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| Ok so on another thread Dave directed someone to the NCHFP site about pressure canners and now I am wondering if my canner is to old of a model to use. I have looked online to see if I could get any information but was unable to find any. So maybe someone here can tell me if it is still safe and if any of you use one. The model is Presto 01/CA21H it is a mustard yellow color. 2 years ago I bought a new gadge and seal. I didn't have a problem finding the parts so I didn't even think about it being to old to use. Thank you all so much for your help. ~Tina~ |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Tina, I think your canner is a few years younger than my Mirro. There's no reason not to use the older canners if you can get replacements parts, gaskets when needed...some of those vintage canners are more reliable than brands offered now. I'd never seen a colored canner, but I looked on Ebay and find your harvest gold Presto (appears may be approx. 1975) in 6, 12, 16, and 21 qt sizes for sale there. Yours is the 21 qt from its model number. That seller is asking $142 and $40 to mail, several people are 'watching' it but no buyers yet and the auction ends in a few minutes :) Not many I know though are using canners with only a dial pressure gauge, many of us don't have places to have those checked annually any longer. I can't say myself if the era Presto you have can be converted to a weighted gauge if you too are unable to have yours checked regularly - but I'm sure someone else here can speak to that. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Presto vintage 21 qt
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- Posted by myfamilysfarm 5b (My Page) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 10:02
| Back in the 70s there were lots of gold, avocado and brown kitchen appliances and cookware, including canners. Nothing special about them, except the outside color. the canners that I use are older than that and I wouldn't give them up. Sometimes I wish they weren't as heavy (especially filled with water), but I know that's why they are still around. Even the old pressure canners that you can't get parts for make great WB canners. |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 11:00
| Thank you for the replies. I have contacted our local extention office to see about getting it checked. My mom and dad picked it up at a garge sale for me about 3 years ago for $10! A lot cheaper then the one on EBay. I replaced the dial and gasket before I used it but I didn't know I needed to get it checked every year until I read about it some where. I hope the lady I emailed will get back to me before it is time for me to do green beans. I know there is a lady on here (sorry I forgot your name I think it is Carol) that is from SW Washington maybe she knows where I can get it checked. I have also heard about checking with ACE hardware I am going to call them and ask. Tina |
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| 2 issues in my opinion. One, some of the older canners lack some of the safety devices built into newer models. They may lack over-pressure plugs, have nuts on the base of the gauge or welded gauge backs that prevent it from releasing if necessary, and some models don't even have a steam exhaust vent, no counterweight, and only a gauge. Second there is just too much evidence for my comfort that the "only a gauge" models simply can't be trusted to be accurate. As we have often discussed here, no gauge can be as accurate as a milled weight and these inexpensive gauges, even new from the box, can often be off by several lbs. That results in under-processed foods. I too have several older model pressure canners that I use but all of them have been converted to weights only or to weighted/gauge canners. I have also done conversions for several neighbors and friends who are later appalled to discover just how far off their gauge is compared to the weight. Your model can be converted to a weighted canner by removing the gauge, buying the new model vent tube and vent gasket, screwing it into the hole where the gauge was, and buying the 3 piece weight set for it. Total cost for parts approx. $30. Improves accuracy of processing and increases over-pressure safety. If you wish to take it a step further the lid can be drilled for a new over-pressure plug. If you don't have the proper tools any machine shop can do it for you. Not a cheap conversion, true, but still quite a bit less than buying a new quality canner. Dave |
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| Dave, when all the photos were showing on the Ebay site before the auction ended on the same model canner, there was a close up of the lid with dial gauge, a counterweight (petcock? my canners are all weighted gauge so not sure of the terminology), and a safety plug... |
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- Posted by readinglady z8 OR (My Page) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 11:41
| I have a similar Harvest Gold canner (did have two from that era) in the 12-quart size. It's my "baby" for smaller batches. Mine fortunately came with the gauge and the 15-pound weight so I just switched out for the standard 3-piece Presto weight. I didn't change anything else. A weight is more accurate than the gauge and removes the necessity for continual checks. I'd recommend the changes Dave suggests. If for this season you want to stick with the gauge, here in the PNW a lot of Extension agencies still check them. Contact your nearest Extension. Ace Hardware also runs gauge checks from Presto, so you could contact them and see if one is scheduled, though it's late in the season for that. Carol |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 12:05
| Thank you all! Continually learning. I thought growing up with canning and using my parents as my guide I thought I was being safe. My parents are kinda of old school. When I ask them questions or when I make comments the say "We have done it that way for years and nobody has gotten sick." I just say not yet and it is a good thing. I have learned to not ask them questions when it comes to canning. I am so grateful to have this community to ask my questions to. Dave can I order the parts you are talking about through presto? Carol I contact Karen at the extention office yesterday and left a message hopefully I will hear back from her soon. I don't usually use my pressure canner until the end of August when my green beans, carrots and corn are ready. Thanks again. ~Tina |
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- Posted by gardenmom z4 WA (GardenMom360@gmail.com) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 14:08
| I used my mother's old canner for many many years. It was originally purchased in early 1930's when her father died. Her mother had 5 children to raise and found herself needing to garden and can fruits/veggies to feed her children. It had a screw down lid, so all I had to do was replace the gauge. Only problem was it only held 5 quarts (instead of 7) or 9 pint jars. I finally gave it away to Goodwill. My next canner, which I still use, is an All American. I bought it at a garage sale for $5. The glass on the gauge was cracked and the owner was afraid to use it. Again, I replaced the gauge and one of the wingnuts. I've been using this for 20 years. It still holds a tight seal and gets up to pressure with no problems. In fact, the Master Canner from cooperative extension once asked me to buy as many I could find at garage sales. For that price, she knew plenty of people in need of one. |
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| If your's has a petcock then it is even easier to convert to a weighted canner. Then you can just ignore the gauge. You just need to buy the vent tube and 3 piece weight set. Remove the petcock, screw in the new vent tube with a bit of plumber's tape on the threads, and pop on the weights. From Presto? Maybe, maybe not. Most of us never deal with them directly because the sweet young things they have answering the phones don't know a canner from a mailbox. But there are several reliable sources for Presto parts online that we have listed in all the previous discussions here about all this. ereplacementparts.com I'll have to look up the vent tube part number as i don't recall it off hand. It's the one that is pointed on top. Dave |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 15:49
| I just got off the phone with the lady at the WSU extension center and she said they will be testing pressure canners next week. Yea! I also asked her about my canner and she said it is a perfectly safe model to use. Yea again! She told me it is the same as she uses. Thank you all so much for your help. Sometimes it is hard to except that what one is doing maybe unsafe but as for me I am glad people such as yourselves have this knowledge that some of us don't. Oh and I told my mom about the test (she has the same model as me). She said she had never had hers tested since she bought new in the 70s. She is going with me to have hers tested. Thanks again! ~Tina~ |
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| You can get them tested in Longview, WA. and in Vancouver. That, and there are "clinics" at Wilco in Battle Ground on certain Saturday's. Cost is $4 per gauge. Yours most likely will use the Presto 3 piece weight set 50332 if you want to switch to a weighted gauge canner. You leave the dial on, but use the weight instead of the counterweight that came with your canner. The weight will jiggle the whole time you are processing. They sell them at Bob's Merchandise in Longview, Wilco in Kelso, and Wilco in Battle Ground. Cost is about $15 per set. |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 23:13
| Thank you Linda. I talked to a Kim today at the WSU Lewis County Extension office and she told me there next testing is next Wednesday. It is really affordable $2 there. I live pretty close to there. Thanks for letting me know about Bob's. I haven't been there in years. If I can't find one at the local Sunbirds I'll go there. Thanks everyone for all the help. ~Tina~ |
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| Wow ! They still have Sunbirds ? We used to shop there when I was a girl, then my dh and I went there a few times, too. Brings back memories for me. Glad you can get the gauge tested up there. If you go with the weight set it will be cheaper in the long run. A new dial gauge is more than the $15. |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 0:11
| I went to Sunbirds and picked up the weight. It doesn't come with any instructions! It appears to come apart. I have to admit when you guys were saying 3 pieces I thought it was going to be a total over haul on my canner. So my question is why does it come apart? ~Tina~ |
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| The 3 pieces are 5-10-15 lbs. That is how weights work. Each part is milled to jiggle at a certain weight of steam pressure. For processing at 5 lbs. you use only the center core (part with the knob), for 10 lbs. you use the core plus one ring on it, for 15 lbs use the core with both rings on it. Dave |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 14:42
| Thank you Dave. So I am assuming that the dial will continue to read as well and that the weight is just an extra precautions to make sure the gauge is accurate? I read that it hisses does it do this the entire processing time or only when it is higher then the weight? With the old unweighted one I would put it on after a steady stream of steam was showing. Is this how the weighted ones work as well? Thanks for the help. ~Tina~ |
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| When using weights one just ignores the gauge. The weights are far more accurate. The action of the weight depends on the brand of canner. Presto weights rock from side to side releasing a bit of steam when at pressure, slowly, steadily and continuously. Some call it a jiggle, some a hiss, some a dance but the point it there is actual movement of the weight itself. And it makes noise - a metal on metal ticking you can hear even in the other room usually so monitoring it is much easier than with a gauge. You also don't have to play around with the heat settings nearly as much. The 10lb weight for example is milled to 10.5 lbs. so the pressure can never go over that amount. If the weight is frantically rocking then the heat needs to be turned down just a bit. If the weight stopped moving then the pressure has fallen below 10 lbs. But the important thing is that it is the weight that is the focus, not the gauge. So ignore the gauge as if it wasn't even there and do not use your gauge to try to control the weight. Those that have been gauge-dependent take a bit to adjust to the weights but once you do you'll be very happy with the change - not to mention better processed food. Do a couple of practice runs with just water and no jars in the canner to see how it works. When the weight gets to the steady tickkkk-tockkkk-tickkk-tockkk motion you are at pressure and begin your timing. Otherwise same rules apply - vent well for 10 mins. before putting the weight on. Cool down - when gauge says zero then tilt the weight slightly to make sure no steam escapes before pulling it all the way off. Wait 10 mins before removing the lid. Dave |
Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - How to use a pressure canner
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 15:17
| Thanks so much! I am sure it will take some getting use to. I will do some trial runs to see what it is like and what to expect. ~Tina~ |
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- Posted by Christina818 PNW - 7B (My Page) on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 17:56
| I took my mom and our lids to have them tested today. Mine was running .5# over where it should be. Not worried about it because I have the weight now. My moms on the other hand was 1.5 below where it needs to be. I am so glad I got her in there (they don't want to buy the weights)! So glad I found this site. If I hadn't I would never have known to even get it tested. Thanks so much! ~Tina |
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| I, too, had never heard of this newfangled weights bidnez before this thread! I have my parents old, old pressure canner, cast aluminum with wood(!) handles. I bought a new gauge and seal for it, back in the late 80s, but I don't think I have used it under pressure since I was a kid. I am kind of a chicken about pressure canning and safety. Also, when I used to can (as a young adult) I was a vegetarian. Now that I'm getting back into canning, it could be very useful for all the homemade meat stock I have currently taking up freezer space. If I could just woman up and get over my fears.... the weights might help my confidence :). |
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- Posted by myfamilysfarm 5b (My Page) on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 18:56
| Take the NCHFP canning course, it reassured me. I knew how but taking the course made me aware that I was doing this correctly. Back in the day, most of the items that were covered were also covered in home ec (1960-70s) And most of the 'new' rules were taught to us, only difference that I see if the adding acid (due to the new varieties of tomatoes) and the difference in process time needed. I gave away a dial only canner before I knew about the weights. |
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