Oedipus Rex
Member
Catfish said:1. My problems with the old mill came from the axles being screwed on (I misthreaded it when I was changing the handle adn was never able to right it).
2. I think the monster mills axles are solid extensions of the actual rollers.
3. For general mill specs, minimum 4" x 1.5" rollers, 6" x 2" would be even better.
4. Also I hate the adjustment method on my old mill; dials on the axles of the powered roller, with a tiny tightening screw under the hopper. To adjust the mill you need to remove the hopper and top cover of the mill, this is a problem with a full hopper. Ideally you would have set your mill to the proper gap before filling your hopper, but the act of grinding turn the adjuster knob.
5. You should look at these mills to get an idea:
http://www.monsterbrewinghardware.com/productsnew.html
http://www.mashmaster.com/p/389022/millmaster-grain-mill-pre-order-today-and-save-special-introductory-price.html
http://crankandstein.org/
and of course
http://www.barleycrusher.com/
6. Don't forget to check out the DIY section as some of the people here have already built their own mills and can give you different info than I can.
7. I'd be interested in seeing your mill s when they're done.
1. Have you tried drilling the threads out and re-tapping to the next size up? It should solve your problem. If you'd like, give me the current thread size and I'll give you the corresponding info for the next size tap up, including the correct drill to use.
2. That is the correct way to make a solid machine. Anything less is just asking for trouble.
3. I was thinking of a minimum of 2.0 diameter rollers at 6.0 inches in length, not including the drive spindle (0.375 & approx. 1.5 long). I was also thinking of machining an adapter should someone want to use a 0.500 dia. drive.
4. Adjusting the drive roller doesn't make sense, being that the roller would be heavier and more 'temperamental' than the dummy roller to control. I was looking into several different ways to adjust the dummy roller externally and with precision. Less fuss and pissed off brewers that way.
5. Thanks. That helps out. I pretty much know how it has to work but really wanted input from the guys who use those things all the time. Not much of a beer drinker myself. I prefer Port.
6. I'll do that. Again, thank you.
7. It'll be a work of art, I'll assure you. The prototype will be out of 7075-T651 aluminum... not that trashy 6061-T6 stuff. I'm hoping, if the cost isn't prohibitive, to construct the mill out of 304 SST. as much as possible, not withstanding bearings, etc.
Please, if you guys have any other requests for a 'perfect' malt mill, feel free to jump right in and put your two cents in.
A little background on me.
I own a cnc machine shop in San Diego. Most of my experience has been in machining exotic alloys for the bio-tech/medical, deep sea exploration, aerospace and space technology fields. My parts have flown in air and space, been to the depths of the seas, and helped repair skeletal defects in humans. No part is too complex... just sometimes cost prohibitive.