Treadmill motor for grain mill

[zazbnf]

*Edit 3/31/12* It appeared to work with my small volume of test grains, however when I went to run a full batch of grains this morning it choked badly. It just did not have enough power for direct drive.*end edit*

I have this motor I would like to adapt to the JSP maltmill I just ordered.

I removed the motor and the speed control from the treadmill, I will have the ability to vary the motor speed through a wide range. The motor is a DC 1HP motor and if it could pull the treadmill with my fat ass on it, I think it should work ok for a mill.

Problem is, the motor has a heavy cast iron flywheel that is screwed onto the shaft. It doesn't look easily removable(at least with the tools I have available) and not sure how the motor would work if I did find a way to remove it. The diameter of the pully on the end of the flywheel is 1.099". Looking for a way to adapt this down to whatever the shaft diameter of the Maltmill is(don't have this yet).

 

[yjfun]

However you end up using the motor don't pull the flywheel off. Those motors need the added mass to keep spinning at the lower rpms without stalling out.

 

[Homercidal]

However you end up using the motor don't pull the flywheel off. Those motors need the added mass to keep spinning at the lower rpms without stalling out.

+1.

I think you could figure out a way to use it and keep the flywheel. I think the added mass won't hurt anything anyway.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

From my years of messing around with gears/cars/etc, it looks like the flywheel is pressed onto the shaft (either keyed/splined or not). The flywheel, as mentioned, adds rotating mass to the shaft, and that's what prevents the treadmill from stalling when you step on it and create a resistance.

The flywheel also has vanes to push air through the motor to cool it down. Especially important for those 60 minute treadmill sessions

There may be an issue with using a vane'd motor like this in that the grain dust will easily get into the motor.

Also, I'm not 100% certain that you'd want a no-stall feature on a mill. It could get destructive pretty quickly.

MC

 

[zazbnf]

Especially important for those 60 minute treadmill sessions

LOL, I have had this treadmill for 3 years, and the most exercise I have gotten from it in that time was when I had to move all the crap that had piled up on it so I could tear it apart.

It was a freebie you haul deal so I am not really out anything if it fails due to grain dust. Not having ground my own grain before, not sure if I could make a cover or shield that would help protect the motor?

I searched for a 5 rib pulley that might be able to mount on the mill then I could just use the existing pulley to make it belt drive, but those vee rib pulleys are a bit expensive for an experiment.

Was thinking of putting one of these over the existing pulley

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-3-25-OD...822?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5191fb696e

Not sure it would tighten down but if not and I am careful I could probably braze weld it to the existing pulley.

Would belt drive give enough slip to compensate for the no stall feature of the motor? I would think the pulley on the grain mill being on a round shaft would also slip if it bound up?

 

[Homercidal]

The problem is that the air comes in through the rotating part, so making a dust cover would be difficult.

That said, my opinion is that it's FREE and I'd risk the dust and just blow it out with some compressed air once in a while.

Not to hijack, but I was curious about how many treadmill motors were out on ebay and I found this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Treadmill-I...1?pt=US_Cardio_Treadmills&hash=item19ce289bb9

I wonder what the specs are and if it could be useful for crushing grain.

 

[Homercidal]

Meh. After looking up some specs, it seems the incline motors are geared for like 3-5 RPMs. Might be too hard to work it up to a good speed and still keep enough torque.

 

[yjfun]

3-5 rpm seems awfully low. That motor is probably rated around 6000 rpm and there's no gearbox on it. The only reduction is usually a belt that goes to a 3 or 4 inch pulley.

 

[Homercidal]

3-5 rpm seems awfully low. That motor is probably rated around 6000 rpm and there's no gearbox on it. The only reduction is usually a belt that goes to a 3 or 4 inch pulley.

I'm talking about the incline motor. They are geared and usually drive a threaded shaft to raise the treadmill...

 

[yjfun]

That makes way more sense.

I was trying to figure out where you found a treadmill for snails.

 

[Old_mil_guy]

Could you get a rubber-outside idler pulley to place on mill and just let the existing flywheel contact the idler?
Kinda like placing a smaller rubber tire wheel on mill and using tire to flywheel connection act as a clutch?

 

[zazbnf]

Could you get a rubber-outside idler pulley to place on mill and just let the existing flywheel contact the idler?
Kinda like placing a smaller rubber tire wheel on mill and using tire to flywheel connection act as a clutch?

hmm, this is interesting however I have never seen an idler pulley with a keyway or a set screw to tighten them down. Does such an animal exist?

Also, this would require placing the motor in contact with the mill, would this increase the amount of dust it would take in or not matter at all?

If this motor will hold up, I do really like the idea of adjustable speeds.

 

[wrench]

Not to hijack, but I was curious about how many treadmill motors were out on ebay and I found this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Treadmill-I...1?pt=US_Cardio_Treadmills&hash=item19ce289bb9

I wonder what the specs are and if it could be useful for crushing grain.

Funny... I was recently given both motors out of a treadmill. The main motor went to my Dad for a project he has, and I'm left with the incline motor... wondering how I can put it to use in my brewing. My mill is already motorized, but I'm curious to see what you come up with.

 

[yjfun]

Stir motor for hlt or mash.

 

[wrench]

That would certainly work. The motor has enough torque that I could probably stir a 10 bbl mash if needed. However, I BIAB right now so there's no separate HLT and I don't trust an electric motor to not catch the mesh bag and chew it up.

I was thinking of something totally unnecessary, like a winch to lift the grain bag or a brew stand with electric height adjustment.

 

[Homercidal]

Maybe a motorized tippy dump thingamajobby...

Honestly I think the stroke is just too short.

 

[wrench]

Honestly I think the stroke is just too short.

No jokes, please. Rather than keeping it in the push-pull configuration, I was thinking of what can be done with gears or pulleys. It's very slow, but with lots of torque.

 

[zazbnf]

Just ordered a set of these, gonna try it direct connected. I will post update with pics when everything comes in.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=1-3421-N&catname=

 

[bleme]

Honestly I think the stroke is just too short.

That's what she said....

 

[day_trippr]

Just ordered a set of these, gonna try it direct connected. I will post update with pics when everything comes in.

If you can actually get that flywheel off.

Wrt to that, the flywheel isn't necessary if you run that motor at a high enough rpm and more or less constant load. It was there to keep the motor from stalling when a some fat load lumbered onto the treadmill, and to help cool the motor at low rpms with said fat load still hanging on...

Cheers!

 

[Gridlocked]

How's this project coming?

 

[zazbnf]

Waiting on parts is the hardest part, found out today it is going to be at least a couple more weeks on the mill. I know I could have gotten something sooner, but I really want the geared rollers.

Motor coupler parts should be in tonight. I can at least play with mounting the motor side.

 

[zazbnf]

Got in the connector parts tonight. Seems to mount perfectly to the motor with the original flywheel in place. Ran it for a bit with the connector on and motor ran smoothly no excess vibration.

When my mill arrives and I get it all set up if it starts slipping, I will just braze this side onto the flywheel.

 

[Monster Mash]

If it slips you should grind a flat spot for the set screw instead of brazing it. I would probably do that from the start so you have nothing to worry about.

 

[zazbnf]

If it slips you should grind a flat spot for the set screw instead of brazing it. I would probably do that from the start so you have nothing to worry about.

I like the way you think Sounds simple enough.

 

[Tony3696]

Funny... I was recently given both motors out of a treadmill. The main motor went to my Dad for a project he has, and I'm left with the incline motor... wondering how I can put it to use in my brewing. My mill is already motorized, but I'm curious to see what you come up with.

Build a "Sir-Hops-A-Lot"/ Zopinator

 

[zazbnf]

Mill arrived today, love the geared rollers.

Hope to have sometime this weekend to start putting it all togeter and test it out.

 

[zazbnf]

Made some progress this weekend. Had a bit of difficulty, turns out the treadmill motor turns the wrong way. I figured no problem it's a dc motor just reverse the polarity. First time I fired it up in reverse, the flywheel spun off. Ended up welding the flywheel onto the shaft.

It seems to work thus far, guess time will tell how well it holds up.

Here are some pics, I'm no carpenter, but it works. Going to mount the control panel underneath, just need to pick up some shorter screws. Also need to make a mount for the speed control.

 

[zazbnf]

It appeared to work with my small volume of test grains, however when I went to run a full batch of grains this morning it choked badly. It just did not have enough power for direct drive.

Back to the drawing board.