My Ugly Junk- Corona Mill Station...

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

Now that Biermuncher's gone all fancy smancy and glossy magazine quality with his projects, I figured there was a vacancy in the "hack and slash" method of DIY builds.

Yooper so wonderfully gifted me with a corona mill, and I decided to throw together a little "station" for it.

(And before you dis the corona, I betcha don't realize that Charlie Papazian has been using the same Corona Mill he started doing allgrain with and HE gets 87% efficieny...so bite me

)

Anyhoo, this is what I came up with.

Living in my loft I have very few tools, and little space for them...about the only power tool I have is a drill.

One of my ubiquitous soysauce buckets is the base of it. The mill sits on a cheap pressboard shelf I got at the hardware that I drilled through with a holesaw. A folger's plastic coffee container is used to keep the grain from flying all over the place (it's glued in place with "amazing goop")

The bucket is notched (using a coping saw) to seat the shelf into.

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

While at the hardwarestore getting the shelf and goop I came across this drain thingy....I thought it would make a great hopper...And it did.

The smaller side was a wee bit too large to fit the corona, so I used some gaffer's tape to build it up enought for a snug fit.

And here with the drill in place it's all set to go....

The red of the folgers can and the red of the drill complement each other nicely, don'tja think???

:mug:

boo boo · Nov 29, 2008

hey. I've been using a porkert, which is a corona knockoff, for over 3 years now. I have got over 80% efficiency regularly, but knocked it back to 75% because I found it had a better taste due to less astringency from the torn/shredded husks.

I have no plans on getting a new mill either.

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

boo boo said:
hey. I've been using a porkert, which is a corona knockoff, for over 3 years now. I have got over 80% efficiency regularly, but knocked it back to 75% because I found it had a better taste due to less astringency from the torn/shredded husks.

I have no plans on getting a new mill either.

So what's your milling setup look like?

I still need to do something for the flying bits...I know some users use plastic bags over the front end.

boo boo · Nov 29, 2008

I'll bring up photoshop and post a pic in a minute

Here it is
http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a357/nflder/?action=view&current=hops009.jpg

http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a357/nflder/?action=view&current=hops006.jpg

http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a357/nflder/?action=view&current=hops008.jpg

boo boo · Nov 29, 2008

I've since rounded out the plywood so it don't look quite as ugly.

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

I remember your pics!!!! Your postings were my inspiration for my build....I actually though about doind something similar with metal that you did, and then I noticed the coffee can was the right height for my mill.

Thanks for the inspiration!!!

boo boo · Nov 29, 2008

Whatever work for you is one of my mottos

Brew-boy · Nov 29, 2008

Nice job oh ye great craftsman............

Zymurgrafi · Nov 29, 2008

hey, looks fairly familiar
(post picture here of mine when sober enough to take one)

Only my hopper will hold up to 20 or so lb. of grains. It is a former water cooler jug attached to a quaker oats tub with duct tape of course...

My only advice. Make your shield (folgers can) go a little higher. Depending on your drill you will have a lot of grain fly out of there. I have been using a corded drill lately and the grain flies. Seems to have boosted my efficiency too...

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

Zymurgrafi said:
hey, looks fairly familiar
(post picture here of mine when sober enough to take one)

Only my hopper will hold up to 20 or so lb. of grains. It is a former water cooler jug attached to a quaker oats tub with duct tape of course...

My only advice. Make your shield (folgers can) go a little higher. Depending on your drill you will have a lot of grain fly out of there. I have been using a corded drill lately and the grain flies. Seems to have boosted my efficiency too...

I've seen some with water jugs hoppers...I was going to go that route when I saw the nifty choo choo train looking thing, and thought that would be good enough...I thought a larger hopper full of grains woul be too top heavy.

I'm thinking of putting an over shield on top of the folger's can to totally encase the front of it...until then I'll just cover with a bag...

niquejim · Nov 29, 2008

I must get a camera. Mine makes yours look store made.
My middle name should be cheap

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

niquejim said:
I must get a camera. Mine makes yours look store made.
My middle name should be cheap

Oh so you're saying your junk is fuglier than mine????

Bring it ON!!!!!!!

I hereby dub this the ugliest milling station thread...

Sadly living here I no longer have a ton of "junk" to cobble stuff together with..I used to have an entire spare bedroom piled hight with "Parts" and that was before I discovered this hobby...I keep thinking about all the stuff I used to accumulate...some if it may have come in handy in brewing...

Otis The Drunk · Nov 29, 2008

Nice, I'm going to have to look into doing just like you guys are doing.... I've been using a corona mill for close to 20 years and regularly get between 75% - 80% efficiency.

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

Otis The Drunk said:
Nice, I'm going to have to look into doing just like you guys are doing.... I've been using a corona mill for close to 20 years and regularly get between 75% - 80% efficiency.

How do you use yours? Yesterday was the first time I used mine and knew half way through the grain, that I needed to rig something a little more stable up...hence the...oh geez, I need to name it or something don't I?

niquejim · Nov 29, 2008

Otis The Drunk said:
Nice, I'm going to have to look into doing just like you guys are doing.... I've been using a corona mill for close to 20 years and regularly get between 75% - 80% efficiency.

I get 83% every time(after a year of F'ing with it)
Mine is a bucket( with the bottom cut out and a slot on top for the 1x2 that holds the mill) in another bucket with a large kitchen garbage bag wrapped around the mill to stop the grain from flying

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

niquejim said:
I get 83% every time(after a year of F'ing with it)

I'm glad you mentioned this...But mine didn't come with instructions or a parts list...so I can't figure out how to "f" with it....how to set the gap...

I followed suggestions on here about putting some washers on the two fasteners that hold the front plate on....but just what does this big wing nut thingy in the front do?

WDC · Nov 29, 2008

Nice setup Revvy. You've convinced me it is possible to switch to uncrushed bulk grain without going into debt. I think I can ... I think I can...

Zymurgrafi · Nov 29, 2008

once you set the gap with some washers you use the nut in front to tighten the plates together. The wingnut then locks it in position. Play around with it. I was using it for a year or so and getting 60% efficiency. On a whim I tightened the nut up a bit when milling one day. That batch I had 70% efficiency!

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

Zymurgrafi said:
once you set the gap with some washers you use the nut in front to tighten the plates together. The wingnut then locks it in position. Play around with it. I was using it for a year or so and getting 60% efficiency. On a whim I tightened the nut up a bit when milling one day. That batch I had 70% efficiency!

Thanks!!!

I got what looked like a decent crush on the batch I brewed with it yesterday and I hot the FG dead on...

WDC, my understanding is that even though it gets trashed a lot by the rolling mill diehards, the corona, prokert and other mills make great beer with some fiddling and tweaking...and like I said earlier I heard an old basic brewing podcast with Charlie Papazian, and he likes his, and gets great efficiency...In fact at the time of the interview he had just discovered rice hulls, and had started throwing a handfull or two in with his grain.

I figure if it works out, then I'd save the 200 bucks I would spend on a roller mill for grain, and stuff...

niquejim · Nov 29, 2008

Zymurgrafi said:
once you set the gap with some washers you use the nut in front to tighten the plates together. The wingnut then locks it in position. Play around with it. I was using it for a year or so and getting 60% efficiency. On a whim I tightened the nut up a bit when milling one day. That batch I had 70% efficiency!

Revvy said:
Thanks!!!

I got what looked like a decent crush on the batch I brewed with it yesterday and I hot the FG dead on...

WDC, my understanding is that even though it gets trashed a lot by the rolling mill diehards, the corona, prokert and other mills make great beer with some fiddling and tweaking...and like I said earlier I heard an old basic brewing podcast with Charlie Papazian, and he likes his, and gets great efficiency...In fact at the time of the interview he had just discovered rice hulls, and had started throwing a handfull or two in with his grain.

I figure if it works out, then I'd save the 200 bucks I would spend on a roller mill for grain, and stuff...

That's the F'ing with it I was talking about

They come with instructions???

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

niquejim said:
That's the F'ing with it I was talking about

They come with instructions???

I know that's what you were referring to, that's why I'm trying to figure out how to f with mine....

um maybe not instructions but a parts list so I don't keep calling that big thing in the front the "wing nut thingamajig."

LooyvilleLarry · Nov 29, 2008

Hmm. The only thing I had to do to mine was you put two washers in between the grinder and the frame. That sets the width nicely. I hit 75+, and I'm an effin noob at AG.

dontman · Nov 29, 2008

Thanks for the tip about the washers. I have been adjusting the mill several times over the course of the grinding. This sounds like just the fix. I was already planning on hitting the True Value tomorrow to get the drill fittings to go power on the mill.

I ground up 10 lbs yesterday by hand. While I was doing it I decided that it was the last time.

Revvy · Nov 29, 2008

dontman said:
Thanks for the tip about the washers. I have been adjusting the mill several times over the course of the grinding. This sounds like just the fix. I was already planning on hitting the True Value tomorrow to get the drill fittings to go power on the mill.

I ground up 10 lbs yesterday by hand. While I was doing it I decided that it was the last time.

There's a couple of threads on here that they recommended the washers...or even little nylon spacers...

Wow cranking 10 pounds..I dub thee arms of steel!

dontman · Nov 29, 2008

Revvy said:
Wow cranking 10 pounds..I dub thee arms of steel!

Heck, tweren't nothin. A few weeks back I did 17 pounds for my Belgian Strong.

pen25 · Nov 30, 2008

have you guys thought about mic the washers to find the proper spacing? granted more involved such as plate ware and all but might be a good start for people. maybe even looking at using spacer shims for better settings? look on mcmaster carr for shim stock.

boo boo · Nov 30, 2008

Brew-boy said:
Nice job oh ye great craftsman............

Are you dis'n my artistic woodworking abilities

boo boo · Nov 30, 2008

pen25 said:
have you guys thought about mic the washers to find the proper spacing? granted more involved such as plate ware and all but might be a good start for people. maybe even looking at using spacer shims for better settings? look on mcmaster carr for shim stock.

Although I put them on mine years ago on advise from another site, I doubt if I really need it because the mill is adjustable by the screw through the wing nut. But as mine is set to a good crush for me, I don't want to fart with it.

wilserbrewer · Nov 30, 2008

Corona Mill Bucket Mount V. 1.0

I like my mill mounted permanently to the bucket. Once the grain is milled, remove hopper and drill,
and dump the grain out the front of the bucket. A small scrap of 2X4and six drywall screws are all
that's required.

wilserbrewer BIAB Bags, Hop Bags and Ratchet Pulleys for sale
Expert tailor and supplier of custom sized, top quality BIAB bags, hop bags and ratchet pulleys at reasonable pricing
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My Ugly Junk- Corona Mill Station...

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