Montser Mill Hopper Project

[Fourstar]

edit:Just looked up the density of brewers grain to be 432kg/cubic metre, how many kg of grain to people recommend a hopper be built to hold?

14-15L servies to be enough for a single batch (23L) of 1.50-1.60 OG wort. Its roughly 600g per L.

Im currently using an ikea dustbin which is 14L ($2 bucks) strapped to the top of my mill hopper plate. Works well, just the last 200g you have to shake the bucket around to get the lat bit of grain to fall into the mill.

 

[brettprevans]

upgraded time - finally got around to putting my new monstermill hopper and base together - link

 

[Kleiny]

upgraded time - finally got around to putting my new monstermill hopper and base together - link

Hey CM2

My hopper seems to be too tight of a fit and doesn't allow the rollers to turn freely. It does not really worry me it just mens i need to do some custom mods. Did you have the same problem or did it all fit together without a hitch?

Kleiny

 

[brettprevans]

Hey CM2

My hopper seems to be too tight of a fit and doesn't allow the rollers to turn freely. It does not really worry me it just mens i need to do some custom mods. Did you have the same problem or did it all fit together without a hitch?

Kleiny

ahh bugger didnt even think to give it a test run. but then again it was 10pm when i started putting to together. will go home and try tonight. everthing else went together ok. the nuts were a bit of a PITA to tighten as you had to hold the other end with a screw driver or vice-versa. but other than that it seemed to fit together ok. and base is big enugh to fit over a 25L 'bunnings' fementor that i use as my grain bin.

will try tonight. maybe with some metal hard rye.

 

[komodo]

mine spins freely - if anything its opened the rollers a bit from the side so theres a bit of play. I've had to off set my 10" pulley on the shaft to stop it banging up against the aluminium.
Also I dont thing I'd want any bigger than a 10" pulleyor you'd have clearance problems with the hopper.

 

[brettprevans]

mine spins freely - if anything its opened the rollers a bit from the side so theres a bit of play. I've had to off set my 10" pulley on the shaft to stop it banging up against the aluminium.
Also I dont thing I'd want any bigger than a 10" pulleyor you'd have clearance problems with the hopper.

im using a high torque drill so thats no issues for me. but it does seem to be a good amount of clearance for the drill so im happy

 

[komodo]

Having just gone from a drill to a pulley setup - OMG its a fricken weapon. Dont get me wrong the drill was doing a mighty fine job. But having a dedicated bit of machinery... Well lets just say it makes me feel rather well endowed.

 

[Hutch]

Having just gone from a drill to a pulley setup - OMG its a fricken weapon. Dont get me wrong the drill was doing a mighty fine job. But having a dedicated bit of machinery... Well lets just say it makes me feel rather well endowed.

+1.

I used a high-torque cordless drill for about a year until I stripped the gear-box (grrrr), so I bit the bullet and motorised it using one of these motors from Oatley.
No pulleys or gears, just direct spider coupling - 2 minutes to crush 5kg, all from 12V. Too easy.

Will post picks some time soon.

 

[AndrewQLD]

+1.

I used a high-torque cordless drill for about a year until I stripped the gear-box (grrrr), so I bit the bullet and motorised it using one of these motors from Oatley.
No pulleys or gears, just direct spider coupling - 2 minutes to crush 5kg, all from 12V. Too easy.

Will post picks some time soon.

That's what I have been using for the last 2 years Hutch, great little motor with a ton of torque, I've powered mine with a 12 amp AC to DC power adaptor and it just grinds through the grains without missing a beat.

Andrew

 

[WarmBeer]

+1.

I used a high-torque cordless drill for about a year until I stripped the gear-box (grrrr), so I bit the bullet and motorised it using one of these motors from Oatley.
No pulleys or gears, just direct spider coupling - 2 minutes to crush 5kg, all from 12V. Too easy.

Will post picks some time soon.

Nice looking motor, Hutch.

Noticed this motor and speed controller package on their website, at a bargain price of < $30! It doesn't have any technical details, but wondering if anybody has experience with these motors, and whether they would be sufficient to drive a mill?

 

[Hutch]

That's what I have been using for the last 2 years Hutch, great little motor with a ton of torque, I've powered mine with a 12 amp AC to DC power adaptor and it just grinds through the grains without missing a beat.

Andrew

Yep, I think I might have got the idea from you, most likely!
I'd be interested in what power supply you're using - I tried a PC power supply (rated at 20+A @ 12V), and it couldn't handle the in-rush current required, so I use a 12V gel-cell instead.

Nice looking motor, Hutch.

Noticed this motor and speed controller package on their website, at a bargain price of < $30! It doesn't have any technical details, but wondering if anybody has experience with these motors, and whether they would be sufficient to drive a mill?

My guess is that it wouldn't have the torque required to turn a MM.
The one I'm using is geared, and spins at 350RPM with no load, probably about half that pulling grain. I'm only running mine at 12V (half it's rated voltage) with no spead controller, and surprisingly it goes fine without stalling, though tends to slow right down with narrow gap settings (below 0.75mm).

Sorry for going off topic - probably should shift this discussion to one of the motorised mill threads.

 

[AndrewQLD]

Yep, I think I might have got the idea from you, most likely!
I'd be interested in what power supply you're using - I tried a PC power supply (rated at 20+A @ 12V), and it couldn't handle the in-rush current required, so I use a 12V gel-cell instead.

It's a 12v 12amp switch-mode adapter, centre pin positive 150w and it's fan cooled.
Best of all it's made in China



Andrew

 

[Batz]

+1.

I used a high-torque cordless drill for about a year until I stripped the gear-box (grrrr), so I bit the bullet and motorised it using one of these motors from Oatley.
No pulleys or gears, just direct spider coupling - 2 minutes to crush 5kg, all from 12V. Too easy.

Will post picks some time soon.

That ones 24v, do they have 12v models as well?

What about a link to the coupling? Yes please post a few pictures as well.

Batz

 

[AndrewQLD]

This is the spider coupler I used from jaycar Batz, simply drilled out one end a little to fit the mill shaft and the motor shaft fit straight in the other end, the ends are tightened with grub screws.



Jaycar spider coupler

Andrew

 

[Kleiny]

Andrew and Hutch

could either or both of you put together or point in direction of a thread that has all the parts you used where you got them from and some pics of the finished project.

I think there may be more people interested than just me.

Kleiny

 

[Hutch]

Andrew and Hutch

could either or both of you put together or point in direction of a thread that has all the parts you used where you got them from and some pics of the finished project.

I think there may be more people interested than just me.

Kleiny

Here's a link to AndrewQLD's post with more info on mounting and specs.

I used the exact same spider coupler AndrewQLD posted above. It does have to be drilled out to fit the motor shaft, which was a little tricky to do acurately without a drill press.
Other than that, you just need some way of mounting the motor so that it's shaft is in line with the mill shaft. I got some heavy steel angle-brackets and suitable bolts from the Green warehouse, but you could easily mount it using timber bracket. I was a little unsure of the torque load and"wobble-factor", so went the galvanised steal option, which allows a little flex when it's running (to accomodate my poor drilling of the coupler!).

Pictures would help more than me babbling - I'll try to remember to post a few pics of my mounting when I get home tonight - I have my mill above the base-plate, so this may help those of you with the same configuration (Andrew's is mounted below the base-plate).

 

[Hutch]

Some pics of my mounting hardware.
Made with bits from Bunnings - I don't have access to welding equipment, so made do with galv steel, an angle-grinder and a few bolts.
Does the job fine, though looks a bit of a botch-job!

 

[brettprevans]

Love it Hutch. I have those big galv plates at home for a differant project. they are awsome.

no need for welding. the bolts look like they do a fine job and its nice and neat.

 

[Kleiny]

Some pics of my mounting hardware.
Made with bits from Bunnings - I don't have access to welding equipment, so made do with galv steel, an angle-grinder and a few bolts.
Does the job fine, though looks a bit of a botch-job!

Thanks hutch im going to have to motorize my mill and those motors look the goods.

 

[brettprevans]

My hopper seems to be too tight of a fit and doesn't allow the rollers to turn freely. It does not really worry me it just mens i need to do some custom mods. Did you have the same problem or did it all fit together without a hitch?

Kleiny

ahh bugger didnt even think to give it a test run. will try tonight. maybe with some metal hard rye.

reporting back on this. all is fine with my mill. seems to turn freely. so maybe a manufacturing issue?