Using a pasta maker to mill grain.

[burnninator]

Started on my pasta crusher today. Here's what I have done so far.

I used my Dremel to add texture to the rollers so it would grab the grain. Here is the grinder attachment I used. I just took the whole thing apart and grinded the rollers until they were completely textured.

Here is a close up of the texture on the roller.

And here is a close up of the result using it on the "7" setting. Anything smaller than the "5" setting pulverizes the grain to nothingness.

I need to make a hopper and a bucket attachment.

I am new to all grain and have actually never seen what crushed grain looks like. Can someone give me some feedback on if what I have looks alright?

 

[BargainFittings]

I am new to all grain and have actually never seen what crushed grain looks like. Can someone give me some feedback on if what I have looks alright?

Thats a good crush.

As long as the ones that look whole are just empty hulls you are good.

 

[mmb]

Wow, that looks pretty good. You may want to send it through one more time to see if you can get those grain pieces a little finer, but that looks about as good as some of the crushes I've seen from brewshops.

 

[burnninator]

I could try and turn the dial to "6." I am a little concerned with breaking it up too much, some of the stuff in the picture fell from the sides without going through the crusher, I don't have a hopper so I was just dropping it in by hand.

 

[brown_dog_us]

I probably should have done a better job of explaining what "walking the drill bit across the rollers" means! It's really simple.
1. Get a cordless drill and a 1/4 drill bit.
2. Close the rollers to the tightest setting.
3. From the topside of the mill set the bit in the crevasse the two rollers are forming.
4. Pull the trigger on the drill while applying very light pressure.
5. Instead of drilling a hole in the rollers you allow the bit to go back and forth in the crevasse. Think about walking the bit back and forth.
6. The bit will scar lines in the rollers.
7. Rotate the rollers and do it again until they are all roughed up.

You don't have to disassemble the pasta maker or take it anywhere. It's that simple!

I've been milling mine twice. Why? I batch sparge so I'm looking for an extra fine grind and I did it the first time and it worked so I haven't messed with it.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Can anyone explain how to take the rollers out of this thing? I cannot figure out how to dismantle the side that has the adjuster.

 

[ytsejam]

AMACO Pasta Machine on sale at hobby lobby through 3-14-09 for $19.99.
Weekly Specials : Hobby Lobby
I'm going to pick one up Friday or Saturday.

 

[TerapinChef]

I just got emailed a 40% off coupon from Michaels. I think it's a sign.

 

[gingerdawg]

I picked one up at Michael's last 50% off coupon sale ($12.25!) and roughed up the rollers and tried it. It works pretty good, but my rollers are not parallel. The gap is tighter at one end than the other. When the hopper is close to empty, the grain rolls to the wider gap end and goes thru there. Anyone know how I might adjust the rollers to make them more parallel and get an even crush?

 

[Revvy]

Can anyone explain how to take the rollers out of this thing? I cannot figure out how to dismantle the side that has the adjuster.

Look back in the thread...I posted a link and pics to disassembling it.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Look back in the thread...I posted a link and pics to disassembling it.

Found it! Thanks Revvy. I think I'll be disassembling it later tonight so I can get the rollers off to my buddy. And finishing the hopper.

 

[Revvy]

Found it! Thanks Revvy. I think I'll be disassembling it later tonight so I can get the rollers off to my buddy. And finishing the hopper.

If you have a camera..why don't you take pics of your dissasembly and your process....

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Good idea. I have already chopped off the handle but everything else in intact.

 

[Philsc]

I probably should have done a better job of

explaining what "walking the drill bit across the rollers" means! It's really simple.
1. Get a cordless drill and a 1/4 drill bit.

Sorry Brown Dog

I have more questions for you.

Do you have a special drill bit? People are telling me that I need a special drill bit to deal with stainless steel.

Phil

 

[brown_dog_us]

Nah. I just used a basic wood/metal bit I had that I bought at HD.

You might need a special bit if you were trying to drill a hole, but you just want to let the bit ride back and fourth on the surface.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

I am not sure if my buddy will knurl a lot of these for us but I will ask if enough people want to do it. I know he said he would do mine for "beer" and I know that all of you would have to ship them to me/him but it would not be that expensive to do so. Maybe $5 each way and a 12 pack of BMC. Figure $20 to get a knurl job.

 

[conpewter]

Well I've jumped on the bandwagon. I have my pasta roller (hobby lobby with 40% off coupon for signing up on mailing list). I roughed it up and the crush looks good. I used the drill bit idea.

Now I just need to create a box for it, my hopper will be a 5 gallon bucket (probably change the bottom to make it funnel better) with a sliding piece of metal blocking the hole. I can then fill my bucket in the grain room, and then take it to the brewery and set it on top the mill station that is on top the mash tun. I can then mill right into the tun. I plan to add a stirrer as well.

 

[Misellus]

How about sand-blasting the rollers, anyone know if that would be enough grip?

The place I work at has a machine shop, so I could get the rollers knurled for free, but getting someone to do the work might take months (need to wait until both a machine and operator are free or when they set up the knurl bit for another job). I can do the sand-blasting myself and have it done in a few minutes. I'll probably try it, I can always have it knurled afterwards, no harm done.

I bought one of these pasta machines 2 years ago when I started sculpting. I never used it (a friend has a better machine so I just used his). Sooo...I think I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

Randy

 

[TerapinChef]

Has anybody used the preexisting holes to mount their hoppers into? I'm thinking with some light gauge sheet metal I might be able to mount a hopper right to the existing frame with little modification. Of course, I still want to take the base off and mount it to a board somehow...One day I'll get motivated on this project.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Has anybody used the preexisting holes to mount their hoppers into? I'm thinking with some light gauge sheet metal I might be able to mount a hopper right to the existing frame with little modification. Of course, I still want to take the base off and mount it to a board somehow...One day I'll get motivated on this project.

I am building a hopper out of 1/4" Luan and I plan to mount it directly to the existing housing.

Also, my rollers have been knurled as of this morning. I think I'll go pick them up tonight and see how they work.

 

[Revvy]

How about sand-blasting the rollers, anyone know if that would be enough grip?

The place I work at has a machine shop, so I could get the rollers knurled for free, but getting someone to do the work might take months (need to wait until both a machine and operator are free or when they set up the knurl bit for another job). I can do the sand-blasting myself and have it done in a few minutes. I'll probably try it, I can always have it knurled afterwards, no harm done.

I bought one of these pasta machines 2 years ago when I started sculpting. I never used it (a friend has a better machine so I just used his). Sooo...I think I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

Randy

I think that might be a great option to rough up the rollers...

Randy this is all experimental, we're breaking ground here...In other words...if you got the means to do it, try it, take pics and let it know how it works out.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

IMO just sand blasting the rollers won't be enough. Yuri Rage posted a thread about making his own mill and explained why smaller rollers needed to be knurled and why large rollers could remain smooth.

Try it, let us know. If you need them knurled in a jiffy let me know. I dropped mine off last night and they were done this morning. It would be shipping and a 12pack I think for payment.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Ok, just got home and reassembled my machine, threw in some Victory I had lying around and hit it with the drill. Short work of the grain, Great crush!

My buddy said that he will knurl more rollers for $10. If anyone is interested then you can contact me. I'll get pics and video up as soon as I can.

 

[TerapinChef]

Dr. Frankenstein Reporting...
It's nearly complete. I only need to fabricate a hopper type contraption and it will be done. It started out as a thing of beauty and quickly went the way of the other grain milling thread. I'll post some pics when it's done, and not a moment before. I kept telling myself it was going to be a prototype, but I have a feeling it's just going to be my grain mill.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Ok, I just got a request from a member to have their rollers knurled. I got a shipping quote from the USPS and its $5 in a flat rate box each way from you to me and then me back to you. Turnaround time would be a few days, and $10 for the actual work. So $20 for a knurl and a trip across country for a few days for your rollers is all you need.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

And I just finished my Hopper. I'm going to test it out today and brew a batch after I do a brake job on my dads truck. I'll try to get video of it if I can but my cell phone doesn't record in a format that will upload to youtube.

 

[burnninator]

I did my first all grain brew yesterday using the Pasta Crusher. The Dremel grinder attachment idea didn't work out so well. After about 90 seconds of crushing, the powder from the grain was causing the rollers to become smooth and would not crush any more grain until we stopped and wiped down the rollers.

That got old, so I grabbed the drill and a bit and proceeded to try that method and it worked awesome. After that we were able to fly through the rest of the grain without stopping.

One tip though, as you are running the drill across the rollers, have someone turn the mill handle backwards so it kinda pushes the drill bit out as you are pressing against them.

 

[brown_dog_us]

That got old, so I grabbed the drill and a bit and proceeded to try that method and it worked awesome. After that we were able to fly through the rest of the grain without stopping.

One tip though, as you are running the drill across the rollers, have someone turn the mill handle backwards so it kinda pushes the drill bit out as you are pressing against them.

Great Tip!

It's amazing how easy and fast the drill bit roughs up the rollers. How did your mash go? Did you get your normal efficiency?

 

[Gonefishing]

I like the drill bit idea... sounds like a lot less work than the pounding with a file I did for mine.
I just today moved a batch to secondary that I did with my pasta mill. I'd have to look up the grain bill, but the numbers are 1.056OG, 1.0112 fg. This was also an experiment in long term primary fermentation.... I made this brew 12/13/08

 

[ytsejam]

Got my pasta machine disassembled .
My friend is going to knurl the rollers for free.
I'm going to give them to him at work tomorrow but he only works weekends at the other shop (where knurling will be done), so I probably won't have 'em back until next weekend.
I also just made something of a template for a hopper. (out of cardboard)
Basically it's a 16"h x 10"d x 7½"w box (starting at foot base) with two slant platforms above rollers.
I'm gonna ask some friends about any scrap plywood they might have.

I'll post pics of rollers once knurled and hopper/box when built.

 

[burnninator]

Well, it was my first grain ever and I am sure we didn't do everything right through out the process. But according to my calculations, my efficiency was about 73%.

Also, I propose we give this thing a proper name. I will start the suggestions with the "Pasta Crusher." I like that name because it says where it came from, and its new purpose all in one. Have a better idea, someone throw it out there and we will see if it "sticks."

 

[burnninator]

sorry for the lame pun there at the end.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Used mine, with the new hopper I built, for the first time last night. It took about 9 minutes to chew through the 8 3/4# grainbill for Biermunchers Centennial Blonde Ale recipe. I nailed the OG at 1.040. So about 1lb per minute for the pasta maker with knurled rollers and 75% efficiency right off the bat using the "Brew in a Bag" technique no less!


Pasta maker reassembled with knurled rollers. (The disassembly pics were terrible, not worth posting, Sorry Revvy)

Hopper taking shape- progression

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

The hopper will easily hold 10lbs of grain. This thing Sure beats standing there hand cranking the Corona mill at the LHBS for 15-20 minutes.

I have $26.50 invested so far!

 

[brown_dog_us]

Man, that looks great! Your hopper looks professionally done!

$26 for a mill is pretty darn cheap. I used material I had laying around the house, and that's probably why mine looks awful. Perhaps I need to spend some time and money on making her look purdy now that she is a permanent part of my brewery.

 

[Revvy]

So Iroc, are you rollers knurled? Gotta a close up pic of the rollers?

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Revvy, yes they are milled. I took some close ups with my cell phone but they did not come out at all. My Digicam shorted out when I plugged it into my brothers computer so I'll have to borrow another one to get a GOOD pic up. But here is one that is blurry, you can see the knurl, kindof...

My buddy that knurled them said they did a .0050" (50 thousandths) depth on the knurl.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Oh, I have a Terrible video from my cell phone that photobucket was able to convert to be able to play.

WARNING! Turn your speakers Down, my drill is loud

[URL]

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

Man, that looks great! Your hopper looks professionally done!

$26 for a mill is pretty darn cheap. I used material I had laying around the house, and that's probably why mine looks awful. Perhaps I need to spend some time and money on making her look purdy now that she is a permanent part of my brewery.

Thank You. I am a bit of a craftsman. Here is the Round "Hobbit Door" entrance to the mancave. I love Projects That round door frame cost me $45 in materials, no joke, and like $150 in clamps. One thing I know is that I will never have to buy another C Clamp or Spring clamp in my LIFE.

Oct28_0003.jpg picture by RedIrocZ-28 - Photobucket