I am sitting here at work looking at buying a grain mill. Then i started to wonder why dont i make one. Im a machinist and have all the tools and equipment . Does anyone know where i could find some specs or ideas. Thanks
anyone ever make there own grain mill?
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Time and effort my friend...you can buy a corona mill for 20-30 bucks or a roller mill for a hundred plus....how much time, and or money do you have???
Testimonials from this thread indicate that this should hold up for quite a long time. using your machine abilities you can put a knurl on the rollers, which is really all that is necessary.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/using-pasta-maker-mill-grain-75784/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/using-pasta-maker-mill-grain-75784/
Junkster
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I made one a few years ago from caster wheels found in a scrapyard. A friend knurled them on a lathe and cut some threads on a shaft and I've used it for several years. I welded up the frame and built a wooden hopper and run it with a $5 motor from a yard sale. I might be able to find a couple pics if anyone is interested.......
carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
If you do it, a few things to think about:
The stuff you see has bronze bearings rather than ball bearings. Ball bearings don't take shock (from rocks in the grain) as well. They also load up with dust from the grind much quicker.
Solid rollers are the way to go. The same rocks will dent up a hollow roller pretty fast. Each dent lets un-crushed grain through and reduces your efficiency.
Bigger diameter is always better. If you have some 3" round stock, that's going to be the thing to use. Spend some quality time putting groves in it.
Gears between the rollers seem to be a "some do / some don't" kind of thing. They make the adjustable spacing on the rollers harder to implement.
Stainless steel is also a good idea if you have it lying around. Wet grinding grain is indeed something you might want to do.
A half inch (or larger) drive shaft is a good thing for pulleys. Anything over 1/2" will make it a bit tough to drive with common drills.
If you are making up the crusher, make up a proper mounting plate for it at the same time. Plywood is *not* a proper mounting plate. While you are at it, make up a proper mount for the hopper as well ...
If you are making up end plates and a mount, the drive needs to go somewhere. Better to allow to much room than not enough.
For the ultimate design, the dust from the grind is a bit of a hazard (fire, explosion, end of the world ...). An air motor would be a *very* cool way to run one of these.
Now how to justify the new mortgage based on the material list for the new crusher...
Bob
If you do it, a few things to think about:
The stuff you see has bronze bearings rather than ball bearings. Ball bearings don't take shock (from rocks in the grain) as well. They also load up with dust from the grind much quicker.
Solid rollers are the way to go. The same rocks will dent up a hollow roller pretty fast. Each dent lets un-crushed grain through and reduces your efficiency.
Bigger diameter is always better. If you have some 3" round stock, that's going to be the thing to use. Spend some quality time putting groves in it.
Gears between the rollers seem to be a "some do / some don't" kind of thing. They make the adjustable spacing on the rollers harder to implement.
Stainless steel is also a good idea if you have it lying around. Wet grinding grain is indeed something you might want to do.
A half inch (or larger) drive shaft is a good thing for pulleys. Anything over 1/2" will make it a bit tough to drive with common drills.
If you are making up the crusher, make up a proper mounting plate for it at the same time. Plywood is *not* a proper mounting plate. While you are at it, make up a proper mount for the hopper as well ...
If you are making up end plates and a mount, the drive needs to go somewhere. Better to allow to much room than not enough.
For the ultimate design, the dust from the grind is a bit of a hazard (fire, explosion, end of the world ...). An air motor would be a *very* cool way to run one of these.
Now how to justify the new mortgage based on the material list for the new crusher...
Bob
If you are a machinist, then you should have a much easier time than I. I built two so far using our shop equipment and getting pointers from the guys.
I think mine has about 2" rollers and 1/2" shaft. They are about 5" long (Which was half the length of the round stock I got from the scrap bin.)
The first one I power with a gearmotor that was generously donated to me by a guy at work that was NOS and they would never use for a customer. The second one is not finished, but will likely be powered by a drill motor.
If I had to do it again I'd modify the adjustment system slightly to make it easier to adjust on the fly. I'd also look into hardening the rollers after the knurling to help keep the texture.
The crushers I built would not grab grain very well. I tried adding an O-ring to a roller, but it got chewed up very quickly. I finally just drew up a pair of gears in Solidworks and had had them cut on our Wire EDM. It's pretty foolproof now.
I can submit pics, although I can't say my design is all that great. It's just what my limited thought process could come up with. Somehow the shaft is not perfectly straight so there is some wobble as it crushes, but since I mounted it to a sheet of SS, the whole thing flexes and doesn't hurt the brushing a bit. In fact, it looks cool. Like it's alive or something.
I think mine has about 2" rollers and 1/2" shaft. They are about 5" long (Which was half the length of the round stock I got from the scrap bin.)
The first one I power with a gearmotor that was generously donated to me by a guy at work that was NOS and they would never use for a customer. The second one is not finished, but will likely be powered by a drill motor.
If I had to do it again I'd modify the adjustment system slightly to make it easier to adjust on the fly. I'd also look into hardening the rollers after the knurling to help keep the texture.
The crushers I built would not grab grain very well. I tried adding an O-ring to a roller, but it got chewed up very quickly. I finally just drew up a pair of gears in Solidworks and had had them cut on our Wire EDM. It's pretty foolproof now.
I can submit pics, although I can't say my design is all that great. It's just what my limited thought process could come up with. Somehow the shaft is not perfectly straight so there is some wobble as it crushes, but since I mounted it to a sheet of SS, the whole thing flexes and doesn't hurt the brushing a bit. In fact, it looks cool. Like it's alive or something.
Ok, so it appears that I lost the original CAD model which is unfortunate since I had it modeled in 3D. I do have some PDF exports that I sent to my BIL who was helping me machine it.
The rolls are 1-1/2" diameter and the shaft is 3/8". The shafts at the ends of the rollers run in bronze oilite bushings that I got from McMaster. It's not shown in the pic below or the drawings below either, but is a side cover on each side. I'll try to get some pics of my mill posted as well.
Any questions, let me know.
Assembly
End Plates
Eccentrics
Dead Roller
Drive Roller
The rolls are 1-1/2" diameter and the shaft is 3/8". The shafts at the ends of the rollers run in bronze oilite bushings that I got from McMaster. It's not shown in the pic below or the drawings below either, but is a side cover on each side. I'll try to get some pics of my mill posted as well.
Any questions, let me know.
Assembly
End Plates
Eccentrics
Dead Roller
Drive Roller
Yeah. Pretty much what mine were like. Well the second one anyway.
carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
Ok, I *know* this sounds like a knock, but it's not. I'm actually wondering about the "why?". Is there something I'm missing here? could be....
People do terrific jobs on these mills. Rollers, bearings, eccentrics, super duper end plates and drive shafts. All well made, solid and probably aligned to 0.00001". Why not draw up and make a nice solid steel baseplate at the same time? It's what's going to keep the endplates square to each other and keep the bearings from binding. Plywood is a *rotten* substitute for 1/2" steel plate...
I know, if it bugs me that much I should just go downstairs and fire up the mill...
Bob
Ok, I *know* this sounds like a knock, but it's not. I'm actually wondering about the "why?". Is there something I'm missing here? could be....
People do terrific jobs on these mills. Rollers, bearings, eccentrics, super duper end plates and drive shafts. All well made, solid and probably aligned to 0.00001". Why not draw up and make a nice solid steel baseplate at the same time? It's what's going to keep the endplates square to each other and keep the bearings from binding. Plywood is a *rotten* substitute for 1/2" steel plate...
I know, if it bugs me that much I should just go downstairs and fire up the mill...
Bob
Huaco
Well-Known Member
I could not agree more! I am going to build a mill and this was on my A-List of must have items!
FWIW I made the entire frame out of 3/4 aluminum. Similar to that picture, but with end plates bolted to side plates. The entire assembly bolted to a sheet of SS. I wanted a mill I could place on a bucket and hang on the wall when I was done. Originally it had two lengths of steel to hold it on top of a bucket, but when I motorized it, I needed a place to mount the motor...
I can't imagine not having side plates, or mounting what's in that picture to a piece of plywood and calling it good.
I can't imagine not having side plates, or mounting what's in that picture to a piece of plywood and calling it good.
carlisle_bob
Well-Known Member
Hi
Take a look at what the "commercial" guys sell you when you buy a mill. Plywood for a baseplate is indeed the "industry standard".
Yes indeed, pattern makers 1.5" thick uber birch ply from lord only knows where is pretty good stuff, that does not seem to be what they are using.
Bob
I too am making my own roller mill. My bro in law and I drew up some side plates with holes here and there, tapped there and there, a slot and more holes. I got my rollers from HD, 2"x5" conduit pieces. Gonna spot weld em to the shafts then throw em on the lathe to true em up and texture em. Also have to take the time to remove the coating on the steel. I don't feel like spending the money for a knurling tool so I am gonna cut light threads at a very fast pitch in both directions. Should look like knurling, just not perfect.
You guys have a point about the time and effort put into a project, but I have nothing but time. However, if I needed a mill like this instant then yea I would fork over the yak and purchase one.
You guys have a point about the time and effort put into a project, but I have nothing but time. However, if I needed a mill like this instant then yea I would fork over the yak and purchase one.
