What setting for my mill?

I've got a 2 roller Crankandstein mill, with the bronze bushings that must be pressed in and out to adjust.

Currently, they're set at .035", and the best efficiency I've been able to attain is a miserly 59%.

How close should I set my rollers to attain this magic "80 to 90 percent" I read about on HBT?

Well, that's tighter than the factory setting on the BarleyCrusher, which has been getting me USUALLY 80% and most recently 90%. How's the crush look? What else are you doing/not doing that could impact efficiency? What kinds of recipes (smaller usually resulting in better efficiency for me)? pH?

The factory setting on those mills is supposed to be really good. .035" sounds about right. Try passing a credit card between the rollers. It should fit between them, but just barely.

The crush you're getting is more important than the setting, though. See this page in the wiki: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Evaluating_the_Crush

My Crankandstein is set at .037 and I hit between 75-80% on my first 2 AG brews. I don't think the mill is your problem. You could try mashing longer and see if that helps.

I set my 3 roller crank as low as I can without blowing apart the motor coupling. Usually under.015".

A quote I've heard many times, 'Crush 'till you're scared'.

I just looked at the examples on the wiki link, and my grain (even before I pass it through the mill a SECOND time) looks just like the examples.

I've tried sparging hotter, vorlaufing and draining the MLT slower, shutting off the drain valve periodically during the drain to let it "rest" and possibly put more sugar into solution. My last batch, I intentionally mashed for fifteen minutes longer for a total of 75 minutes.

mr x said:

I set my 3 roller crank as low as I can without blowing apart the motor coupling. Usually under.015".

A quote I've heard many times, 'Crush 'till you're scared'.

Click to expand...

That's beyond rediculous though which is tighter than scared.

I think mine is at .037-.038 on the 3D and with my cooler/manifold I get mid to high 80's and on my brew rig w/sanke & false bottom I get 75%.

I am thinking it might not be the crush causing you the low %

How are you calculating it and what is your procedure/set up