Millmaster Motorisation Question

[gjhansford]

I'm planning to motorise my MillMaster and been reading various posts including the BB on 12" mill pulleys. Tracked down a mill pulley and a 920RPM motor ... but unsure about the motor pulley ... the best size to use.

From the pulley BB thread I copied these two photos that illustrate my question ...

Pocket Beers (left) ... has a very small pulley on his motor ... while Back Yard Brewer (right) has a 3" pulley ...



My question is this ... I'd like to have the smallest pulley I can on my motor to reduce the mill RPM ... thinking of a 1.5" one which will bring 920RPM down to 115RPM but have been warned the length of belt contact may be too small and cause problems especially with starting up ... slipping etc.

Any comments from a brewer who's been down this road and can tell me the best (smallest) size motor pulley that works?

ghhb :icon_cheers:

 

[Doogiechap]

Sorry bloke no direct experience but I can suggest that if you took the plunge with the smaller pulley but had slippage issues you could add an idler pulley like the piccy below to increase the wrap.
Cheers
Doug

 

[mika]

1.5" not a problem, it's what I run.