Huaco

Recipes 

No... You might get a handfull of batches out of it. From what I hear, the rollers actually take quite a beating. Stainless rollers will even wear out over time.

greenstar

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Sweet project thread, guys! Wish I had a mill & lathe at my disposal. I could think of at least a dozen projects I'd like to build.

clintopher

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It does come in handy.

danb35

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I've been thinking of doing something like this as well. Just have a lathe, though, no mill, so I might need to get creative with some of the machining. I'll be watching this one.

stamandster

Recipes 

What about using round tube instead of solid bar? Something with a little thicker walls though. And does it need to be stainless? Something with a high Rc (or Brinell if you prefer) and if it's over 3" it wouldn't need to be knurled?

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Undefined Brewing Company - Beer for Undefined Drinkers

Huaco

Recipes 

Yes, the thick walled pipe like a 3" Sch. 160 would probably work, but it is adding much more work to the build by having to add an axle rod and end caps... all while making sure they are exactly centered. If not centered, you would have to turn the OD of the pipe concentric with the axle and by that point, you might as well be just turning integrated axles into a solid piece of bar.

stamandster

Recipes 

So more work than it's worth I guess

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Gixxer

Recipes 

Your mill looks great! I too am making a mill, using 1/2" shafts, end caps, 1.6" steel conduit for the rollers. Also using ball bearings all the way around. 1.375 OD... For the gap adjustment I have slots milled for the whole bearing to slide, and threaded rods with set screws for adjustment. My problem is I have the easy bake oven of lathes so I could only turn 4" rollers on the shaft.

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Drinking Rye pale ale
Carbing/Aging Westy 12, Pumpkin ale V2, Wee heavy (on oak), The Kaiser clone, Graff, Old Jubilation clone, Sour Cranberry Ale, Barleywine
In the bucket None
On Deck None

jeepinjeepin

Recipes 

I've also heard that larger rollers didn't need to be knurled but I just found some livestock feed mills with 11" diameter rollers that they can re-knurl 5 times for wear. They are roller mills just like we use for brewing just a lot bigger. Are they knurled to increase feed rate?

I would guess that pipe is far from perfect and would have to be turned true even if you found and installed the axle on the exact (average) centerline.

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Gixxer

Recipes 

The pipe does have to be turned true after its mounted to the shaft, but not that time consuming

__________________
Drinking Rye pale ale
Carbing/Aging Westy 12, Pumpkin ale V2, Wee heavy (on oak), The Kaiser clone, Graff, Old Jubilation clone, Sour Cranberry Ale, Barleywine
In the bucket None
On Deck None