I bought a used Cereal Killer grain mill about 15 months ago. It worked OK at first but lately it has been acting up. The roller just spins but doesn't grab grain so nothing happens. I cleaned it thoroughly and it helped a little but that didn't last long, so I'm in the market for a new mill. I was thinking about the Barely Crusher because of their lifetime warranty but maybe the Monster Mill MM2 might be better. I read that there has been problems with Barely Crushers customer service. Which mill do you think I should get?
Grain Mill Recomendations
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Barley Crusher? Not on a bet. Check on HBT about issues people have had with them, and the difficulty of getting service. BTW, I had one, emphasis on the "had."
Generally, the Cereal Killer has had about the best performance given that price point.
If you want to go up a level, then the monster mills seem to work pretty well. I have one (a 3-roller).
Generally, the Cereal Killer has had about the best performance given that price point.
If you want to go up a level, then the monster mills seem to work pretty well. I have one (a 3-roller).
CodeSection
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^^^ I second the Monster Mill. I highly recommend. I have the MM-3Pro and it works great!
Surprised to hear you are having issues with the CK.
Might the mill end plates be misaligned causing binding of the second roller? Perhaps try and loosen the mounting bolts and realigning end plates being sure there is a small gap between end plates and rollers....
The second roller should spin freely to the touch...
Could also be a bad bearing which is replaceable for a couple bucks....
I doubt the rollers are worn to the point of having the mill fail to grab grain...but more likely it just needs service...
Might the mill end plates be misaligned causing binding of the second roller? Perhaps try and loosen the mounting bolts and realigning end plates being sure there is a small gap between end plates and rollers....
The second roller should spin freely to the touch...
Could also be a bad bearing which is replaceable for a couple bucks....
I doubt the rollers are worn to the point of having the mill fail to grab grain...but more likely it just needs service...
I took the mill apart and made sure that the end plates were as far apart as possible. I'm not sure if I actually did anything. The rollers do spin freely but they do squeak a little. This is an older version without bearings. I will test it this weekend but am not very hopeful.
I guess I will pass on the Barley Crusher, it is on sale though.
There are so many Monster Mill options. I want a mill that will last for a least 15,000 lbs. of malt. I do BIAB and they recommend 0.026" for BIAB. I think one of the MM3 options will be able to do this in one pass. It seems like some of the pro series requires you to build your own hopper and base. This is not a problem for me if it can be done with wood. I’m not sure what would be involved.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks
I guess I will pass on the Barley Crusher, it is on sale though.
There are so many Monster Mill options. I want a mill that will last for a least 15,000 lbs. of malt. I do BIAB and they recommend 0.026" for BIAB. I think one of the MM3 options will be able to do this in one pass. It seems like some of the pro series requires you to build your own hopper and base. This is not a problem for me if it can be done with wood. I’m not sure what would be involved.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks
JONNYROTTEN
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hold on a sec...
JONNYROTTEN
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15 thousand pounds......15..... thousand pounds......at least......OK.. I'm moving on
I cant believe your $90 mill didn't cut it......shocker
Johnny Rotten,
Not a very useful post for sure. I wasn't expecting a used mill to last forever. I'm not sure what your point is. Do you have a point? There is nothing in my post that said that I was suggesting I wasn't expecting it to last forever. I'm just trying to find a mill that will fit my needs.
So, please move on you obviously have nothing to contribute.
Not a very useful post for sure. I wasn't expecting a used mill to last forever. I'm not sure what your point is. Do you have a point? There is nothing in my post that said that I was suggesting I wasn't expecting it to last forever. I'm just trying to find a mill that will fit my needs.
So, please move on you obviously have nothing to contribute.
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JONNYROTTEN
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Yes...15 thousand pounds is reaching for the sky...I want a car that will last 900,000...any suggestions
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CodeSection
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Give them a call. The owner is very helpful and will help you choose based upon your needs. I bought the hopper and base from them. It appears they sell hoppers and bases for MM-2, MM-2Pro, MM-3 and MM-3Pro. When I bought my MM-3Pro, I also paid extra for the "Heat Treated 1144 Steel" roller material. Supposedly, it lasts 10 times longer.
LittleRiver
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I've been crushing (one pass with a .025" gap) on a Kegco 3 roller mill for a couple of years, and haven't had any problems. It is solid, I expect it to last many years.
They now come with a metal base plate, mine was purchased before that was offered. Here's the base I made from plywood, it fully covers the top of the bucket, so very little milling dust escapes.
Jonny Rotten,
I guess you feel this is false advertising:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/monster-mill-mm3-grain-complete-packages.html
Code Section,
I wrote an email and am waiting for a rely. I'm not sure if they have a phone.
Thanks,
Dave
I guess you feel this is false advertising:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/monster-mill-mm3-grain-complete-packages.html
Code Section,
I wrote an email and am waiting for a rely. I'm not sure if they have a phone.
Thanks,
Dave
CodeSection
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I bought a kegco 3 roll on a whim for cheap even though I didn’t need another mill and haven’t used it much, but it appears nice quality at a good price Fwiw.
It is a MM3 clone built in China on the night shift....perhaps they make the MM’s during the day shift idk lol
It is a MM3 clone built in China on the night shift....perhaps they make the MM’s during the day shift idk lol
Here's an idea for that mill, assuming the 15,000 pound goal:
That's the all-american aleworks motor; when I bought it part of the thinking was that I wanted this to be the last mill--and motor--I'd ever buy. It's got a slow RPM--180--yet the MM3 still chews through 12-14 pounds of grain in about 2 minutes.
There's another motor out there that's cheaper that seems to do the job--https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Double-Roller-Grain-Mill-Motorizing-Kit-P4176.aspx
That's the all-american aleworks motor; when I bought it part of the thinking was that I wanted this to be the last mill--and motor--I'd ever buy. It's got a slow RPM--180--yet the MM3 still chews through 12-14 pounds of grain in about 2 minutes.
There's another motor out there that's cheaper that seems to do the job--https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Double-Roller-Grain-Mill-Motorizing-Kit-P4176.aspx
beerbomb
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Nice job, the base I got with my CK is adequate with small dowel pins, but flops around while milling. You need 3 hands to keep the process going smoothly! I like your design, as it will hold the mill snugly on the pail.
JONNYROTTEN
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Something is up with your setup. The CK base fits exactly on a 5 gallon bucket with no play. I use a drill with no hands on the mill
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beerbomb
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Hey JOHNNYROTTEN,nice of you to respond in your Rotten style![emoji4] Please offer a rotten solution for me so I can be rotten too![emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5]
JONNYROTTEN
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I wasnt being rotten I was being realistic. At the average 5 gallon batch it would take 23 years to reach 15K pounds brewing every single week nonstop...thats askin a little much
But ya I dont know how your setup requires 3 hands. Did you modify the base at all for some reason?
What do you mean by "small dowel pins"
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I have a Schilng(sp?) malt mill...quite often i have the same issue with one roller not spinning, i just get something to turn it a bit while it's running...and it catches...
To quote thadius856:
"The most expensive tool you'll ever buy is the one you keep replacing."
The MM-3 is supposed to last for 12,000 - 15,000 lbs so if I do get it then it will most likely be the last mill I ever buy. It will also mill the grain in one pass rather than 2 that it takes the CK (when it's working). The Kegco 3 looks tempting too.
"The most expensive tool you'll ever buy is the one you keep replacing."
The MM-3 is supposed to last for 12,000 - 15,000 lbs so if I do get it then it will most likely be the last mill I ever buy. It will also mill the grain in one pass rather than 2 that it takes the CK (when it's working). The Kegco 3 looks tempting too.
JONNYROTTEN
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Sorry for being a little straight forward before...Just kind of took me by surprise...thats alot of grain...Good luck with your mill selection...Cheers
JONNYROTTEN
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I had a moment...its gone now
augiedoggy
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branding and pricing aside,
The kegco 3 is an engineering upgrade to the standard mm3. It comes with real sealed ballbearings that wont wear and become impacted with grain dust over time like the bushings can. You can get the mm3 with real bearings but you have to buy it as an upgrade on the mm3 pro and its well over $600..
at $150 shipped including the hopper and backup manual handle you really cant beat the value... although I have a 2 roller CK mill for home and that does just as good a job for $99 (I actually get better efficiency with the CK but thats on a totally different brewing system as well so poor comparision). been using it for almost 5 years now.
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augiedoggy
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Depends on which side one mounts the drill shaft... if mounted to turn clockwise toward the larger side of the wood base your good if mounted the other way you need more hands. I used the have the same setup before building a wooden bucket/mill setup like above myself and motorizing it for my CK.
augiedoggy
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mm3 is made with standard sized bolts and different size shaft.. but that and the bushing vs bearing the only difference I can find having both the mm3 and kegco3 at the brewpub. in fact the mm3 hopper extension bolts right on the kegco 3 we've used to make over 1000 gallons of beer in the last couple months.
I love my Mallar's Mill.
JONNYROTTEN
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THe CK comes configured 2 different ways? Mine came pre assembled to drill clockwise.
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I just built a motorized Kegco 3 roller, upgraded from a drill operated Barley crusher. Very nice indeed for the price, it very well outlast me brewing 15-20 5 gallon batches a year
augiedoggy
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im talking about when you mount it to the board it comes with.. You can mount it one way or flip it around and mount it the other.. one way it will just use the larger wooden side as leverage to stay in place if you mount it the other way its not as stable.
JONNYROTTEN
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Dont screw it on that way
I forgot the base didnt come attached....its been a while
bja
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I've had my barley crusher for 12 years. When it starts acting up I just clean it. Problem solved.
beerbomb
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No rotteness taken!
Ok my set up is a little precarious hence the 3 handed comment!
There are 3 short dowl pins drilled and glued into the underside of the base that are meant to hold the mill tightly to the pail underneath. They however don't fit tight enough to really work, allowing it to slide around.
The picture someone posted with theming pieces of wood protruding down into the pail looked like a much more stable set u p. Cheers.
I took my cereal killer apart and realized this is the type with bearings but the bearing on the slave roller is falling apart. I cleaned the mill and put it together but is just won't mill anymore. Should I just scrape it or is it repairable?
I decided to get the Kegco 3 roller ($162 delivered). I was able to get it to mill at 0.32 but no finer in one pass. Today I tried it again to test various roller spacings and it's misbehaving. Sometimes it just turns but does not catch the grain, even at the coarsest setting. Eventually with some tweaking of the roller spacing it started. It seems once it starts it works fine but getting it to start can be problematic. Is there a problem with my mill or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
I decided to get the Kegco 3 roller ($162 delivered). I was able to get it to mill at 0.32 but no finer in one pass. Today I tried it again to test various roller spacings and it's misbehaving. Sometimes it just turns but does not catch the grain, even at the coarsest setting. Eventually with some tweaking of the roller spacing it started. It seems once it starts it works fine but getting it to start can be problematic. Is there a problem with my mill or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
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augiedoggy
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the bearing assembly pops out and there is the bearing assy part number on the bearing case.. google it and buy the replacement which are usually $2-5 bucks.
I dont know if your mill had a problem or your doing something wrong theres no way to tell that from here. you could try sharing more info like how you drive it and if your cleaning it and how. I can share that I have been using my cereal killer for over 5 years driving it with a motor through a large pulley belt system which should put more strain on the bearings than anything and my mill shows no signs of failure or wear thusfar. I have never cleaned it with anything more than a paint brush to knock of graindust and even that is rare.
I also have the kegco 3 roller at my brewpub where we have now made about 1500 gallons of beer with it and had zero problems. I'll admit I see not reason to play with the gap adjustment myself, when adjusting it before and after the first couple brews to get it set where I wanted I noticed the markings on each end are no good to go by. you need to use actual feeler gauages to adjust the gap evenly as I also needed with the CK mill where the roller would bind if I went by the stamped markings on the ends. I have heard this complaint about every brand of homebrewing mill from at least one owner.
The gap on a 3 roller mill doesnt mill the same way as a 2 roller
I have my kegco 3 roller opened up as far as it will open and the crush is still very good netting us 80-87% efficiency on our 3bble brew system which we are still dialing in. Even at this setting much of the grain is going right through the false bottom holes and I will be replacing my false bottom but for now I use BIAB material laid over my false bottom which works well.
I'm having a hard time removing the bearing. It seems to be pressed in pretty tightly. Is there some sort of trick to it.
The rollers on the kegco can be adjusted either clockwise or counterclockwise. Someone suggested that I adjust the roller in the opposite direction. It seems to have helped but only time will tell.
How do you measure the gap with feeler gauges. I find that I need to take off the hopper and front an back plates. Is that what you need to do. Thanks
The rollers on the kegco can be adjusted either clockwise or counterclockwise. Someone suggested that I adjust the roller in the opposite direction. It seems to have helped but only time will tell.
How do you measure the gap with feeler gauges. I find that I need to take off the hopper and front an back plates. Is that what you need to do. Thanks
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