The proper amount of Crush on my grain

[hankisanerd]

I just adjusted my Barley Crusher to the gap of a Credit Card and here is the result. Is it good to go?

I have to replace the O-ring, it had dried out after all these years. I just need to find instructions on how to do that.

H

 

[hottpeper13]

With a crush that course you might get conversion with an overnite mash. There's 6 whole corns that I can see,I would get a MIAB for your tun and set the gap to .028 or so. I get 80% eff. I think there should be some dust , but I see none.

 

[hankisanerd]

With a crush that course you might get conversion with an overnite mash. There's 6 whole corns that I can see,I would get a MIAB for your tun and set the gap to .028 or so. I get 80% eff. I think there should be some dust , but I see none.

Here is a better picture.

 

[hottpeper13]

I'd run that thru again.

 

[bracconiere]

that's my crush for the record... 0.028" gap

fly sparge just fine with a bazooka tube in a round cooler...

 

[hankisanerd]

View attachment 767020

that's my crush for the record... 0.028" gap

fly sparge just fine with a bazooka tube in a round cooler...

Thanks. I will re-gap it and get my crush on.

 

[bracconiere]

Thanks. I will re-gap it and get my crush on.

i would say that's milled at somewhere around 300 RPM also....but i'm just guessing at the number, slow, but brisk?

 

[day_trippr]

Actually, the OP's crush looks like it was milled at 33-1/3 rpm - probably by hand
Higher speed makes more dust. As you noted, there's no dust to be seen...

Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

33-1/3 rpm - probably by hand

by hand!?!? i'd be surprised you'd be able to do 1 rpm? or maybe i'm thinking in seconds....

 

[day_trippr]

Nobody knows what you're thinking

 

[hankisanerd]

Actually, the OP's crush looks like it was milled at 33-1/3 rpm - probably by hand
Higher speed makes more dust. As you noted, there's no dust to be seen...

Cheers!

Haha, All I was missing was my monkey.

 

[bracconiere]

Nobody knows what you're thinking

what are you talking about? i say it out loud all the time! just because you don't understand....well damn, that's my alluminum hat working....

 

[bracconiere]

All I was missing was my monkey.

a chuck key for a drill right?

 

[hankisanerd]

by hand!?!? i'd be surprised you'd be able to do 1 rpm? or maybe i'm thinking in seconds....

Yeah, it was by hand...

 

[bracconiere]

Yeah, it was by hand...

if you're doing this by hand...setting the gap to 0.028" might be tough to turn the crank?


or maybe repurpose a 2 litter , or plastic water bottle to feed the grain to mill in a narrow range to make it easier on the wrist?

also, i gotta get my drill up to speed before i fill my hopper, otherwise it wouldn't have the torque...

 

[hankisanerd]

if you're doing this by hand...setting the gap to 0.028" might be tough to turn the crank?


or maybe repurpose a 2 litter , or plastic water bottle to feed the grain to mill in a narrow range to make it easier on the wrist?

also, i gotta get my drill up to speed before i fill my hopper, otherwise it wouldn't have the torque...

This is in my 15 year old plus "The Barley Crusher" or as I call it Wesley. I will be attaching a cordless drill to make it go better.

 

[bracconiere]

I will be attaching a cordless drill to make it go better.

easier man, easier! i got tired of even holding a drill on a mill, and mounted one permanently....

 

[hout17]

I don't think it'll make a ton of difference using a drill I crush mine manually at .032" and it looks about like @bracconiere . Might be less of a workout though lol.

Here's a great thread showing people's different crushes.

 

[k-daddy]

Here is a better picture.
View attachment 767018

 

[k-daddy]

View attachment 767020

that's my crush for the record... 0.028" gap

fly sparge just fine with a bazooka tube in a round cooler...

Do you water condition your grains prior to the crush?

 

[bracconiere]

Do you water condition your grains prior to the crush?

no i don't, never really had a reason to. sparge goes smooth without it. (unless you count the soak for sprouting? lol )

 

[hankisanerd]

UPDATE
I set the gap to .028 and ran some more. It is looking better.

 

[hout17]

UPDATE
I set the gap to .028 and ran some more. It is looking better.View attachment 767236

Hell yeah that's looks a lot better

 

[Bobby_M]

It's much better. You don't want to find whole kernels.

 

[DuncB]

Consider running some samples with conditioned grain as well.

 

[sibelman]

Visuals can be somewhat misleading. I was looking at my crush today. Mostly broken bits, with some grains that looked whole at first. But every seemingly whole kennel I examined was in fact smashed - the hull looked intact, but was nothing like a whole kernel - fell apart when gently handled. BIAB apparently benefits from narrower gaps, but my lauter efficiency is generally in the 80s even though it looks rather like OP's original pix. Go figure.