Motor For Grain Mill

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=250993700382&nma=true&rt=nc&si=x2R8Bq8oNokKp1XZsXVi%252F9EfWsc%253D&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Would this motor work.. Im not that mechanically smart for all the rpm numbers to ratio to grain speed and what not..

would there be an easier motor to get that could work better ?

That's a 3 phase motor. See this thread concerning this problem. It's possible but you will need a phase converter to make it work.

You could use a variable speed drill, corded or cordless. It depends on how much grain you're planning on crushing. You need to look for a 120VAC single phase motor. Adding a variable freq drive (VFD) would drive up the cost to use that same motor

From experience, just use the cheapest plug-in 1/2 inch drill you can buy at your home supply. Grinding grain is tough on electric motors, and with a drill you can manually keep the speed fairly low. With anything else, worry about the motor life versus keeping the rpm low for grains so you aren't over crushing or scorching them with rotor heat.

A cheap drill will cost you $25 or less if you shop well, and it will do other duties. Keep it simple.

that is true.. maybe ill come up with a contraption that will just cover the drill so it doesn't look so DIY lol

cheap drill and mill is the way to go

wait wait.. ive been watching videos and what not and still want to go with a motor and pulley system... dangit..

see yes back to looking for help with a motor and pulley system. if someone could be of assistance..

Harbor friend 1/2 low speed drill works great,

CrankyBeaverBrewery said:

see yes back to looking for help with a motor and pulley system. if someone could be of assistance..

Click to expand...

I think the problem is... to take an electric motor and make it variable speed (properly) will be very costly. The controls you would need to invest in are very expensive (do an ebay search for "variable speed motor control 120v") but with your cost going up, your reliability goes up.

If money is no object, try this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-HP-120V-V...231?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item5190238a3f

If you really want to keep the costs low, but are willing to go through a little "trial and error", think outside the box. Look around on craigslist or your local paper for things like vacuum cleaners, electric leaf blowers anything that might have an electric motor that uses 120v. The vacuum cleaners with a rolling brush in the front (use a thick rubber band for a belt to drive the brush from the electric motor). If you can make it work, you can always find another used vacuum to convert over if the first one breaks down the road.

Now, if you take a motor that is designed to run at a certain speed and need to slow it down, the best way (in terms of reliability from the motor) is to adjust the size of the pulleys/gears (whatever makes the motor actually spin the rollers on the mill). If you adjust the speed of the motor with a sub-par controller (like say a dimmer switch for your dining room light fixture) the system will more than likely fail in a relatively short period of time.

Like I said, sometimes in order to keep the cost low, ya have to do a bit more work and research to find parts. And design it with room for improvement. Try to think ahead.

Just some ideas, I love to recycle things from the junk pile into new useable stuff.

thanks for the help.. im gunna try and look into it a bit more. $500 controller motor was nice but yah that is a bit pricey..