Using a pasta maker to mill grain. - Page 46

**BargainFittings** · 02-01-2010, 05:21 PM

Sounds like the rollers are off a little bit. One side is closer than the other or your rollers are off round.

BigJay13 · 02-01-2010, 05:35 PM

Not what I wanted to hear! They do move a little bit side to side but I thought they were both moving equally. Oh well. Still not a big enough problem for me to stop milling my own grain with it. I'll just have to mill it twice.

**Brewmoor** · 02-01-2010, 05:37 PM

mine has that gap too. The roller slides a bit back an forth. It might be easy to fix with a rubber grommet on one end to hold it in place. I was thinking about that a bit last night.

dutch-brew · 02-03-2010, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJay13

I have been having issues with quite a bit of grain going uncrushed--about 10% I'd say. Any thoughts or suggestions?

If you look at your rollers, look at the one that moves when you turn the dial.
On the fixed roller the top plate pretty well sits on top of it, on the one that moves that plate doesnt move when you turn the dial..
I think that's where my uncrushed grain goes through... Although i don;t think mine is 10%, just a handfull per 10lb grain.
I've never thought of a way to fix it yet though.

gabeweisz · 02-03-2010, 05:30 PM

Before I broke mine, I'd put some foam insulation under those plates, which kept any grain from falling through - I also had quite a bit going through that gap.

TheBeerNerd · 02-12-2010, 05:12 AM

Wow... I just read this whole thread! I'm trying to get started with AG on a budget. A mill isn't on the top of the priority list, but this is cheap enough to give it a shot.
Iroc, is the buddy deal knurling still available?
Do you guys recommend knurling over the drill method, or vise-versa?

**Brewmoor** · 02-12-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJay13

Not what I wanted to hear! They do move a little bit side to side but I thought they were both moving equally. Oh well. Still not a big enough problem for me to stop milling my own grain with it. I'll just have to mill it twice.

I used mine last weekend to do 30lb grain bill. About half way through, getting annoyed that the roller was slipping to the gap, I found a solution. I cut a small piece of thin gauge steel. Some guys call it tin, for heating ducts. I folded a small piece in half and just stuck it in the gap. Worked great. Keep the roller in place and also kept grain from falling through it. The last 15lb or so went perfect.

FalmouthBrewmeister · 02-26-2010, 10:01 PM

I just spent an hour and a half reading this and I am headed to Wal-mart to check on a roller! - RedIroc- is the offer still on the table for knurling?

Cliff897 · 02-26-2010, 11:24 PM

I think you are going to have to do something about the rollers.
They are smooth. I'm betting that the grains won't get trapped and crushed. Instead they will just glide over the rollers. .

Those rollers are intended to sheet the dough while also not stick to it. That requires a nice glassy finish.

Take the rollers out and abrade the living BeGeebus out of them maybe on a 25 grit abrasive belt lengthwise and you'd be more likely to draw the grains in.

It's a great idea tho'. Ebay has those things for cheap. Might we worth the effort of taking one apart.

Then there is the question of the internal gearing. Will it stand up? Only one way to tell. First ya gotta open one up.

I have been contemplating a crusher using concrete rollers cast around steel shafts driven with small sprockets and chain.
Concrete is a very flexible material to work with and can be sealed with epoxies.

avaserfi · 04-18-2010, 05:10 PM

I got mine made a while ago (pics here) thanks to RedIrocZ-28 for knurling the rollers for almost nothing. I have run about 100lbs of grain through it and it is going strong. Last batch I got 82% efficiency, I was averaging around 75%, but changed my mash technique a little. I run the grain through once, don't bother with another run. I think setting 4 or 5.

Sorry it took so long to update.