My Ugly Junk- Corona Mill Station...
- Thread starter Revvy
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
pricelessbrewing
Brewer's Friend Software Manager
I use the same one. I'm considering getting one of these to control the speed better https://www.harborfreight.com/router-speed-control-43060.html.
I will wait until one of these are on sale.
Until them i'll start grinding grain for 10 gallon batches a day early.
Really sucks when your strike water is heating up faster than you can get your grain crushed. grrrr.
Since my HBS really really really wants to grind my grains every time I place an order I decided to let them.
Then I crush it finer in my corona and it's super smooth and doesn't overheat the drill.
Then I crush it finer in my corona and it's super smooth and doesn't overheat the drill.
timmyo
Member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2018
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 1
I still can't figure out if my plates are supposed to grind on each other or if the grain is supposed to keep them from touching. I know every mill is a little different. I've got the Walmart ktaxon. I bought tiny washers, so I've got a bunch of them on each side.
I'd love some input!
I'd love some input!
Hey Timmo,
The trick is getting the gap set correctly. Look at my posts in this thread, I’ve been stoked with my results. Most of the advice is to set your gap waaaay to loose. I used solid spacers from Homedespot, and washers to shim the bolts on the plate adjustment.
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2013
- Messages
- 9,924
- Reaction score
- 24,093
(Full disclosure, I BIAB)
My plates hit if no grain is going through. When grain is involved it forces them apart during operation. The real tricky dicky part was getting them parallel, and that required taking it all apart and filing the nub of the hub the outer plate sits on, and once that was done, I just installed side washers per all the posts, and tightened it up until I liked it, which was about 3 turns past where I was originally comfortable.
My plates hit if no grain is going through. When grain is involved it forces them apart during operation. The real tricky dicky part was getting them parallel, and that required taking it all apart and filing the nub of the hub the outer plate sits on, and once that was done, I just installed side washers per all the posts, and tightened it up until I liked it, which was about 3 turns past where I was originally comfortable.
They will clack together, mine don't actually grind together. I have had my mill lock up without any grain in it so yes the plates are very close. In a pinch a credit card or two business cards is pretty close. .025 is just less than 1mm. you could get a wire type spark plug gap tool at autozone. Your going for TOTAL gap so getting the space between the teeth close should be just fine.
how do you use this?
You can't fill it where it is unless you are really tall and do it a scoop at a time.
You can't run the drill if you put it on the floor to pour the grain in.
Huh I set mine about that level almost 2 years ago and haven't checked it since. I still grind the hell out of the grain with how it's set up.
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
I'd really hate to have to read thorough this whole thread.... Im looking to get a victoria mill (like a corona im guessing). I want to see what modifications I need to make to raise the quality and reliability of it.
A Victoria is one of the better Corona style mills. I mounted mine first of a workbench with a hole leading to a bucket on a shelf under. Later I mounted it on a cabinet, the bucket went inside to keep the dust contained.
I had to adjust the spacing of the grinding plates a little with some washers. Then get a bolt or something with the same thread as what holds the handle and fit it with a drill.
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
It looked pretty decent for the money. Do you have pictures or a process to add the washers? I want to know what I'm getting into before I get one.
Mothman
Well-Known Member
You can see the washer position in this post: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/my-ugly-junk-corona-mill-station.90849/#post-981037
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
I get a box with a blurry picture and a red x through it
Mothman
Well-Known Member
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
Perfect!!! Thanks a ton!
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2013
- Messages
- 9,924
- Reaction score
- 24,093
I made four mods to my Corona (thank you, The Knack) and have been using it for over a hundred batches since
1) Add the side washers as noted by @Mothman , previously by @Revvy
2) Filed the hub on which one plate rests to better "parallelize" the two plates
3) Used nail/bolt like in posts 73-5 to keep plate in place. Note that I did not jbweld/5minepoxy the shaft to the plate--just the bolt/nail
4) Bought the 13mm bolt to extend and use 13mm socket in drill to power
I did mount in bucket, hopper connection level with bucket top, and made Formerly-Apfelwein-Applejuice-Jug hopper and use a piece of posterboard over all to lessen dust. Forget eliminating it, fool's errand, strap a furnace filter to box fan and run it while you're milling.
1) Add the side washers as noted by @Mothman , previously by @Revvy
2) Filed the hub on which one plate rests to better "parallelize" the two plates
3) Used nail/bolt like in posts 73-5 to keep plate in place. Note that I did not jbweld/5minepoxy the shaft to the plate--just the bolt/nail
4) Bought the 13mm bolt to extend and use 13mm socket in drill to power
I did mount in bucket, hopper connection level with bucket top, and made Formerly-Apfelwein-Applejuice-Jug hopper and use a piece of posterboard over all to lessen dust. Forget eliminating it, fool's errand, strap a furnace filter to box fan and run it while you're milling.
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
Im still having image issues....
Ill try on my PC in a little while...
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2013
- Messages
- 9,924
- Reaction score
- 24,093
I had no images therein, let me know if you want some.
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
I didnt get a chsnce to jump on my computer to check.
forgetaboudit
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2016
- Messages
- 101
- Reaction score
- 15
Heres a screenshot of where the photos should be...
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2013
- Messages
- 1,987
- Reaction score
- 965
The images are all there in the post, so it may be that your app is set up to block images. This is often done to lower data rates and you may need to go into the settings to unlock them.
rac3850
Member
I've used my corona for about 4 brews, first three were great, then the 4th had real low efficiency. Also, it seemed cumbersome and slow as I only used it clamped to a table top with a pan underneath it. As far as the bad efficiency, I think it got out of adjustment and had a coarse crush.
The experience inspired me to look at getting a roller mill. Then I came across this thread and was convinced to give the corona another chance. I did the few mods noted in the thread (washers, cleaned up the auger and journals, finessed the cotter pin). Then I and put together this fugly set up.
I used the two bucket plan, with a drill driver board inserted between the buckets. The upper bucket has a 1 x 6 inside to mount the mill, using six screws through the bucket to hold it in place. On the outside of the bucket I made a couple of "ears" to hold it in place when inserted into the drill driver board (screwed to the bucket from the inside).
The drill driver board just has a coutout in which to insert the upper bucket, and it sits on top of the lower bucket. No mods to the bottom bucket. The three pieces loosely nest together. The leg was added to the drill driver board to resist tipping. Also added the 5 x 6 sheetmetal reducer for a bit more hopper capacity. I'm thinking of getting a 6 x 8 to add for even more capacity (~$8).
So far, all in about $33: $18 for the mill, $7 for two buckets, $7.50 for the duct hopper. All the rest was scrap laying around, and a beat up old Dewalt cordless that seems to have plenty of power to grind the grain -- though it takes two batteries to get through 12+ lbs.
On more thing I was thinking about -- cutting off the bench clamp and just bolting the mill to the 1 x 6 in the bucket using the upper flange of the clamp arrangement. This would allow the upper bucket to stand on its own straght up rather than tilted as the clamp does protrude below the bottom. Has anyone done this? I see two possible issues - one is it would be much more annoying to take the mill out of the bucket for cleaning, and maybe the second is it would weaken the base of the mill and possibly lead to a casting fracture??
The experience inspired me to look at getting a roller mill. Then I came across this thread and was convinced to give the corona another chance. I did the few mods noted in the thread (washers, cleaned up the auger and journals, finessed the cotter pin). Then I and put together this fugly set up.
I used the two bucket plan, with a drill driver board inserted between the buckets. The upper bucket has a 1 x 6 inside to mount the mill, using six screws through the bucket to hold it in place. On the outside of the bucket I made a couple of "ears" to hold it in place when inserted into the drill driver board (screwed to the bucket from the inside).
The drill driver board just has a coutout in which to insert the upper bucket, and it sits on top of the lower bucket. No mods to the bottom bucket. The three pieces loosely nest together. The leg was added to the drill driver board to resist tipping. Also added the 5 x 6 sheetmetal reducer for a bit more hopper capacity. I'm thinking of getting a 6 x 8 to add for even more capacity (~$8).
So far, all in about $33: $18 for the mill, $7 for two buckets, $7.50 for the duct hopper. All the rest was scrap laying around, and a beat up old Dewalt cordless that seems to have plenty of power to grind the grain -- though it takes two batteries to get through 12+ lbs.
On more thing I was thinking about -- cutting off the bench clamp and just bolting the mill to the 1 x 6 in the bucket using the upper flange of the clamp arrangement. This would allow the upper bucket to stand on its own straght up rather than tilted as the clamp does protrude below the bottom. Has anyone done this? I see two possible issues - one is it would be much more annoying to take the mill out of the bucket for cleaning, and maybe the second is it would weaken the base of the mill and possibly lead to a casting fracture??
