Motorized Mill Gear Motor Sources

[jvino]

I have searched here and many other forums and I cannot seem to find a current source for a gear motor that is suitable for a mill. Does anyone know where I can find one?? I would like to get either a 2 roller or 3 roller 2" monster mill ordered up and the appropriate motor to drive it!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[norrisk66]

I bought mine from Northern Brewer. A 1/3 HP 110V electric motor out of an old washing machine works perfectly. You should be able to find a used motor on CraigsList.

 

[biertourist]

Ask and ye shall receive (a giant hole in your wallet): http://www.allamericanaleworks.com/

1/2 hp, 110v, capacitor start, reversible, 400watt built-in heavy gear reducer you can choose 180 RPM or 240 RPM but you have to buy the love joy coupler and wire the electric switch yourself. Oh yea and it's $200 for the motor alone.

Its pretty monstrous, but you pay for it.


Side note to Norissk: I'm also an Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate -Chilled and Filtered Beer (2012) recipient!
(Great to see another home brewer who decided to pursue ICB certification, by the way!)

Have any links on using an old washing machine motor?

Adam

 

[jvino]

That would be perfect if it was half the price. All the "surplus" stuff is long gone eh??

 

[alphaomega]

I use a cheap 800w electric meat grinder to direct drive my monster mill mm3.
It has the oomph, it can reverse (if ever needed), it has a 'good' RPM and it was about 50 of your US dollars

Edit: adding some pics

 

[norrisk66]

Side note to Norissk: I'm also an Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate -Chilled and Filtered Beer (2012) recipient!
(Great to see another home brewer who decided to pursue ICB certification, by the way!)

Have any links on using an old washing machine motor?

Adam

That is awesome-the IBD is a great program.

 

[govner1]

Ask and ye shall receive (a giant hole in your wallet): http://www.allamericanaleworks.com/

1/2 hp, 110v, capacitor start, reversible, 400watt built-in heavy gear reducer you can choose 180 RPM or 240 RPM but you have to buy the love joy coupler and wire the electric switch yourself. Oh yea and it's $200 for the motor alone.

Its pretty monstrous, but you pay for it.


Side note to Norissk: I'm also an Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate -Chilled and Filtered Beer (2012) recipient!
(Great to see another home brewer who decided to pursue ICB certification, by the way!)

Have any links on using an old washing machine motor?

Adam

Yes the geared motor from All American Ale Works is expensive but when you add up the cost of putting together a motor, reduction gear unit, etc., it is pretty much a wash. It is also a beast of a motor and gives you plenty of torque, ideal RPM (180), and is easy to set up.
Mine runs my 3 roller Monster Mill flawlessly.

 

[KBVC]

I have the same All American Ale Works motor. After looking at motors and gear boxes, this motor did not seem much more expensive and is more that capable of turning 3 roller mills. It will start my 3 roller Monster Mill easily with a full hopper. Here is a picture of my setup.

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[augiedoggy]

Yes the geared motor from All American Ale Works is expensive but when you add up the cost of putting together a motor, reduction gear unit, etc., it is pretty much a wash. It is also a beast of a motor and gives you plenty of torque, ideal RPM (180), and is easy to set up.
Mine runs my 3 roller Monster Mill flawlessly.

So your saying the $200 motor is justified because other alternatives are going to cost as much?

wow... I guess my box of old salvaged xerox gear reduction motors are worth more than I thought... I gave away a bunch of gear reduction motors to a guy that wanted to build a pig roaster... Time to see how his progress has come along ...

 

[govner1]

So your saying the $200 motor is justified because other alternatives are going to cost as much?

wow... I guess my box of old salvaged xerox gear reduction motors are worth more than I thought...

I did a considerable amount of research and comparison of spec's and the various parts needed to assemble separately and my Power Grinder only cost me $170 delivered, new. I did still need two Lovejoy connection + a spider. They totaled under $20.
Here's my setup:
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1425492784.291943.jpg

 

[augiedoggy]

Well I guess that depends on whether one needs to have a "new" motor or not... surplus and used motors are considerably less money and work just as well for this kind of purpose.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]wow... I guess my box of old salvaged xerox gear reduction motors are worth more than I thought... [...]

Yeah, probably not so much.

Somehow I doubt gear motors out of a copier are going to have the combination of torque and rpms needed for a mill. They might turn a well-balanced piggie on a spit at an rpm or two, but starting up a three roller mill against a bin of hard wheat?

Cheers!

 

[AnOldUR]

The good old days when you could get a good surplus gearmotor for $29.

 

[day_trippr]

LOL! I remember when we cleaned out Surplus Center of that model motor.
I think they went from over 160 units to zip in two weeks, never to be listed anywhere again...

Cheers!

 

[aangel]

I thought you could just attach a portable drill to the grain mill?

 

[day_trippr]

Yes, ^that^ has been done...

Cheers!

 

[augiedoggy]

Yeah, probably not so much.

Somehow I doubt gear motors out of a copier are going to have the combination of torque and rpms needed for a mill. They might turn a well-balanced piggie on a spit at an rpm or two, but starting up a three roller mill against a bin of hard wheat?

Cheers!

Well considered they are from various large wide format engineering copiers and I've already been powering my mill with one for about 4 months and put about 200lbs of grain though it will no issues I would have to question your uninformed assumptions.. They may or may not have enough power for a 3 roll mill but they work just fine for two roll mills (mine is about the same size as the one pictured above). And for the record I have a variety of motors from different types of commercial equipment.... I don't work on office copiers just the bigger stuff... Some of the machines I have decommissioned and service cost upwards of 500-800k a piece. And weigh a couple thousand pounds..
One of the motors I gave away for the pig roaster was a 3 HP motor with a huge gear reduction box mounted to it and 3/4" shaft which could have been used to spin a cow let alone a pig...
Cheers!
The real issue is some of the motors run on odd voltages such as 90v DC...