Grain Mill

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Chappie519

Grain Mill

Post by Chappie519 » Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:49 pm

Hi,

I have recently decided to make myself a mill seen as i have access to a lathe and basically a machine shop.

Thinking about the design, an adjustable one seems quite a bit more complex than a non adjustable one. Does anyone who has a mill at the moment find a need for adjustment?

If so, would you mind posting a few pics of the adjustable parts of your mill?

Im thinking to use one dead roller and one drive. And using eccentric plates as adjusters? But im all up for ideas?

Cheers

Chappie
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Aleman
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Post by Aleman » Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:25 pm

Some grains are harder then others so you have to tighten the gap to pull it through. Rye Malt and wheat malt are smaller than Barley, so again another adjustment.

If you are making your own, consider having the two rollers driven (linked by a gear, and have the 'idler' roller driven at a slightly different speed to the driven roller. This induces a shear action on the grain with splits it much more neatly.
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babalu87

Post by babalu87 » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:45 pm

To avoid issues with rye and wheat just mill them twice at the standard setting for your barley.

Any recipe I have gets the wheat or rye milled first then it goes into the bucket that I'm measuring the rest of the grains into for another crushing.
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Chappie519

Post by Chappie519 » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:48 pm

Cheers for the replies. I still think that if im going to make it, i will make a proper job and make it adjustable.

Anyone got any pics of adjustable mills?

Chap
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clogwog
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Post by clogwog » Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:50 am

Here is a link to an exploded drawing of my mill.

http://www.mashmaster.com/UserFiles/232 ... em_opt.pdf

It is adjustable via eccentric bearing retainers for one of the rollers. The two rollers are also geared, thus I never have slippage.
Last edited by clogwog on Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Chappie519

Post by Chappie519 » Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:48 pm

Cheers clogwog! Thats exactly what i needed to see!

I started turning my rollers on the lathe tonight and will post pics after the weekend!

Cheers
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Miggle
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Post by Miggle » Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:47 am

wow clogwog, what a beautiful mill! I don't think I've ever seen such a well thought out design at this sort of 'pro-am' level. Do you mind me asking what sort of gap range can be got from this beast?

Thanks, Mike
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clogwog
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Post by clogwog » Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:00 am

Miggle wrote:wow clogwog, what a beautiful mill! I don't think I've ever seen such a well thought out design at this sort of 'pro-am' level. Do you mind me asking what sort of gap range can be got from this beast?

Thanks, Mike
I've just checked it with my feeler gauges. It will go down to .5 mm, and up to 2 mm.
I tend to run it at either 1 or 1.2 mm.
It gives me at least 90% mash efficiency every time.
A lot of the guys in Aus power theirs with a drill or washing maching motor etc. I don't see the need. I crushed 5.1 kg of grain yesterday by hand in 6 minutes.
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Miggle
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Post by Miggle » Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:30 pm

thanks clogwog, that sure is a beasty, if half those holes in the indenter represent a step then I'm guessing you've pretty much got 0.1mm step control - nice.

I did an 'add to basket' to get a shipping quote, oh dear, double the price. I shall have to drool from afar, unless I can talk SWMBO into another jaunt to Oz.

Thanks again

Mike
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buckfast

Post by buckfast » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:07 pm

Hey Chappie519

How're the rollers coming along? I'm thinking of having a go at the same sort of thing.
What are you making them out of? Are they knurled rollers or a smooth finish?

Cheers.
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Chappie519

Post by Chappie519 » Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:51 pm

Hi Buckfast! The rollers are coming along nicely, hope to finish tonight. Havent had much of a chance as ive been away all weekend.

They are steel rollers which will be lightly knurled. I will take pics the night.

Cheers
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buckfast

Post by buckfast » Tue Aug 19, 2008 6:21 pm

Cool.

It'll be interesting to see the pics.

How are you making the adjusters for the second roller? are both rollers driven?

Cheers

Geoff.
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Chappie519

Post by Chappie519 » Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:47 am

OK, Finally after about 2 weeks of busyness i have time to put the pics up!

Sorry for the delay buckfast.

So heres a pic of the mill in bits:

Image

You can see the eccentric adjusters to the sides.

And fitted together:

Image

Hoping to drive both rollers and thats why i have left shaft length.

Still work to be done, but just a quick up date.

Chappie
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Bru4u

Post by Bru4u » Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:42 am

Very nice work Chappie,
You should consider pricing up for a few of them, it looks very robust and I feel certain you could sell a few and make a few pound.
Again beautiful work :wink:
Bru
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Chappie519

Post by Chappie519 » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:50 pm

Thanks very much! Im no sure, its quite a bit of lathe time and im still no finished :roll:

Will hopefully get it done sometime soon! Just need to machine 4 threaded rods to hold it together and make a hopper!

Oh yeah, and polish it very shiney :D
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