It’s holiday-cookie time, and the new beater we got for our 15-year-old stand mixer didn’t fit. It went partway on the shaft and then jammed. Grr.

So this morning I went down to the basement and over to the old Harbor Freight collection of More Drill Sizes Than You Will Ever Need. Found the one that (almost) fit the hole in the top of the beater. Used it gently as a reamer for a minute or so. A few flakes of aluminum came out on the flutes. Now the beater goes on with not even a hint of binding.

Oh, and for those of you who haven’t already applied the calipers, the nominal size for Kitchenaid artisan series is half an inch.