Finished my motorized mill

[kegtoe]

thanks to rocky, i've bought supplies to motorize mine. Actually mounting mine on an unfinished wall cabinet.

I'd like to see a "show me your motorized mill" thread.

 

[rockytoptim]

Kegtoe, Lets see the pics.

 

[kegtoe]

Rocky,
how did you mount the mill to the blocks of wood. and then that to the table top surface. I've got a couple of ideas but yours looks pretty clean.

here is my thread, its a work in progress to this point.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/nates-motorized-grain-mill-228136/

Kegtoe, Lets see the pics.

 

[rockytoptim]

Kegtoe, I used long bolts through the wood blocks to attach the mill. Then I used deck screws from underneath to secure the wood blocks to the top

 

[Walker]

hey, tim: in the JSP MaltMill clone thread for this project, I posted a message with pics for how to wire up the thing to give you a forward/reverse switch if you were still curious.

Thanks for the idea and links on the motor. I ordered mine a couple hours ago, along with coupling parts from McMaster. One more thing to tinker with, I guess.


I do have a question for you. I was thinking about how to mount the motor, and I like the idea of utilizing the bolts that are already on the head of the motor to mount it to a vertical plane of wood. Did you have to get longer bolts for to pull that off? The pic of the motor on surpluscenter.com doesn't look like the bolts are long enough to go much more than the motor head itself.

 

[rockytoptim]

Walker, Yes I had to buy longer bolts. The old ones came out easy so you shouldn't have any problem getting them out. Thanks for link on the wiring.

 

[Walker]

Walker, Yes I had to buy longer bolts. The old ones came out easy so you shouldn't have any problem getting them out. Thanks for link on the wiring.

cool. thanks!

 

[chezhed]

I kept thinking about doing this but my corded drill was doing OK ....until 15 minutes ago when it crapped out on the last lb or so.... Just ordered the motor and couplings. Now to figure out what to do with it all when it comes! Thanks for all the info here.

Anybody got a drawing with dimensions of the mounting? Maybe I can get a jump on that before the motor arrives

 

[azscoob]

I have to order one of those motors, my drill seems to have lost the ability to spin slower than "balls out" so I have to pulse it on-off-on-off. im thinking of using gears to put it next to the mill instead of inline with it. just a simple 1:1 setup. Or maybe a cogged belt or chain drive.... hmmm I love to tinker.

 

[Mike3701]

To Maltose: The motor came with a capacitor. I mounted it under the table as well.

To Iaefebs: Motor works great. You have to start the mill before pouring the grain in or it wont start.

Once the motor is on can you fill the hopper with grain and it still works? I need a motor, would like direct drive just don't know if I should get a bigger motor. If you had to do it over would you get a bigger motor?

 

[rockytoptim]

Once the motor is on can you fill the hopper with grain and it still works? I need a motor, would like direct drive just don't know if I should get a bigger motor. If you had to do it over would you get a bigger motor?

I start my motor then fill to the grain to the top of my hopper. I have the 14lb hopper. Motor runs fine with 14lbs of grain in hopper.

 

[Walker]

sweeeeeeet. UPS tracking number says my motor was dropped off a little while ago at my house.

Guess what I'll be doing tonight?

 

[Walker]

I had a pretty frantic shopping trip to Lowe's last night. Their website said they closed at 10pm, and I rolled into the parking lot at 8:45pm only to find that they ACTUALLY closed at 9pm.

I had planned to have more time to meander around and weigh some options and get what I needed for this project, but instead it turned into a mad dash through the store with 8' long pieces of lumber slung over my shoulder.... trying to think fast and hopefully get everything I needed in one shot.

I was mostly successful, but forgot a couple things that resulted in me only really being able to build the cart last night and not tackling the motor mounting. I went light-weight here and built it out of 2x2's and 1x3's, because 2x4's seemed a little too much. I did splurge on a piece of particle board for the top, though. I'm happy to say that my 210 fat ass was able to stand on top of this thing with no issues.

The cramped shopping trip actually turned out to be a good thing I think. Since I couldn't mount the motor last night, I had time to play around with the placement of things and really sit and look at it.

I've found that if I flip the motor up-side down, then the drive shaft on it lines up perfectly with the shaft on my JSP MaltMill, so I should be able to build it without any extra pedestal under the mill or motor. I am going the route of mounting the mill on a vertical piece of wood like Tim did here (and that's what I forgot last night... the longer bolts to attach the motor head to the wood.)

 

[lehr]

Heres mine I made the hopper it holds 21 lbs of grain I have since changed the motor also. Pat

 

[Walker]

Work last night was cut short because of this:

But I finished tonight:

 

[rockytoptim]

Nice job on motorizing your mill.

Thats a cool looking thumb you got there. Did you get it stitched up?

 

[Walker]

Nice job on motorizing your mill.

Thats a cool looking thumb you got there. Did you get it stitched up?

No. I carved a trench through it, and a chunk went flying. Too much flesh gone to stitch it. Docs just blasted me with antibiotics, numbed it, dug out the metal shavings, and sent me on my way.

The ER visit cost more than the mill project.

 

[BrewBeemer]

No. I carved a trench through it, and a chunk went flying. Too much flesh gone to stitch it. Docs just blasted me with antibiotics, numbed it, dug out the metal shavings, and sent me on my way.

The ER visit cost more than the mill project.

You broke safety rule number one;

Never place your fingers where you wouldn't put your pecker.

I hope you heal up quickly plus didn't cut the digital nerve resulting in a numb thumb on one side. All the best bro on a speedy recovery.
You had better change your avitar to a nurses outfit, red garter included.

 

[Flomaster]

I've never used my pecker to try and hold a small piece of metal while drilling a hole in it, but to each is own

-=Jason=-

 

[BrewBeemer]

I've never used my pecker to try and hold a small piece of metal while drilling a hole in it, but to each is own

-=Jason=-

Sounds like a possible slice and dice job in the making not using a vice or the proper "TOOL" for the job.

 

[camiller]

The ER visit cost more than the mill project.

Yes but amortized over the life of the mill...

Sorry about your finger though.

 

[Walker]

Sorry about your finger though.

Could have been MUCH worse. Could have lost the whole end of it.... or it could have been my pecker.

I consider myself lucky.

Anyway... enough derailing of this thread. Mill is motorized. Mission accomplished.

 

[I_B_Mongo]

Walker, congrats on the build and keeping your pecker!
But what were you using that in the build for anyway?!

 

[kegtoe]

Could have been MUCH worse. Could have lost the whole end of it.... or it could have been my pecker.

I consider myself lucky.

Anyway... enough derailing of this thread. Mill is motorized. Mission accomplished.

what exactly did you do??

 

[bigdug]

Walker, congrats on the build and keeping your pecker!
But what were you using that in the build for anyway?!

Well, he tends to get excited when working on these projects

 

[Walker]

what exactly did you do??

See that plastic electrical wall plate with my switch installed in it?

I originally had a stainless steel one. While drilling through it (and holding the thing down with my hand like a dip****), the drill bit seized in the hole and the plate started spinning like a sawblade.

 

[BrewBeemer]

We have all been down that road of drilling disasters too many times.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

[Walker]

We have all been down that road of drilling disasters too many times.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.

It has slowed me down a little, but hasn't stopped me.

My buddy had a better bottle with a crack in the the bottom. I pulled it out of his recycling bin and did this with it. 6 gallon hopper.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Sure beats overpaying for items, I like freebies like dumpster diving surprises.

 

[Reelale]

It has slowed me down a little, but hasn't stopped me.

My buddy had a better bottle with a crack in the the bottom. I pulled it out of his recycling bin and did this with it. 6 gallon hopper.

Nice. What's the RPM of the motor?