German grain mill

[Jack of all biers]

So the Kompakt and Komfort have an adjustable gap?

Yep (see below). The Kompakt and Kompakt Komfort are the same except the Komfort has ball bearing bearings, otherwise essentially the same.

• infinitely adjustable 0 to approx. 2 mm by eccentrics

4.JPG

In the above photo you can see the allen key screws on the side that adjust the roller gap distance for the Kompakt Komfort model (the passive roller moves). On the Kompakt model the adjustable allen key screws are on the other side (the active roller moves).

EDIT - photo from above pasted as below.


2nd EDIT - sorry Legless missed your post the first time, but I think I essentially answered it above anyway.

OK been in touch with a retailer in Germany, have been quoted 75.2 Euro for delivery which is reasonable (I paid 80 for my Braumeister) the prices quoted are Kompact 166.79 Euro, Komfort 189 Euro, and Student 119.99 Euro, they have also offered to take off 2% to cover the bank fees but did not make it clear about the VAT so to confirm the removal of the VAT I have sent another email.
Is the difference between the Kompact and the Komfort just the gearing?

Ok, I found out the real difference between the Kompakt and the Kompakt Komfort. http://hobbybrauer.de/modules.php?name=eBoard&file=viewthread&tid=22774 I was wondering why when the difference in price was 23 Euros the only difference described was in the name.

Essentially the Komfort had proper bearings added to assist in reducing the roll resistance of the mill rollers (especially for the passive roller). Apparently with less roll resistance it reduces potential tearing of the husks when milling.

The Kompakt model has slide bearings (excuse the terminology, but this is from Google translate as my German gets hazy when it comes to technical words. Essentially metal on metal, like the mash master mills I believe)

3rd EDIT - this passage is direct from the above linked German Forum from the manufacturer. I'd translate it fully, but I'm on holidays. Essentially he says the ball bearing bearings (Komfort) allow a nearly frictionless Motion which allows a lighter and easier movement (starting of) of the passive roller. He says both the slide bearings and ball bearings are extremely robustly built and reliable. The ball bearing model (Komfort) is noise free (I can confirm this). He says from functionality they are the same and that People in the trade (Boiler makers etc) would enjoy the ball bearing model (Komfort) model over the slide bearing model (Kompakt) as technically they might screw their nose up at the slide bearings. He comments that both bearing Systems are over dimensioned (over engineered) the difference in the bearings shouldn't make a difference in the wear on them (or the mill rollers) and if the slide bearings did wear out they are easily replaced, IF they ever did wear out. He ends with the comment that he has made a couple of thousand of the slide bearing models (Kompakt) and that not one has worn out (no one has sent one back or ordered new bearings I think he means)

"Sinn der Wälzlager ist ein fast reibungsfreier Lauf, weniger um Leistung zu sparen, mehr um ein leichtes Anlaufen der passiven Walze zu gewährleisten. Die Reibung bei beiden Systemen ist zu vernachlässigen gegenüber dem Energiebedarf zum Schroten.
Zudem gelingt es die Walzen mit der Konstruktion fast vollkommen spielfrei zu lagern, auch axial.
Die Walzen laufen geräuschfrei.
Von der Funktion ist es fast identisch, nur halt hochwertiger. Maschinenbauer werden ihre Freude daran haben, die, die über die eher rustikalen Gleitlager die Nase rümpfen. Es gibt immer solche und solche. Die haben nun die Wahl.
Beide Lagersysteme sind extrem überdimensioniert, Verschleiß sollte keine Rolle spielen. Und selbst wenn: man kann sie austauschen, falls es mal nötig sein sollte. Von den Gleitlagern wurden inzwischen ein paar Tausende verbaut und noch keins war wirklich verschlissen."

4th EDIT - Go here for the English Version of the Manual/instructions for the Kompakt models (same instructions I got with the Komfort model) to see how the gap adjustment can be made (you'll also see how the allen set screws are on the other side of the mill).

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I think the 'slide bearings' is referring to sealed bearings.

The retailer has verified 19% VAT is taken off, so to order the Komfort the price comes in at approximately $333 delivered a saving of $111 from the Australian supplier.

 

[n87]

Slide bearings would more likely be bushes.

 

[Jack of all biers]

Yes, BUSHES! I knew as soon as I would see the correct term it would come to me. Now if only I could edit my post above so it made more sense. Oh well, people will have to read the whole thread to understand what I mean.

Sealed bearings would be the ball bearing type or? These are only in the Komfort model.

 

[n87]

Sealed bearings are a type of bearing, be it ball, roller etc. That are sealed.
Generally ball bearings are sealed and roller aren't...

 

[Jack of all biers]

Okay. As promised, my first use of the Mattmill Kompakt Komfort model was today and here is the post to report on it's effectiveness etc, etc...

Firstly, I installed the hand crank, which was simple enough. I initially thought the metal-work-milling of the hole for the funnel was a little rough, but when I tested a soft drink bottle as the hopper (as suggested by Mattmill), it had to be screwed in, not pushed in. This is a fantastic thing as it can't just tip over and fall out as it screws in and out. The seal is perfect and little, to no dust escapes also. The opening has been made this way on purpose in an engineering for use kind of way (it's the little things that make things extraordinary isn't it). Now I have to make up a better set up for the funnel/hopper to accommodate large amounts of grain, but given this was the first time using the mill, I can say it was a stunning success.

I did not adjust anything that was set on the mill (roller gap etc) and just clamped it to a desk.


Then screwed in a cut up a 2L soft drink bottle to act as hopper


"hopper" filled with Vienna (Weyermann)


And the crank handle was turned. It was an easy thing to do and no sweat was broken. Because I had not sorted out a decent sized hopper, I was turning the mill at the same time as filling the hopper, but 10 Kg was done in 15 mins, even with my farting about.


10Kg of Vienna as milled


And whilst this is my first mill, I don't think the grist can be complained about as there was a good balance of flour and larger pieces of grain and the husks seems to be mostly intact. This was all done at the original mill gap factory setting.


As for the results.

I obtained an 84% efficiency from this grist, so it must have done an okay job. I will see if I adjust the mill gap in the future.

Overall, my rating is somewhat subjective, as I have only ever had HB store crushed grain, but this mill seems to at least equal their crush, and I haven't played with it yet. The dust was kept to a minimum as it is all enclosed, so sends everything down into the bucket. It was smooth to turn the mills by hand and quiet (bearings I mean). Time will tell, but so far so good. If I was to give a rating it would be 5 stars (but remember it is a subjective rating).

 

[Jack of all biers]

A minor update, as I milled Rye for the first time with this mill and tried (unsuccessfully) to use it with a drill (18 volt battery powered drill that just didn't have the torque required). So hand crank used again.

The update is because of milling the Rye, I adjusted the mill roller gap for the first time. It was so easy and straight forward. Loosen the allen key screws on the end, roll the passive roller forward or backward using the outer adjusters and adjust to ensure the roller gap was even with a feeler gauge before re-tightening the allen screws. I adjusted out to 1.5 mm for the first pass of the rye and back to 1.1mm for the second. Whilst the Rye was difficult to mill, which I understand is normal for Rye, the mill turned it into fine grist. I also left it at 1.1mm (factory setting 1.2mm) for the malted barley and the mash efficiency was 94% and no issues with sparging at all (20% Rye with some rice hulls to assist). Whilst the mill can't necessarily be thanked for all of that efficiency improvement, it sure didn't hurt to decrease that gap and it was so easy.

 

[Mardoo]

Thanks for keeping up with these updates mate!

 

[Jack of all biers]

. Now that's a German grain mill. Most won't understand a word, but for those that understand German, this Master Brewer from Berlin's Braeuhaus in Spandau explains everything very nicely. For those that don't, it is a nice set up. A two roller mill and he's milling for a Bock with Pils, Vienna, Munich, Abbey malt, Caraaroma and one of the Carafa's (some mentioned in this video and the rest mentioned in Vid 3).

Youtube video parts & are also worth a look for the rest of the brewery setup (open rectangular fermentation vats in the middle of the pub! Awesome. Video 3 at 10min15sec).

EDIT stop watching this video at about 9 minutes unless you want to watch the owner harp on about the accommodation/restaurant etc.

 

[Mardoo]

Any chance you can fix those URL's? I'd like watch at least the first one. Or is it OE???

 

[Jack of all biers]

All 3 work for me??? :huh:

 

[Mardoo]

Odd…I can't even copy them from the text version of your post. Ca c'est la.

 

[Jack of all biers]

Vid 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uezh7ElpHI
Vid 2 (Grain mill vid) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpKoK3HWbbc&feature=youtu.be
Vid 3 (Fermentation Vats) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_BNRD_KrYs

If those links don't work then search in Youtube under "Sehenswert Braeuhaus in Spandau" and those videos will be the top 3.

EDIT - why is it that the first two come up embedded and the last one (same copy and paste actions taken) comes up as a link?

 

[TwoCrows]

sehr informativ! danke

 

[Mardoo]

Thanks!

 

[Jack of all biers]

sehr informativ! danke

Bitte sehr!

Thanks!

No worries.

 

[Jack of all biers]

Okay, so I finally got around to making a hopper for the Mattmill (finishing really, as it has been a side project for sometime now). It's made from all scrap recycled wood, the box that held a solar battery my parents bought). So here it is. The first stage was the platform the mill is attached to. This has been done for sometime now, with the idea that I can use it with the handcrank, but later if I get old and lazy I can add a drill or mill motor by just turning it around to face the other way. It has been shaped on the bottom to fit over a large bucket I have that holds over 10kg of crushed grain. Being a snug fit on the bucket, there is no dust that escapes.


I wanted to add a hopper as the 2 L soft drink bottle is good and all, but a pain to keep filling it up when about 10kg is the regular grain bill. So here it is.

The frame is designed to slot snugly onto the platform below it and not move. The same with the hopper, which is attached to the horizontal frame, which slots out. As the whole thing is solid wood (the hopper is 12mm ply) I made it so it would come apart in segments for ease of moving and storing it. It won't wobble or fall apart when it is being used though (well I have to test run it yet).

The hopper has a volume of 34 L and adding the piping and soft drink bottle would increase this by 2L or so. That should hold 10kg grain easy enough. If not, it is still a damn sight better than the soft drink bottle alone that I've been living with the last 10 months.

Top and bottom of the frame have indented joints that are the 1cm L shape that can be seen here. It is these that hold the upper 'hopper frame' and the lower platform from moving about but allow me to lift them out when done.

The PVC piping is 1x rectangular downpipe to 90mm pipe adator, 2 x 45 degree Male-female bends and some 90mm pipe in between. It is here that I made my mistake and cut that piece too short. Another 50 mm will bring it into line with the soft drink bottle below. It fits at the moment, but as you can see, it pulls the bottle out of shape. I will remedy this when I get some more pipe.

All and all the cost was my time and about $6 for the PVC stormwater fittings. The rest was scrap wood, some metal strapping I already had bent into shape and 'No nails' & screws that I already had.

I plan to build a stand for it so that the bucket sits at the right height for turning the crank handle. This too will be made from some of the battery box (there was a lot of good timber in that box)

 

[Matthias HOSSFELD]

Hi there downunder!
This is Matthias, (the "Matt" from "MattMill"). I am new in this forum.
I am the inventor, developer and manufacturer of the MattMill's products and I am "delighted" to see my babies here again.