Sledge Learning the E-waste ropes.. have some compliments and questions!

Oh.. I didn't know you didn't know the story:
Ahem.. La la la.. Clears Throat:

In 2008 my town had what they called a "100 year flood"
In that flood was a friend of mine's dad's law office.
When he passed, they cleaned out the basement of the office and in it was a Groen Kettle Model TDB/7-20 Commercial Grade Kettle.
When I got a call from the lady she said "Do you have any interest in scrapping a Fudge Machine" I thought- "I have no idea what a fudge machine is.. but if it is metal- I'll take it"

Description:



Groen Model TDB/7-20, 20 quart, self contained, electric heated, steam jacketed table top tilt mixing kettle. Equipped with 14" inside diameter x 11" in depth product bowl, with top mounted scrape surface agitation, 2/3 jacketed rated MAWP of 50 psi @ 300 Deg F with (2) 1" OD threaded jacket ports and side lever product tilt discharge. 6KW, with built in contactor, temperature control dial and mounted on 32" long x 18" wide, stainless steel platform base.

It can be used for a lot of different things, but he happened to use it to make large batches of fudge- so that is why she called it "A Fudge Machine."

Because I knew it was high grade and really expensive, I started looking it up. Turns out a new one is over $3K. Heck the tipper handle on the bowl would sell on Ebay for nearly $75 bucks all on its own.
I cleaned the machine, inside and out, all stainless and well made. In the end- the motor was seized on it and it was a no-go.
I talked to a local Groen supplier that said that "even dead, this thing should net you around $1000"

I called the company that does Commercial Kitchen equipment resale and told him what I had. I could hear his excitement on the phone. Load it up and take it- guy offers me $100 bucks. I wasn't dragging it back home, so I told him $200 and it was his.
Not the supreme payday I hoped for, but $200 bucks off Free, I wasn't going to complain.
............... And thus- when I was here talking all about the machine Either SirScrap of Brojer was the first to coin me "Fudge" and it has stuck ever since!

When I got it (Nasty Flood Water Residue)


After a good Cleaning: