My Ugly Junk- Corona Mill Station...

[TerapinChef]

I see a huge rush in used-stationary-bike-sales in the United States, now's the time to corner the market...

 

[Revvy]

I see a huge rush in used-stationary-bike-sales in the United States, now's the time to corner the market...

Hey, that may not be a bad idea....You know, my waistline has increased since I took up this brewing thing, this MAY be a way to balance it out a bit.

 

[camiller]

Yes pics please. Mine wobbles a lot too. The uneven grind is annoying.

I'll try to get them tonight after the daughters guitar recital.

 

[starrfish]

Replaced the cotter pin on my Corona last night! used a 8-32 1 1/2" long nut and bolt. WOW what a difference. Never realized how far out my plates really where.

Thought I messed something up when I put it back together. lol plates are really close and adjustment is slight (always had a lot of play in adjustment since plate was so loose and out of parallel). Added an extra washer to sides (up to 4) and played with the main adjustment. I think this will finally work the way it was "supposed to". Might have a question on how to adjust a properly set up corona, I have no idea now!

Right now It sounds like the teeth on the plates are just hitting slight "ting" as the plates rotate. Can't get it any looser though. Can go tighter, all the way down to unable to turn.

Never saw one that wasn't like this from the factory. So I thought it was meant to be that way! lol. Some Quality Control in ol Mexico!

Might explain my first partial mashing disaster.

Excellent thread with awesome info! thanks again.

 

[camiller]

I'll try to get them tonight after the daughters guitar recital.

Sorry I didn't get pics up yet, wife called about 2:30PM yesterday...The stinking garage door opener yanked itself out of the front wall of the garage so I spent the bulk of the evening fixing that.

 

[Revvy]

Replaced the cotter pin on my Corona last night! used a 8-32 1 1/2" long nut and bolt. WOW what a difference. Never realized how far out my plates really where.

Thought I messed something up when I put it back together. lol plates are really close and adjustment is slight (always had a lot of play in adjustment since plate was so loose and out of parallel). Added an extra washer to sides (up to 4) and played with the main adjustment. I think this will finally work the way it was "supposed to". Might have a question on how to adjust a properly set up corona, I have no idea now!

Right now It sounds like the teeth on the plates are just hitting slight "ting" as the plates rotate. Can't get it any looser though. Can go tighter, all the way down to unable to turn.

Never saw one that wasn't like this from the factory. So I thought it was meant to be that way! lol. Some Quality Control in ol Mexico!

Might explain my first partial mashing disaster.

Excellent thread with awesome info! thanks again.

I tried to get my cotter pin out last night, but couldn't with the tools I had handy. I was considering the jb weld idea.

Can you take a pic of yours with the bolt on?

 

[TerapinChef]

I'm giving up on the Corona Mill already. It sounds like too much work. I'm going to figure out how to turn one of my pasta rollers into a grain mill.

 

[Revvy]

I'm giving up on the Corona Mill already. It sounds like too much work. I'm going to figure out how to turn one of my pasta rollers into a grain mill.

WUSS

Actually I think it is a great experiment. I'd love for it to work.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Yesa I was all on board, now all this new info..hmmm

 

[Revvy]

Yesa I was all on board, now all this new info..hmmm

What? You tinker a bit...you add a couple washers on the side arm, then if the front plate feels loose you tighten it...We tweak **** all the time around here, how is this any more difficult?

*sheesh*


To me this is fun!

 

[starrfish]

I tried to get my cotter pin out last night, but couldn't with the tools I had handy. I was considering the jb weld idea.

Can you take a pic of yours with the bolt on?

Can do tonight, will post link to pic on friday.
Took some doing with a needle nose pliers, but got it out. (pin destroyed)

might rig a bucket system something like yours this weekend. got a fishing bucket or 3 kicking around...

 

[jds]

I just started listening to Craftbrewer Radio podcasts out of Australia, and went to the website today. The first article I dug up in the equipment section is all about the Corona mill....

Corona Grain Mills

I'm still in the process of reading it, but it is VERY corona positive...



Anyone got some older brewing books that would have such a section in there? I would love to read it.

I think I've got an old copy of Miller from the early 90's somewhere. I'll have to check it out.

I asked SWMBO-claus for a barley crusher for Xmas, but I may go the corona route if she doesn't deliver.

 

[Revvy]

Okay, I did it, the front grinding plate is NOT going to go anywhere...hehehe.

It took about 15 minutes to do...

Here's the front end with el cotter pin...

And with the cotter pin pulled and disassembled. The 3 pieces are the auger, the grinding plate, and the collar which seats the plate on the auger.

I cleaned every metal part that would touch with rubbing alcohol

I test fitted the 8/32 bolt (thanks Starrfish).

 

[Revvy]

I mixed up a bunch of JB Weld

Started glopping it on all the parts

You can kinda see the ooze.

Thoroughly applied it to the "collar" and added that.

 

[Revvy]

And finally I added the bolt, and put some jb on the threads of the bolt right where the nut till end at, and got it kinda tight.

I can tell you there is NO wobble whatsoever, and it appears to my eyes that the grinding plate is perfectly parralel and aligned on the spindle now...I'll let you know in 24 hours when the JB is hard.

It really was a piece of cake to do...It took a couple minutes and there was no trouble, with applying enough JB weld to get it all ice and tight. I thik that is going to make all the difference in milling...that and setting the right gap with the washers and the screws.

 

[starrfish]

Here's my simple set up. improved with the bolt.


http://www.imagebam.com/image/b0335620089088

http://www.imagebam.com/image/9f4edf20089089

http://www.imagebam.com/image/f4331520089090

going with just the bolt for now, once I use it a few times I might go with the jb weld.

 

[Revvy]

Here's my simple set up. improved with the bolt.


ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing

ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing

ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing

Wow, I must say, you're junk IS uglier than mine

 

[starrfish]

LOL Just has Character! lol. Had mill stored in an outdoor shed, during my non-brewing years... damp camping tarp was put over it at some point, added the "character" still works, better then ever now!

Advice: Don't let the corona mil contact with water for too long! they rust easily!

 

[camiller]

...
And with the cotter pin pulled and disassembled. The 3 pieces are the auger, the grinding plate, and the collar which seats the plate on the auger.

...

I still didn't get a chance to take pics of mine, so I'll use yours.

On the collar was one pair of recesses shallower than the other? All I really had to do on mine was pull the cotter pin, rotate the collar 90 degrees and reinsert the cotter pin using the shallower set of indents on the collar. The pin was quite snug and the plate became virtually wobble free. It is possible that my cotter pin was a slightly larger diameter as well, it is hard to tell from the pics.

Oh, and mine is a Corona knockoff branded "Victoria" but I hear they are made in the same factory.

 

[starrfish]

Camiller:
"On the collar was one pair of recesses shallower than the other?"

Yup! one side was shallower than the other on the corona. needed to user deeper side to accommodate the new bolt.

My pin was severely bent from the factory (probably caused the wobble) and was a bear to get out.

 

[Revvy]

I still didn't get a chance to take pics of mine, so I'll use yours.

On the collar was one pair of recesses shallower than the other? All I really had to do on mine was pull the cotter pin, rotate the collar 90 degrees and reinsert the cotter pin using the shallower set of indents on the collar. The pin was quite snug and the plate became virtually wobble free. It is possible that my cotter pin was a slightly larger diameter as well, it is hard to tell from the pics.

Oh, and mine is a Corona knockoff branded "Victoria" but I hear they are made in the same factory.

My collar notches looked the same and the cotter pin on mine was so mangled, that I could get the collar to rotate anyway. That's why I went with the JB weld/bolt...

Either way, my reading has found that that is the one thing that is probably the most important tweak for the corona owner in brewing, to make sure that the grinding plate is not wobbly on the shaft. SO if you're lucky enough to be able to do it without tearing it apart that's probably the preferable way. But if not, a bolt, JB weld, or some other means will work just as well.

 

[Opherman47]

my favorite part is the duck sauce bucket

 

[wilserbrewer]

I actually JB welded the ginding palate at the shaft as well...twice, grrr. First time I thought I had it perfectly aligned but unfortunately had a bad wobble to the plate. Whacked it w/ a hammer to get rid of the JB weld for round two. The second time was a charm! I found that if you reassemble the mill w/ the JB weld still pliable, you can get the plate lined up well w/ the the opposite grinding plate.

Hope this makes sense / helps.

Mike

 

[jds]

I just found my old copy of Miller (c) 1988. He gives a short discussion on adjusting Corona Mills. Essentially, he says to adjust tight, back out 2 turns on the adjusting nut, then grind a bit and check, with tweaks until the hulls don't get shredded.

 

[dontman]

Ok, I do not have pictures yet but I definitely win the prize for the ugliest, rube goldbergiest, corona mill contraption.

I tried to just hit it up with a drill. That was hilarious. There was a four foot cyclone of grain spraying across my basement.

To the drawing board. I found some dryer ductwork, you know that circular telescoping stuff. and did surgery on it until it formed a baffle around the whole milling section. Then I used a 2 foot section to serve at the hopper. (The hopper holds 4+ pounds.

Ugly as all get out. I mean it. But I could not believe how well it worked. The grind came out very nice. I did 10 pounds in maybe 2 minutes. I got 79% efficiency on my first batch with it.

 

[boo boo]

As far as a name for your creation, Looks like a Choo - Choo to me.... Run with it.

I'd go with chew chew

 

[Revvy]

Ok, I do not have pictures yet but I definitely win the prize for the ugliest, rube goldbergiest, corona mill contraption.

I tried to just hit it up with a drill. That was hilarious. There was a four foot cyclone of grain spraying across my basement.

To the drawing board. I found some dryer ductwork, you know that circular telescoping stuff. and did surgery on it until it formed a baffle around the whole milling section. Then I used a 2 foot section to serve at the hopper. (The hopper holds 4+ pounds.

Ugly as all get out. I mean it. But I could not believe how well it worked. The grind came out very nice. I did 10 pounds in maybe 2 minutes. I got 79% efficiency on my first batch with it.

I so can't wait to see pics.

I blew out one of my 3 gallon water bottle fermenters last weekend and ahve been thinking about using a section as a big baffle over the front end...trouble is it may lose it's train like look...Unless I paint it red.

 

[dontman]

I so can't wait to see pics.

I blew out one of my 3 gallon water bottle fermenters last weekend and ahve been thinking about using a section as a big baffle over the front end...trouble is it may lose it's train like look...Unless I paint it red.

Ah Revvy, yours is an elegant and beautiful device next to my contraption. I was going to call it "Frankensteinian" but that would be an insult to Dr. Frankenstein.

 

[niquejim]

Ok, I do not have pictures yet but I definitely win the prize for the ugliest, rube goldbergiest, corona mill contraption.

I tried to just hit it up with a drill. That was hilarious. There was a four foot cyclone of grain spraying across my basement.

To the drawing board. I found some dryer ductwork, you know that circular telescoping stuff. and did surgery on it until it formed a baffle around the whole milling section. Then I used a 2 foot section to serve at the hopper. (The hopper holds 4+ pounds.

Ugly as all get out. I mean it. But I could not believe how well it worked. The grind came out very nice. I did 10 pounds in maybe 2 minutes. I got 79% efficiency on my first batch with it.

I so can't wait to see pics.

I blew out one of my 3 gallon water bottle fermenters last weekend and ahve been thinking about using a section as a big baffle over the front end...trouble is it may lose it's train like look...Unless I paint it red.

You guys think things through too much.

I wrap a plastic garbage bag around the mill and let that direct the grain into the bucket

 

[andyb0527]

Great thread! I had given up on the idea of grinding my own grain due to the cost of a barley crusher but you guys have given me new hope. I just ordered my corona mill and I should be grinding my own next week.

Thanks!