Broken drills from barley crusher

[RCCOLA]

For Drill Chuck Slippage:

Chuck your drill on to your mill drive shaft. Then use a sharpie to make 3 marks on the shaft where the 3 jaws contact it.

Take a die-grinder or dremel and grind 3 small flat spots for the chuck to grab. No more slippage.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I use this beast from Harbor Freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-heavy-duty-spade-handle-drill-93632.html

Use a 20% off coupon and it's $31.99 plus tax/s&H.

 

[autoferret]

For Drill Chuck Slippage:

Chuck your drill on to your mill drive shaft. Then use a sharpie to make 3 marks on the shaft where the 3 jaws contact it.

Take a die-grinder or dremel and grind 3 small flat spots for the chuck to grab. No more slippage.

Great idea!!! i'll have to bring the dremel home from the shop!

 

[lschiavo]

A low rpm high torque drill is the best. I use this. I prop it on a bucket, lock the trigger and its hands free.

 

[wildwest450]

You can't go wrong with an 18v De Walt. Mine is 12 years old with the original battery and still rips through grain. Amazing.


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[SixFoFalcon]

Just hope BC doesn't void the warranty if you grind the shaft. I don't think they *should*, but that doesn't mean much. I need the warranty for when the bushings finally wear out.

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Milwaukee model#0240-20. $69 at Home Depot

 

[the_bird]

I'm surprised to hear that people are having trouble with the drill slipping. I don't think I've ever had that happen, and I'm just cranking down on the chuck by hand. Weird; wonder if you all are grinding your malt finer than I am, and that's causing more resistance?

 

[wildwest450]

I'm surprised to hear that people are having trouble with the drill slipping. I don't think I've ever had that happen, and I'm just cranking down on the chuck by hand. Weird; wonder if you all are grinding your malt finer than I am, and that's causing more resistance?

I get occasional slippage (only at the start of grinding), but I attribute that to a 12 year old drill chuck, no big deal. I'm at .038, I believe factory is .039?


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[kds1398]

I use this beast from Harbor Freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-heavy-duty-spade-handle-drill-93632.html

Use a 20% off coupon and it's $31.99 plus tax/s&H.

+1 for this drill. I use the same one on my MM-3. It mows through grain.

 

[Jawbox0]

+1 for this drill. I use the same one on my MM-3. It mows through grain.

+2!

I switched to the Harbor Freight model this winter after burning up a high speed drill. Cheap and effective, tons of power. Just make sure you look for the low RPM models. Save the Dewalt's for something more deserving.

 

[Swib]

A low rpm high torque drill is the best. I use this. I prop it on a bucket, lock the trigger and its hands free.

That looks like a Milwaukee. I use a Milwaukee 1/2" hammer drill, it's overkill but I love that drill.

 

[lschiavo]

That looks like a Milwaukee. I use a Milwaukee 1/2" hammer drill, it's overkill but I love that drill.

Milwaukee it is. I have had that drill as long as I have been using drills and I inherited it. Your drill is not overkill. If it gets the job done without damaging the tool it is just right.

 

[lschiavo]

For Drill Chuck Slippage:

Chuck your drill on to your mill drive shaft. Then use a sharpie to make 3 marks on the shaft where the 3 jaws contact it.

Take a die-grinder or dremel and grind 3 small flat spots for the chuck to grab. No more slippage.

The shaft on my MM3 is pre ground. I thought that was a nice feature.

 

[thewurzel]

This is definatly a good way to go
I have had no trouble with my setup and if it happens to clog, there is always reverse (I haven't had to use it yet)

I have been using this setup for 6 months now, last brew session I put over 20# in my hopper and then started it up with no problems.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/finished-my-motorized-mill-186036/

 

[bad coffee]

I have a skil/B&D from Lowes. It's only used for my grain mill. I have cordless dewalts for actual work.

Spend the Amazon card on a bayou brewpot. I just got a 36 qt. for $75.

B

 

[bgburdman9]

I have a skil/B&D from Lowes. It's only used for my grain mill. I have cordless dewalts for actual work.

Spend the Amazon card on a bayou brewpot. I just got a 36 qt. for $75.

B

That was my thought. My 8 gallon just isn't big enough to do a full boil comfortably.

 

[milldoggy]

I use the harbor freight on my mms-3. Last week I was doing wheat at a .031 gap. It taxed the drill a tad and I noticed a little wear on the shaft. Should I line the chuck up with the flat area for a better hold? I think I might back my gap a bit for wheat. Barley at .042 is no problem. If you are a mms-3 user, what gaps are you using?

Edit: from an earlier post, it looks like the suggestion is to have the chuck things touch the flat stops, will try that.

 

[bumstigedy]

I use the hand crank. I might be the only person doing this

 

[Bernie Brewer]

+1 on the 18v DeWalt. I use mine EVERY day at work. Last week I accidentally kicked it off of my scissors lift from about 20' in the air. When it hit the ground, the battery separated from the drill. I put them back together, and went back to work. Anyone that works any type of construction will swear by DeWalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, or Makita. All are very good.

 

[bgburdman9]

+2!

I switched to the Harbor Freight model this winter after burning up a high speed drill. Cheap and effective, tons of power. Just make sure you look for the low RPM models. Save the Dewalt's for something more deserving.

Sounds like a good deal. Anyone know if this is usually available in stores?

 

[milldoggy]

Was in my store.

 

[shanecb]

Just throwing it out there.... doing a large amount of grain by hand absolutely blows.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

+2!
Save the Dewalt's for something more deserving.

Why buy two drills? The more you use your cordless, the longer the batteries will last.

 

[bgburdman9]

You shouldn't trust the indicators. Use a feeler gauge to determine the gap, and check it across the width of the rollers. I use a gap of around .038". Some people go as high as .050" (barely breaks the husk) or as low as .030" (very floury grist) but the vast majority of people settle on something in the .035-.040" range. Or you could just do trial and error, starting with a wide gap and closing it until your grist looks good, but the feeler gauge method is easier to check periodically and ensure the gap is consistent across the full width of the rollers. It WILL change over time as the bushings wear.

I picked up some feeler gauges and my mill at factory settings was about 0.030 maybe even a little tighter. I opened it up to 0.038.

 

[wildwest450]

+2! Save the Dewalt's for something more deserving.

What's more deserving than milling malted barley that will be transformed into the nectar of the Gods? Silly man.


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[mikeysab]

Milwaulkee m12. Nice little cordless, and it was free. Plus i have the small m12 radio which kicks arse. If that burns out i,ll switch to the 14.4 dewalt, then the 12v dewalt, then the corded dewalt, then the corded milwaukee....all donated. As someone said previously, working in construction has its priveleges.

I hand cranked 1 pound of c60 yesterday and it was a PITA. No need to do it again

 

[LakewoodBrew]

Why buy two drills? The more you use your cordless, the longer the batteries will last.

Not really.

 

[sudsmcgee]

Not really.

Yeah, I don't want to drill concrete with a cordless Dewalt.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Not really.

Huh? Yes, really. The batteries will definitely hold a better charge and longer if you use them every day as opposed to letting your drill sit on a shelf for a couple months.