motorizing my grain mill

[corkybstewart]

Several years ago I bought a great grain mill made in Colorado, but I don't remember the guy's name that built it. Now I want to mount it on a benchtop and motorize it. I'm looking for info on motor HP needed, proper pulley size, optimal rpm, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Corky Stewart

[wortchillergoal]

All I can say ids get the proper equipment. I know of a guy who jufy rigged his drill to his meat grinder and now has 3 fingers to second knuckle length only.

[ontap78]

If you go to The Valley Mill (the type I have) website,there is info on motorizing your mill. They talk about pulley, size of motor etc. I'm not sure, but it may have been a link off their site. There's also some info in the "what customers are saying" section of the site.Personally I do just fine with my drill hooked up to it, but I guess I don't know how much grain you'll be crushing.

[ontap78]

Originally posted by wortchillergoal
All I can say ids get the proper equipment. I know of a guy who jufy rigged his drill to his meat grinder and now has 3 fingers to second knuckle length only. This guy may not be too smart.

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by ontap78
This guy may not be too smart.

If wort knows him chances are he is also a hockey player, need I say more? :D

[wortchillergoal]

Originally posted by brewmonkey
If wort knows him chances are he is also a hockey player, need I say more? :D

lol there brewmonkey. The fact of the matter is I learned of him while selling his hunting partner a new meat grinder.

[corkybstewart]

I'm grinding about 25-30 lbs/batch. By hand it takes 20 minutes. I have a big hopper so it would be hard to stick my hand in it. I'm more concerned about getting the rpm's low enough. I really just need a new beer project to occupy my mind. I don't think a drill is what I'm looking for, I really need something more permanent.

[ontap78]

Like I said, check out The Valley Mill's website.

[corkybstewart]

Thanks, I'll try that.

[Restin]

Good information here:

http://www.survivalunlimited.com/grainmill/countrymillmotorized.htm

The plans at the bottom seem the best.

[corkybstewart]

I looked at the Valley Mill site. Their picture wasn't much help, but they had a link to a European homebrewer's site that had an interesting picture. Thanks for the help

[corkybstewart]

The Survival Unlimited web page is perfect, exactly what I needed. Being stubborn, I'll probably go with the vertical, multi pulley approach. Again thanks for the help. When I get it done I'll post a picture of it.
Corky

[justin27]

If you want to play buy an motor inverter.
You can then set the speed to anything you want with a speed pot.

Justin

[corkybstewart]

How complicated is this motor inverter to install, and where would I buy one?

[Spicoli]

My LHBS has a Valley Mill with a windshield wiper motor that is chain driven. It crushes nice and slow. I quess that doesn't really mean much though does it. Anyway good luck.

[corkybstewart]

It must be nice to have a homebrew store nearby. The closest one to me is about 180 miles, so I don't get to visit often. The windshield wiper motor is intriguing, but wouldn't it have to be hooked up on a 12V DC system?

[Restin]

Just get an AC to DC converter. Probably like $10 at the local RadioShack.

[Spicoli]

That is exactly what my LHBS guy did. He also had a guy make a sprocket for the mill to be chain driven.

[corkybstewart]

My old model train control would probably work. Thanks for the idea.

[justin27]

I was thinking a electric can opener motor might work

[Spicoli]

Seems like a can opener would have decent tork. I know some motors ar fast enough but they also need good starting tork to get it going. Something else to think about.....

[HogieWan]

I haven't read the whole of the article. but seems like a reference on this topic.

http://www.homebrew.com/articles/article05010501.shtml

[Jughead]

Originally posted by corkybstewart
...The windshield wiper motor is intriguing, but wouldn't it have to be hooked up on a 12V DC system?

Here's a link on how to get a wiper motor to run off of an old computer power supply.

http://www.scary-terry.com/wipmtr/wipmtr.htm

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Jughead
Here's a link on how to get a wiper motor to run off of an old computer power supply.

http://www.scary-terry.com/wipmtr/wipmtr.htm

good link - thanks

[ontap78]

How about an excercise bike and a pulley?:D

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by ontap78
How about an excercise bike and a pulley?:D

now you're thinking!

[ClaudiusB]

Posted by corkybstewart
When I get it done I'll post a picture of it.
How did this project turn out?


Cheers,
ClaudiusB

[ontap78]

I just finished doing mine. I used an old microwave cart as my base and an old 1/3 HP electric motor to drive it. It's the bomb!

[BignJames]

Here's a windshield wiper motor in action....looks like the way I want to go.

http://www.youtube.com/jp.swf?video_id=U9meot7nBC8&eurl=http%3A//rims-brewing.tripod.com/rims_brewing_malt_mill.htm-CIPCZQX013a7119db%3D02001d01c905076200000000&iurl=http%3A//img.youtube.com/vi/U9meot7nBC8/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskL91mIkx3UiKwxILB_MNoJO

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by ClaudiusB
How did this project turn out?


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
Soon after I last posted in this thread a friend came over with a Valley Mill and a cordless drill. Since then I've been using my bigger corded drill-efficiency jumped from 70-75% to over 85%. Its probably grinding too fine, there's a lot of flour, but I haven't had any stuck sparges so I'm not going to complain. I still plan on motorizing, but for now it's not a priority. This weekend I'm going to build a cool box for my 12 gallon conical using a very well insulated plywood box with a dorm fridge on top. I'll hook a digital temp controller to it so I can brew all year.

[MrNate]

I was going to suggest a plain old AC gearmotor. I see them all the time on eBay.

[ClaudiusB]

Posted by corkybstewart
This weekend I'm going to build a cool box for my 12 gallon conical using a very well insulated plywood box with a dorm fridge on top. I'll hook a digital temp controller to it so I can brew all year.
The windshield wiper motor is a common tool for German home brewers, makes a good mash mixer.
I built many years ago a cool room for my conical fermenters with a digital controller, and a small sliding door at the bottom to take samples.
Now my conicals are water cooled.
Good luck with your new project.

Cheers,
Claudius

[ClaudiusB]

Posted by MrNate
I was going to suggest a plain old AC gearmotor. I see them all the time on eBay.

I use an AC gearmotor, Bodine RPM=94, HP=1/30, Torq= 16lb/in
The frame is made out of extruded aluminum, safety guards GE-Lexan.

My grain mill 1 (http://www.hobbybrauer.de/bilder/ClaudiusB/Grain_Mill2.jpg )
My grain mill 2 (http://www.hobbybrauer.de/bilder/ClaudiusB/Grain_Mill1.jpg)
My grain mill 3 (http://www.hobbybrauer.de/bilder/ClaudiusB/Mill 006.jpg)
My grain mill 4 (http://www.hobbybrauer.de/bilder/ClaudiusB/Mill_Top2.jpg)
Cheers,
ClaudiusB

[corkybstewart]

Thanks CB, I was under the impression the motors needed to be bigger. 1/30 hp is pretty damn puny. i saw a bunch on ebay that were in the 1/20-1/4 hp but I figured I needed something bigger.
BTW, are you a pro brewer, and if so where? I've been to one brewpub in El Paso, and unless someone can convince me that that was an amazingly bad night I won't go again.

[barleyburps]

now that's a serious piece of equipment. . .

[ClaudiusB]

Thanks CB, I was under the impression the motors needed to be bigger. 1/30 hp is pretty damn puny
Bigger is not better, example.
For my two mash tuns I use the following motors.
Mash tun mixer #1: HP=1/90, Torq= 20 lb-in, RPM= 19
Mash tun mixer #2, 200 Liter, HP=1/9, Torq=146 lb-in, RPM 26

Old German 2006 post, scroll down (http://www.hobbybrauer.de/modules.php?name=eBoard&file=viewthread&fid=1&tid=3273&page=1&orderdate=ASC)


I've been to one brewpub in El Paso, and unless someone can convince me that that was an amazingly bad night I won't go again.
Now you know why I make my own brew.
We have good Mexican beers.
are you a pro brewer, and if so where?
I am a home brewing nut, converted our double garage into a brewery.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

[barleyburps]

quite the obsession. . . how big is that mash/lauter tun ClaudiusB?

[ClaudiusB]

how big is that mash/lauter tun ClaudiusB?
Mash /Lauter tun #2, 200 liters= 52.8 gal.
#1, 50 liters= 13.2 gal.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

[MrNate]

CB, can you do us all a favor and post a thread with pics of your brewery? That way, when our wives complain about our so-called obsession, we can just show them your setup.

You think I'm nuts, honey? Look at this guy!

Seriously, I would love to see more of your brewery.

[MrNate]

Just revisiting this one - Does anyone know what the optimal speed is for a grain mill? I will probably get the CrankAndStein, and I wanted to figure out the pulley sizes for my motor.

By the way, ClaudiusB sent me pictures of his brewery and I posted them in this thread (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16275). Check it out, it is truly amazing.

[corkybstewart]

You want to keep it under 300 RPM.
I "toured" CB's brewery in the other thread, absolutely insane. I'm usually the guy my friends bring their wives to see so they won't seem like beer fiends, but Claudius' setup is a whole nuther universe. And to think he's just down the road from me....

[MrNate]

Thanks Corky. Off to do some math now, I suppose.

BTW, If I lived that close, I'd take a road trip. That man has a Biergarten and he knows how to use it!

[Mill Rat]

Originally posted by corkybstewart
but Claudius' setup is a whole nuther universe. And to think he's just down the road from me.... Is it something in the water?

[BrewDog]

Road trip to Claudius's place!!!!