Barley Crusher Idle Roller

[Duff]

When I received my Barley Crusher another user told me that the little black rubber band driving the idle roller from the powered roller would break off after about 3 crushes. He was right, and until now I haven't worried about it, letting the drag of the grain from the powered roller aid in driving it.

However, after spending about 45 minutes trying to crack my grain this morning (9.5kg for a double Alt) I want to fit something to the idle roller again to help with crushing. Has anyone fitted anything other than another rubber band of sorts to drive the second roller? What would you think would be the best option to drive it off the powered roller? At present a small amount of grain will pass through before the feed (and idle roller) stops.

It is set a little finer than factory and is at a point where I want to keep it. I need something hard and durable to wrap around the ends of the idle roller.

Cheers.

 

[Aaron]

I have not found this necessary with my BC. However, that is not the question at hand. Though complicated I guess gearing it would be the best solution. You could maybe try a hobby shop or similar for suitable gearing. Not sure if they will have something appropriate though.

 

[Jazman]

i run my grain through twice at default settings so the grain that gerta puled through uncrushed gets crushed the second time around

 

[Doogiechap]

G'day Duff,
Poppa Joe has been gloating about his idea of cutting up an inner tube of a bike tyre into rings. I will be adopting this method myself if my idle roller on my homemade jobby drags too.
Cheers
Doug

 

[pint of lager]

The barley crusher here has had about 750kg grain go through it and the rubber o'ring vanished a long time ago. The knurls have flattened off.

The gap is set narrow, and sometimes, the grain will not pass through the gap. The drive roller spins up and the grain sits on top without being drawn down. The idle roller does nothing. When this happens, all it needs is a few grains wedged in between the rollers and then the rest get caught as both the rollers are turning at the same time.

Usually, I put 500gms in the hopper, make sure the grain is being crushed rather than sitting above the spinning roller, and once some is being drawn down, fill the hopper right up.

45 minutes to crush 10kg? Time to get a drill.

 

[Duff]

The gap is set narrow, and sometimes, the grain will not pass through the gap. The drive roller spins up and the grain sits on top without being drawn down. The idle roller does nothing. When this happens, all it needs is a few grains wedged in between the rollers and then the rest get caught as both the rollers are turning at the same time.

45 minutes to crush 10kg? Time to get a drill.

I was using a drill.

And what you describe there is exactly what happens with mine. I need to manually spin the idle roller to draw the grain in before I can start crushing again. But it will crush for a short period, then just spin again. It only happens with JW Ale and Pils. MO, crystal, choc, etc., just fly through.

I might try the bike tyre idea. Or something.

Cheers.

 

[Gerard_M]

Time to take it all apart and give it a really good clean out. I find the ends of the rollers need a clean every couple of weeks to keep things running smoothly.
cheers
Gerard

 

[Screwtop]

Is it possible to pull the rollers out of the Barley Crusher. If so, you could take the rollers to a maching shop and have one end cut with a 20mm straight knurl like the Crankandstien, works a treat on them to keep the two rollers turning while grain is in the rollers.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

The gap is set narrow, and sometimes, the grain will not pass through the gap. The drive roller spins up and the grain sits on top without being drawn down. The idle roller does nothing. When this happens, all it needs is a few grains wedged in between the rollers and then the rest get caught as both the rollers are turning at the same time.

45 minutes to crush 10kg? Time to get a drill.

I was using a drill.

And what you describe there is exactly what happens with mine. I need to manually spin the idle roller to draw the grain in before I can start crushing again. But it will crush for a short period, then just spin again. It only happens with JW Ale and Pils. MO, crystal, choc, etc., just fly through.

I might try the bike tyre idea. Or something.

Cheers.

If you are going to use the grain within a few hours, try sprinkling just a few tablespoons of water over your entire grains and give then a good mix up with your hands and then crush. Works for me.
I have to do this with Joe Whites Export Pilsner, everything else is okay. I think it's got something to do with the friability of the malted grain.

You can also try widening the gap and run the grain through twice.

Regards,
Lindsay.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

I should clear something up. I do NOT have a Barley Crusher. I made my own mill but it also does have a non powered idler roller.

Regards,
Lindsay.

 

[Stuster]

I'm not sure it works that well with the Barley Crusher, Lindsay. I tried it once and once only. The grains just totally clogged the knurl and the crush was slow and left lots of unbroken grains. I may have added more water than you describe, probably about 100ml in a 5kg batch. Anybody else tried wetting the grains with a BC? :unsure:

 

[Ross]

I find the whole passive roller bit a real bind - Thank God Brizzybrew isn't leaving it passive on his upcoming mill I have a 3 roller Crankandstien & when a bit of grain jams the passive roller, you're stuffed :angry: . If they had a drive shaft coming out of it also, it would make life so easy, as a little turn & you'd be back in action. For the money you pay, these mills IMO are far from perfect...

Cheers Ross

 

[Aaron]

I can't speak for the Crank but I have never had this problem with my BC. Perhaps a roller adjustment. I have not touched mine since I bought it from Chiller. I guess he had it just right.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Ross,
I'm not happy with mine and I made the bloody thing myself.
I am going to modify mine and make the rollers using tool steel rather than stainless.
I used a very fine (24 TPI) knurl and the edge wears off the knurl after about 150 kilos of grain. I then have to touch up the knurl again in the lathe. Once I do this the mill really chomps on the grain and there is no problem with the passive roller.
Once the tool steel is knurled and then heat treated it will be as tough as buggery.....I hope.

Regards,
Lindsay.

 

[BrissyBrew]

My I suggest a soft yellow o-ring used for gas seals.

 

[Tony M]

I wrapped a strip of bookbinding tape around the passive roller until it picked up the driven roller with a reasonable amount of drag. This tape is extremely durable and lasts many crushes. You can buy it at an office supplies store and is usually 50mm wide but because it is cloth, you can tear a strip about 20mm wide. Cut the ends at a steep angle so it has a smooth joint. I have used insulation tape but that eventually squishes out but even that will get you out of trouble.

 

[Stoodoo]

That's bad luck with the o'ring on your barley crusher. I've probably crushed around 60+kg of grain with mine and the o'ring is still going strong (touch wood). A bit off topic but are there many others around using the barley crusher, who have had the o'ring fail on them?

Cheers

 

[lou]

My O-ring falied on my BC but i never have a problem with the crush unless i set it too fine and it doesn't grab at all

my real problem is that the whole thing started to rust in the humid wweather up here in brissy - although it only did this where it got dust on it - so now i keep it covered and since then no more rust

anyone have the problem of not being able to connect a drill - I found it just didn't grab the handleshaft - but then i have pretty *&%$ed drill

lou

 

[Whistlingjack]

I've crushed close to 80kg with my BC. The o-ring disappeared long ago, but the idle roller still turns in the crush.

I use my cordless drill on the slow setting and I can crush enough grist for a batch using one battery.

 

[bigfridge]

I've crushed close to 80kg with my BC. The o-ring disappeared long ago, but the idle roller still turns in the crush.

The o-ring dissappeared on mine with the first 'Whizzzzzzzz' of the drill.

I am now well into the 2nd Tonne of grain with the mill motorised (with pulley and motor) - the idle roller still spins ok. Sometime I need to 'prime' the mill by pulling some grain in by turning the pulley by hand through 90-180 degrees before turning on the motor.

But I crush a bit courser than the default setting - the mark on the adjustment knob is at 1 o'clock.

David