Need advice on drill for Corona mill

[Riot]

So I'm getting pretty sick of hand grinding my grain, and the cheap 12v cordless drill I have won't do more than a pound or so before the battery dies. I was looking around online and found this http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Drills-And-Drivers/1-2-in-Electric-Impact-Drill/8532269.p at a fantastic price. Just wondering if people think this will be powerful enough to run the mill for 15+lbs per brew day. I am pretty much incompetent when it comes to motors, torque, etc.

 

[WildTim]

That would be overkill for what you want. It is cheap as you are likely to find though, and will certainly do the job.

 

[jfr1111]

I run a chinese barley crusher knockoff and my last drill died (DeWalt 3/8" battery powered from years back). I bought the cheapest 1/2" corded impact drill I could find at the recommendation of a friend and it is certainly overkill, but it also allows me not to have the gun the thing to grind my grain since it develops more power at lower rpm, which means less flour and less idle roller sticking, which was a problem with my old drill since it wanted to spin at an ungodly rpm. Plus, it never needs to have the battery recharged since it doesn't have one. I don't know if the one pictured as a keyed chuck, but I would get that if I were you, since a cheap drill can eat through the shaft if the chuck cannot get a good, tight grip.

I don't know how well it would work for a Corona type mill though, but I guess it would be better than whatever 3/8" you were using before.

 

[deadfall]

You really want a low Rpm drill for a corona mill. Something in the 200 to 400 rpm range. I'm using a $5 dollar old school drill without reverse.

 

[barnaclebob]

Go to the pawn shop and try the drills out there to make sure you can run it at low rpm's comfortably.

 

[smokinop]

I have been using this drill with my corona mill for about 2 years. There is not a variable speed switch, it is in the trigger pull, but it has held up fine & does a good job for me.

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/electric-drills/12-in-variable-speed-reversible-heavy-duty-drill-69452.html

 

[Riot]

After reading these responses I think I'm gonna go ahead and buy it. At this price I don't even care if I have to replace it in a year or so, I just want to know it has the power to run the mill. Its adjustable speed so I should have at least something of a start on controlling RPM. And for everyone recommending harbour freight, its not really an option. I live in Canada and stay bitter at some of the prices you can get on sweet tools living in the US.

 

[vlucchetti]

I use this one for my cereal killer mill. Has the variable speed control wheel on the trigger and a locking mechanism once you have it set.

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-...inch-heavy-duty-spade-handle-drill-93632.html

 

[paperairplane]

I use a corded black and decker - think I paid 25-30 for it. I used it for a few years before starting on beer, after 200 pounds of grain give or take, it is still working.