Show your Crankandstein 3D hopper design

[gsanstra]

So I just got my new 3D in the mail today (finally), and I'm considering a compact design for the hopper. I like both of these designs:

http://www.slobrewer.com/howto/building-a-compact-crankandstein-mill-base-and-hopper/

http://maltmunchingmashmonsters.com/diy/crankandstein.html


I'm wondering what other variations you all have made for the enclosure / hopper. So show me your designs!

Thinking about going with the second design but with bend aluminum sides to increase the hooper capacity.


Thoughts?

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

I don't have any pictures handy, but I took a 5 gallon water cooler jug and cut the bottom out and used a hole saw to cut a hole in a piece of 2x4 to fit the neck into. I then fastened the 2x4 to a piece of 1/4" plywood which sits over the mill.... done and done.

 

[gsanstra]

How's the dust out the sides? After milling at my HBS I feel like unenclosed sides should be enclosed, no?

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

I are dumb... I found an old pic of it

I had trouble with the motor slipping against the metal, even with lock washers, so I laid a piece of 1x10 over the top of the cart and remounted everything... haven't had any problems since. As for dust, as you can see, the cart is open so I mill out in the driveway, but I took some cardboard and made a little chute to the bucket under it and that helped contain it some.

 

[microbusbrewery]

I went the water cooler carboy route as well on my 2D. The neck slides into a little box I made out of plywood which is mounted to the top of the mill. Check it out here: http://www.microbusbrewery.org/2012/01/grain-build-part-2.html

For the sides of mine, I picked up some thin acrylic sheet from Lowe's and cut it to fit. The material is pretty cheap and it's kinda cool to be able to see the rollers spinning.

 

[gsanstra]

That's a nice setup, don't have the tools yet to weld something would have to borrow from a friend. Definitely a good idea though! I like the way your pulley is inside your cart/table..... Also don't have the space to store yet anther gizmo. Looks very sharp, need to convince the wife to let me build it

 

[joelireland]

Thinking about going with the second design but with bend aluminum sides to increase the hooper capacity.

Thoughts?

I went with the second one also, albeit not as pretty. Works perfectly. Next stage is to motorise it.

 

[StMarcos]

Maybe not as compact as you'd like, but it's been working well for years. The hopper comes off with three bolts, but I've never taken it off. That's a 10gal brute under it for scale... so not too big. I recommend going with a gearmotor over a sheave system. Safer and more compact. Think I've fit near 40lb of grain in the hopper. Corners are compound miter - looked up the angles on a crown molding woodworking site. Oak plywood.

 

[gsanstra]

Wow, that hopper is massive, can you post in inside picture? I love that you compound mittered the corners, that gives it a very nice and finished look. Did you do the mittering on a table saw?

In my current setup I will mostly be doing 5 to 10 gallon batches, so 40LB for the hopper sieze is somewhat overkill ;-)

 

[StMarcos]

Vertical part of the hopper is only 10'' tall, so not too big.

 

[mthompson]

A member of my regular brewing crew built this recently for our new communal mill. :rockin:

 

[gsanstra]

That looks sturdy, like the ability to stop the flow of grain in that design, very nice!

 

[microbusbrewery]

That looks sturdy, like the ability to stop the flow of grain in that design, very nice!

Ditto on being able to stop the flow. That's a great idea and a very simple solution.

 

[mthompson]

Ditto on being able to stop the flow. That's a great idea and a very simple solution.

It is just a cut off piece of an acrylic display thing; had the bend in it already. The piece of lexan on the side can slide out by removing the set screws so that it can be blown out after use or jams can be reached and cleaned out... Plus we can see the crush streaming out. We are going to make an extension for the metal funnel from some 10" ductwork.

 

[perogi]

It is just a cut off piece of an acrylic display thing; had the bend in it already. The piece of lexan on the side can slide out by removing the set screws so that it can be blown out after use or jams can be reached and cleaned out... Plus we can see the crush streaming out. We are going to make an extension for the metal funnel from some 10" ductwork.

I love this set up!! Does the lexan that is the "blocker" have a hole drilled in it or do you slide it out to make it work?

Thanks!
perogi.

 

[mthompson]

I love this set up!! Does the lexan that is the "blocker" have a hole drilled in it or do you slide it out to make it work?

Thanks!
perogi.

It is solid. We just slide it out after the mill is started up. Slide it in a bit if you want flow to slow down, or all the way to stop the grains.

Haven't had a single problem with a couple hundred pounds through it.

MT

 

[Glynn]

Those are some truly nice designs i chose the ghetto path less traveled

 

[perogi]

Thanks MT!

I literally LOLed at "i chose the ghetto path less traveled"

 

[beaksnbeer]

Not a Cranknstein but










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[Monster Mash]

I used a water bottle also....