Mounted and motorized Barley Crusher

Been accumulating parts for this for a while... Almost a year, actually. Finally now, on Black Friday (wife sleeping, daughter at daycare) do I finally have some "me time" to build.

Started with my Barley Crusher, an AC motor that I got cheap off eBay (8 months ago?), and an old microwave cart that I got free.



The plan is that I could close the doors and have relative dust-free milling. High-tech control panel:



Finished product... I added Xmas lights that go on when the power strip switch is pushed. Lights and yellow safety tape will keep fingers from being torn off.



Final Video:



Rest of pics with titles... http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/kk238/shiplax27/Grain_Mill/

Cool! What more can I say.

Pretty cool, good job! I want to do something similar to my barley crusher. Where did you get the fly wheel for the mill?

hairnt said:

Pretty cool, good job! I want to do something similar to my barley crusher. Where did you get the fly wheel for the mill?

Click to expand...

Grainger... Needed that bushing too to make the 3/8" barley crusher spoke fit the 1/2" sheave hole.

That is such an awesome use for Christmas lights. I love it!

Love the light show, lol.
It wouldn't have been the same without it

Plus, Thanks for AG tutorial. I have follow every steps for my first AG

Nice set-up but is dat some Jamaican rap or something? hahaha

You know... The lights are functional, yet fashionable too. As is the electric tape. This build was truly inspired by the Biermuncher "ugly junk" style!

Matisyahu: "King Without a Crown"... It was on my playlist.

Looks great!

I'm the kind of person who will brew with sandals or even bare foot and shorts but I was really impressed with the use of the safty tape. Looks great!!!

I'll go shorts, but not exposed feet. Waterproof hiking boots for me!

I have an almost 8 month (on Tuesday) old daughter and my wife calls me "Safety Dad" because I'm always on the lookout for stuff she can get into. As far as my dangerous brewing things, right behind a raging propane burner is going to be this set-up. Eventually, I'm going to have to lockdown the power cord, I think.

Looks great!
I like the light idea for my mill so my daughter can mill at any time of day without excuse.

Lights and yellow safety tape will keep fingers from being torn off.

Click to expand...

Send me some of your magic tape

Cheers and joy your new toy,
ClaudiusB

ClaudiusB said:

Send me some of your magic tape

Click to expand...

Tell you what magic it does do... It insulates live wires so that you don't get shocked... Oooooooooooh!

I have the awesome chance to completely sculpt the kid's mind... She'll definitely know what's dangerous around the house.

Back on topic, the only thing I might add is some length to the chute under the deck... Right now, the opening is about 2" above an Ale Pail. Might extend it so it's 2" below the rim.

And also, I realize it isn't truly dust-free, with the big opening there where the power strip is. I am thinking maybe a strip of plexiglass that goes across there behind the strip, but in front of where the chute is. Any other ideas there?

And for the open back... I am thinking some type of easily removable barrier... Would love to hear thoughts on that.

what are the part number's for the pulley and bushing? what about the pulley on the motor? is there another thread with that info?

dave

I copied it from someone on here.... Can't find that, but here's what I got:

Sheave, belt, and bushing.

The crusher/bushing/sheave assembly is shown well in my photobucket link in my original post. Now, the bushing needs its' opening widened... I used a cutting wheel on a Dremel to do that. The screw from the sheave won't screw down to the flat part of your crusher spoke if you don't grind it open a little bit. Whoever the first person to post all this was, he fortunately recommended doing that.

The motor came with its' sheave already attached... It's a 1 1/2" diameter sheave.

And also, I realize it isn't truly dust-free, with the big opening there where the power strip is. I am thinking maybe a strip of plexiglass that goes across there behind the strip, but in front of where the chute is. Any other ideas there?

Click to expand...

To make it almost 100% dust-free install a shelve at the same hight as the bucket with a cutout for the grain chute.
Chute must fit snug.
As soon you slide the bucket under the shelve you have a sealed container.

And for the open back... I am thinking some type of easily removable barrier... Would love to hear thoughts on that.

Click to expand...

Don't use wood, you have enough.
Plexiglas or polycarbonate to show the soul of your mill.
People like to see things move.

Replace the one of the lights with the flashing version "Danger"

Cheers,
ClaudiusB


Cheers,
ClaudiusB

ClaudiusB said:

To make it almost 100% dust-free install a shelve at the same hight as the bucket with a cutout for the grain chute.
Chute must fit snug.
As soon you slide the bucket under the shelve you have a sealed container

Click to expand...

Now that's not bad at all... There was an adjustable shelf in there, so there are pins for adjusting the height. Wonder what the odds are of some of those holes being the perfect fit?

Easy enough to drill new ones though. Thanks!

The AutoMill in action!



Very happy with it... Going to extend the chute very soon... It got pretty dusty in there. I am going to use an extendable rain spout which is going to have an Ale Pail lid attached to it... Put the bucket under the chute and extend the spout down until the lid is on the pail.

Also need to electric tape over the open sockets on the control panel.

Overall though, I am thrilled with this!

You might be interested in trying malt conditioning. You will have nearly Zero dust and a much better crush. I look forward to motorizing my BC, with the heavy geared drill on there it is poorly balanced and I have lost some grain to the floor.

Wow, I like it.

DubbelDach said:

Also need to electric tape over the open sockets on the control panel.

Click to expand...

Since you're safety dad, you must have some of those childproof outlet covers. That should keep the dust out, and look a little less ratty than some tape.

Need something like this.

DubbelDach said:

Grainger... Needed that bushing too to make the 3/8" barley crusher spoke fit the 1/2" sheave hole.

Click to expand...

Any way to get part numbers? And what was the reduction between the 2 pulleys? I definitely need to make one for the new brew shed.

wildwest450 said:

Any way to get part numbers? And what was the reduction between the 2 pulleys? I definitely need to make one for the new brew shed.

Click to expand...

Sheave, belt, and bushing.

Reduction.... Hmmm. 1.5" wheel on a 1/3hp, 1725 rpm motor. 10" wheel on the crusher... 3L v-belt which is 44"...

I am terrible at math... Used this: http://www.csgnetwork.com/pulleybeltcalc.html and got 258 rpms for the mill?

PS - I hate math. :fro:

DubbelDach said:

Sheave, belt, and bushing.

Reduction.... Hmmm. 1.5" wheel on a 1/3hp, 1725 rpm motor. 10" wheel on the crusher... 3L v-belt which is 44"...

I am terrible at math... Used this: http://www.csgnetwork.com/pulleybeltcalc.html and got 258 rpms for the mill?

PS - I hate math. :fro:

Click to expand...

Thanks! I just assumed you had numbers figured out and didn't go willy nilly buying a set of pulleys. I wonder what the optimal rpm is for the crusher? I think i'll go drop them a line and find out.

Someone here posted similar numbers, and my motor came with the 1.5" sheave already attached. BYO used similar numbers as well. Not sure what Barley Crusher recommends (actually, I thik they endorse drills, but not motors... oops), but the BYO article and most of my other research turned up, "Optimum roller speed for small homebrew mills is 150–200 rpm".

So I'm a shade faster than that, but everything seems to be going swimmingly.

DubbelDach said:

Someone here posted similar numbers, and my motor came with the 1.5" sheave already attached. BYO used similar numbers as well. Not sure what Barley Crusher recommends (actually, I thik they endorse drills, but not motors... oops), but the BYO article and most of my other research turned up, "Optimum roller speed for small homebrew mills is 150–200 rpm".

So I'm a shade faster than that, but everything seems to be going swimmingly.

Click to expand...

Cool, I sent them an e-mail asking for a recommended rpm, so we shall see.

Dude, nice setup. I have the same mill, just sitting on a piece of 5/8" mdf with the motor. I gotta lug the thing out everytime I need to use it. What a PITA.

Nice work!

I have an oil-less air compressor which blew up recently, the connecting rod bearing flew apart. The electric motor, probably 1.7 hp, is in fine shape. It's a much more compact motor than the ones I see powering most grain mills. Does anyone know if such a motor could be used to power a BC mill?

scribed as i am working on doing this now