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08-30-2006, 08:56 PM

Would a burr type coffee grinder work. Not fast production but variable grind and cheap. Most of us have more time than money anyway.

Blender · 08-30-2006, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krury

Would a burr type coffee grinder work. Not fast production but variable grind and cheap. Most of us have more time than money anyway.

I don't think it would work very well. It would grind them to fine. You want to have the barley hulls intact and not grind them to flour.

**Yuri_Rage** · 08-30-2006, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krury

Would a burr type coffee grinder work. Not fast production but variable grind and cheap. Most of us have more time than money anyway.

It's possible you could find one that has a coarse enough setting, but even the coarsest coffee grind I've ever seen would be too fine for crushed grain. I'm opting for the completely home-built version - still a few open questions from the first post...anyone?

**Yuri_Rage** · 09-06-2006, 04:42 AM

Progress! Here's a test piece in 1" aluminum. I powder coated it mostly to test my setup and play with some new garage toys.

Since no one has addressed the coating issue, I might make two sets of mild steel grain rollers as a bit of an experiment - one set in bare metal and one powder coated set.

disaffected · 09-06-2006, 06:50 AM

That's a neat project, Yuri_Rage. I think mild steel would be the best of the options you've mentioned. Try to keep it dry, but a little rust isn't going to hurt you.

Is stainless too hard to lathe? I don't know anything about metalworking, but it seems like that would be a good solution. How about nickel plating the rollers?

**Yuri_Rage** · 09-06-2006, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beer4breakfast

Is stainless too hard to lathe? I don't know anything about metalworking, but it seems like that would be a good solution. How about nickel plating the rollers?

Stainless is a little harder to machine, but that's not why I ruled it out. It's REALLY expensive. Aluminum and mild steel are much more affordable.

Nickel or even chrome plating is certainly an option, but that adds cost as well, and there isn't a plating shop in town. I have access to all of the processes I've mentioned so far.

FYI, tools are chrome plated because chrome is a VERY hard, durable finish. It's usually a two step process where nickel is applied and polished, then chrome is applied over the nickel plate. Triple chrome plating is chrome plate over nickel plate over copper plate, polished at each step along the way.

G. Cretin · 09-06-2006, 10:28 PM

There are a ton of places in San Antonio that do plating if you want the numbers let me know it might be fairly cheap.

brewhead · 09-07-2006, 02:26 PM

you can also get a crankandstien for 69 bucks

casebrew · 09-10-2006, 11:18 PM

I use a rotary tortilla press. It has 3" diameter slick aluminum rollers, noisy cast aluminum gears. I made a hopper out of wood that restrict flow to about 1/2 to take it ewasy on the castings, and a bucket top base. I drive it with a socket in my drill motor, about 1/2 speed. New, they are $89 on eBay. Or swap meet with a broken crank, $20. It has adjustable rollers too. It works so well, I think I'll spring for some new precision gears, prolly $30. The aluminum rollers won't rust. Rust will ruin beer by the batch.

It feeds better than the press I made from a 1 1/4 knurled weight lifter's bar, too small diameter, even knurled.

**Yuri_Rage** · 09-12-2006, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewhead

you can also get a crankandstien for 69 bucks

But then I miss out on the fun of making my own.

They look nice for the price for anyone reading this thread who doesn't want to machine their own parts.

EDIT: Just noticed - these are only 1.5 inch diameter by 4 inches long. I'm planning 2 inches in diameter and 12 inches long. (That sounds really bad...)