Look what I found at the LHBS!

[Zooom101]

I went to my LHBS on Friday to get some ingredients for this weekend and saw this staring at me.

I've never owned a mill before mainly because I didn't want to spend >$100 on one. Apparently the "little work" that it needs is only tightening some screws and cleaning some rust. My dad has a blasting chamber so that shouldn't be too difficult.

Is there anything else I should be aware of with grain mills? They seem pretty simple. I plan on taking it apart, sand blasting it, oil/greasing it, and reassembling. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Beerrific]

Yeah, just looks like it needs to be cleaned up a little. Probably check/set the gap (it ships at 0.039). Good deal.

 

[samc]

Not sure the sand blasting is good or needed. Remove rust, lube and reassembly.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

great price!

 

[Chriso]

Holy Crap. A $20 BC is a good deal indeed. Especially as they have a warranty from their manufacturer. Very well done!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Great find, but you already knew that...

 

[oceanselv]

If the rust on the rollers is just surface rust and it hasn't pitted the rollers try running about 5 pounds of some cheap 2 row through the mill. This may be enough to knock the rust off the rollers.

 

[Zooom101]

If the rust on the rollers is just surface rust and it hasn't pitted the rollers try running about 5 pounds of some cheap 2 row through the mill. This may be enough to knock the rust off the rollers.

This is worth a shot. Thanks for the advice.

 

[BrewBeemer]

If you use a bead or sand blaster cover up the journal surfaces you do not want them roughened up eating the bronze mill bushings. I would only hand sand the shaft rust off, nylon brush with Comet on the knurled rollers then soap and water wash clean. Dry off quickly, assemble then run some grain thru it a couple times. Great find someones loss your gain. Elbow grease is cheap.

 

[Brewdouche-RuBrew]

Nice.

My best find this year were 3-5gallon carboys I got at a yard sale for 10 bucks from some old biker dude who swore they were never used for cokking meth.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Nice.

My best find this year were 3-5gallon carboys I got at a yard sale for 10 bucks from some old biker dude who swore they were never used for cokking meth.

My best score was four, 3 gallon cornys for $80 total. That's right, $20 each!

To the OP, great find! I've been searching craigslist for one, but nothing yet. Maybe I'll have to start hitting the LHBSs for a deal like yours.

 

[Zooom101]

If you use a bead or sand blaster cover up the journal surfaces you do not want them roughened up eating the bronze mill bushings. I would only hand sand the shaft rust off, nylon brush with Comet on the knurled rollers then soap and water wash clean. Dry off quickly, assemble then run some grain thru it a couple times. Great find someones loss your gain. Elbow grease is cheap.

I'll be using a glass bead blaster. Any reason not to blast the knurled surfaces? What is the purpose of running grain through it immediately? I was going to rub a light coat of oil on the knurled surfaces to prevent rust.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Bead blasting the knurling will make for a rougher surface than the knurling roller process produced, you'll more likely cause grain sticking to increase. This was why the nylon and Comet to clean up the knurling as well protecting the journals should you decide to bead blast. This would only leave the exposed journals that are rusted, might as well use sandpaper on this small of area. On the rollers when done to prevent a metallic taste was the reason for running a handful of grain thru.
Your call.

 

[Zooom101]

I didn't think about the metallic taste coming from freshly cleaned/blasted knurlers. I'll definitely run some through and then discard it. Good call.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Hell run some rice hulls thru it call it good, grains too good for cleaning.
BTW I wouldn't bead or sand blast the knurling, think about possible grain
sticking problems you increased, rather be safe.

 

[BeerPressure]

I would say it doesnt need anything except for a drill.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Function before beauty for the blingless crowd?
Funny how this fourm goes dead in the evening, must be beauty sleep time for the right coast gang, beginning another round of biers on the left coast.

 

[triethylborane]

I would also be concerned about blast media remaining in the knurls. Iron III oxide is non-toxic and will help out anemia, so if it were me, Id probably just throw grain through it and brew.

 

[BrewBeemer]

The nylon brush with Comet would remove any bead blasting grit which I would never use on knurled surfaces in the first place. Baking soda or C02 yes as a blasting media being not so agressive.

 

[Zooom101]

I've always used the mills at my LHBS to grind my grain and have never heard of grain sticking problems until now. What are the consequences of grain sticking? What causes it and how do you fix it?

 

[TheWeeb]

Nice warning label. Keep the toes away as well

 

[BrewBeemer]

I've always used the mills at my LHBS to grind my grain and have never heard of grain sticking problems until now. What are the consequences of grain sticking? What causes it and how do you fix it?

Think of the roller knurling like a car to be painted, add a tooth to the metal for the paint to stick by sanding the surface roughing it up, same thing with roughing up the knurling by bead of worse yet sand blasting. Paint chrome and see what happens, a reason for the results apply this to roller knurling. Conditioned grain with moisture added can and will tend to stick vs dry not LHBS run 'em dry not a problem besides I bet their larger rollers, smoother knurling as grain slippage isn't a problem with them hence smoother rollers also preventing any grain sticking. Think of your mills knurling like a mirror, bead or sand blast and see if your reflection can be seen then how do you fix it? Garbage can my first thought, apply this to the mills knurling unless you want to hand sand with fine paper every tooth and valley to smooth and shiney again. I can't explain it more simpler than this.