker, but I figured that someone here would have input on the differences in the two and the most efficent way to get the best results for both. I have an excellent bl/n/dkr blender, if that is any idea of where I can start. I was at T.nights Atlanta saturday and watched the insanity, but didn't quite find or see any answers about this ice problem except they use Shake machines at the mai tai bar. Thanks for any help.

go to target now and get a shaved ice thing (they're 70% off) ~they're fast n easy, the only thing is you've got to make ice in the hockey puck shaped molds. so you'll have produce those before your parties..

someone else (Polypop, perhaps) suggested to go to your fishmarket/butcher ~ as a source for crushed/flaked ice.

so far, our parties have been small events, so my Ice-O-Matic does just fine..but its not the most efficient device.

e

I found an ice crusher attachment for my Waring beehive blender and judging by its harvest gold color it was made in the 70's...
Anyway, it sits on top of the blender, you load cubes into the opening at the top and it proceeds to spit chunks of ice into the awaiting glass...as well as the floor, across the room and even dangerously close to your eyes. Needless to say, I've gone back to using my Dazey hand-cranked model and it works like a dream but I too am looking for more volume than the rocket ship base provides. Does anyone have the info on the electric ice crusher no tiki bar can live without? Has it been invented yet?

I have to vote for the good 'ol "Swing-A-Way" ice crusher.
I picked mine up at the thrift but there's a ton on ebay... (not my auction, just for reference)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=982&item=6119968318&rd=1
I use it all the time and when full it's enough ice for two good sized drinks.
Aloha,
:tiki:

I use a vintage Oster electric ice crusher that I found in a thrift for a couple of dollars. It works great.

You insert ice cubes into the opening at the top, and then simply pull a switch forward. The door is designed so most of the chips will stay inside the crusher. There is also a knob to select between fine and coarse ice chips. The bottom clear tray detaches easily, which works out great. I will crush the ice in the kitchen, as it is a bit noisy, and then carry the ice chips in the bottom tray to my tiki room next door.

The bottom tray can easily hold a full tray of ice cubes, which is also nice.
There are two of these Oster ice crushers on sale on ebay now - two different views, two different starting prcies ($1 and $10)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=982&item=6120164096&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=982&item=6120345647&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Vern

Thanks for the replies I plan on getting both the target shaver and swing-a-way crusher in a few weeks, awesome!

Thanks for the tip. I'm bidding on one of the Oster crushers. I'm tired of hand-cranking all my ice.

BTW, the fish/meat market idea works great. We do it for parties. We bring a gi-normus cooler in the store and they fill it up, no questions asked, and for free!

I have the same kind of 'old-fashioned' ice crusher as Tiki Royale except mine is more square in design and is called an 'Ice-O-Mat' ice crusher. I picked it up at an estate sale last fall for the low-low price of of 50¢. Works great. Cranking it is a bit of a pain in the butt and it makes about one cocktail's worth of crushed ice per 'crank session' for lack of a better term. It's a cool little item but I'm interested in quantity so I may switch over to one of those electric ones. :drink:

I got an electric Ice-O-Matic, made in the 50's, from ebay that you don't need to crank, and it's got a cool retro design. Mine works great.
Here's an auction for a similar one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=982&item=6121575802&rd=1

Ok, I got the H.B. snowman Ice shaver from target in the mail yesterday and it is truely a wonder. I have been shaving all the ice I have since. It works fine with regular ice cubes, and excellent with the hockey puck shaped blocks. Much ice has been made and many cones sit in the freezer waiting to be used in the future. A swing-a-way is in the mail so I will have to wait on that review. I thank you for the target lead dogbytes, and hope the s-a-w will be just as cool tiki royale. There is nothing like snow cone mixed drinks and the universal monsters late at night. Now if only the brain freeze and frostbite would go away.

I have a hand cranked ice crusher which is great, but for parties I just buy a 40lb bag of crushed ice from my local ice-house. It saves a lot of time and it is cheap, only about five bucks.

If you can afford it, these babys do a fantastic job. Crushed and cubed ice on demand, and there's even a party mode for EXTRA ice making ability! We've had ours for 2 years, and just love the thing. Screw the Christmas presents, buy yourselves one of these.

The swing-a-way arrived this morning and is excellent. I crushes ice just like the stuff they use at Trader vic's in Atlanta. I am very happy. The color on these are excellent because of the era, the past had more pastel then we use today. Thanks to all who posted on this thread, and thanks for letting me know about the swing-a-way crusher Tiki Royale.
Captain's Log supplemental... 11/6/04 I was searching northeast ga today and found an additional swing-a-way in white with a more tarnished exterior, and got it for five bucks, when I got home the one I won on ebay was waiting on my doorstep(b+w). That's my luck, now I just have to find a Zombie village or ren clark and I am sure to come across more.

[ Edited by: Mike the Headhunter on 2004-12-02 21:22 ]

I happened to notice tonight on a trip to World Market (for some orgeat and more of that Maraca brand sour mix Rick Bayless has been peddling) that they were displaying an ice crusher similar to the Swing Away.

It didn't have the retro flair of a real deal SA, but the mechanical aspect was seemingly identical and the capacity looked substantial. It was all chrome, so it had a distinct restaurant equipment look. I didn't need one, so I failed to check the price...sorry.

I'd say the only shortcomings were the somewhat flimsy feel of the attachment via a rivet of the rotating knob on the handle, and the silly doll sized plastic "ice scoop" that was included.

I figure that the knob could be reattached easily enough via a bolt and nut should it break, and the scoop can be used for....hmmm...well, the scoop is useless.

So if you happen to need a hand crank ice crusher, World Market has stores in your city, and the price is right, this might be your ticket.

FYI,

AHU

Call your local bag ice dealer and see if they sell bagged crushed ice. They often do.

For large parties, find a local supermarket that displays their fresh fish and seafood on crushed ice. They have these great crushed ice machines and will usually fill up a bunch of 10-lb bags for you, cheap.

Sabu

After reading this thread I bid on one of the Oster crushers that was up.

I won it for 10.00.

It works great.
It's loud but effective.