New Weston grain mill smells like diesel fuel

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nate_ive

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I just got a new weston (corona type) grain mill. The instructions say not to put any part of this mill in the dishwasher, instead you need hand wash it in hot water. This thing reeks of diesel fuel. I threw it in the dishwasher with a little bit of liquid dish soap. I didn't put the crank in the dish washer because it has a wooden handle. Anyone else see an issue with using the dishwasher on it the first time out of the box?
 
Not familiar with that brand of mill, but I'd recommend following the mfr's directions. You went ahead and put it in the dishwasher anyway so I'm not really sure why you bothered to ask us?! I'd be concerned with rust so dry it off well. Shouldn't usually be a concern, but with the rain we've been having. . .

I'd also run a LB or 2 of grain through it and throw that away before running any grain you intend to brew with. this will clean the rollers of any residual soap or moisture.
 
Once rust gets started it doesn't tend to stop. It's a chemical reaction. The metal is oxidizing. If it's only on the outside, or on the grain hopper, probably no biggie. If it's on the rollers, kind of a biggie. Most likely though, if you can see it on the outside, then it's definitely on the inside where the rollers attach to the base and the handle, and that's a huge problem. You might go to brew in a few weeks and find your rollers seized from the rust. If you can take it apart do it now, and get it thoroughly dry, and then take some sand paper or a wire brush or maybe some rust remover to it and get that stuff off there. It's that or possibly buy a new mill some day soon.
 
Your mill will be fine, but now you have work to do.

Get some steel wool and remove all the rust.
Wash it in hot soapy water and dry with a towel.
Put in a warm oven to finish drying. (Warm oven = preheat to 250 degrees and turn it off)

After it cools, store in someplace dry, not your garage.


I have a 50 year meat grinder that is built the same way. We have been cleaning it this way for years.
 
After handling it, the cheap silver paint they coat this with is flaking off and sticking to my hands. This mill made in China --- I'm going to return this mill and avoid getting lead paint in my beer -- who knows what this thing is painted with. This thing is ghetto -- you get what you pay for I guess. I like the idea of the corona mill, but I'm going to look for a old one that doesn't have a weird silver paint on it. Thanks for the response.

I wouldn't waste malt to condition this thing. If I was going to condition it -- I would get some cheap bulk grain from the grocery store and run that threw and throw the contaminated milled grain away.
 
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