Problem with grain mill

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Phoney

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Good evening gentlemen,

I seem to have a recurring problem with my grain mill where the free spinning roller - the one not attached to my drill - won't start spinning on its own accord when I begin pouring grain into the hopper. I can give it a bit of a kick start with a wooden chopstick and that gets it going, but the ongoing issue is giving me the shits. I shouldn't have to do that!

I've tried re-adjusting the rollers, taken all of the screws out and put them back in, Ive tried setting the gap to 1mm and to .5mm but it's still playing up.It's a no-name brand mill that I bought new from a HBS via AHB a few years ago. Though it's only started doing this fairly recently.


Any other suggestions?

Cheers
 
Thanks!

So I fully took it apart, the two wing nuts that you use to tighten the gap roller in place was really difficult to get out. ie: I had to use vice grips. Then I put lube into the bearings, and when I put it back together the wing nuts now only go in up to a certain point and then just free spin without going in any further. So there's now no way to lock down the gap roller. I think the thread has burred and now I've stuffed my mill. :(

2234648392_ffffuuuu_xlarge.jpeg
 
I had the same problem with my 3-roller Crankandstein.

Wrote to them and they told me what to do. The slave roller must be able to move a tiny amount laterally.

I pulled mine apart and found that there was flour between the roller ends and the frame of the mill which was preventing this lateral movement.

So I cleaned it all out, put some oil on the bearings, put it back together and it works like new.
 
Which part is stripped phoney? Any chance you could access the threaded section to get a helicoil in?
 
Its these two winged bolts that wont go in any further.

image.jpg

Helicoil may be able to rescue the situation yes. Is there anywhere I could send this off to for professional repair?
 
Any machine shop would repair it but it will Probably cost you more than a new mill. Unless you can DIY or have a mate that possibly could re-tap the thread for you (no need to helicoil) just run a bigger size tap through as its just aluminium, than a new bolt goes in in place of the existing eye bolts. If you get lucky you might even just be able to re tap the existing thread to clean it up.

It's probably cheaper and quicker to get a new mill though if you can't do that. A few on here have this one inc. myself and works well.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-New-Barley-Crusher-Malt-All-Grain-Mill-for-Home-Brewing-Monster-Mash-/121485298545?pt=AU_Barware&hash=item1c49168b71
 
Phoney said:
Its these two winged bolts that wont go in any further.

attachicon.gif
image.jpg

Helicoil may be able to rescue the situation yes. Is there anywhere I could send this off to for professional repair?
Did you need to take those all the way out ?
Just asking in case someone else decides to do it.
Nev
 
Thanks bundy, new mill = ordered. I'll put this one aside next to my other broken things that I'll get around to fixing one day, eventually . :p


Online Brewing Supplies said:
Did you need to take those all the way out ?
Just asking in case someone else decides to do it.
Nev

Ummm, I thought I had to. In hindsight perhaps not. :)
 
bundy said:
Any machine shop would repair it but it will Probably cost you more than a new mill. Unless you can DIY or have a mate that possibly could re-tap the thread for you (no need to helicoil) just run a bigger size tap through as its just aluminium, than a new bolt goes in in place of the existing eye bolts. If you get lucky you might even just be able to re tap the existing thread to clean it up.

It's probably cheaper and quicker to get a new mill though if you can't do that. A few on here have this one inc. myself and works well.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-New-Barley-Crusher-Malt-All-Grain-Mill-for-Home-Brewing-Monster-Mash-/121485298545?pt=AU_Barware&hash=item1c49168b71

Looks like the Keg King one, I'd check cause the bearings in some them are starting to die. Truman mentioned about the fix somewhere on here.
 
+1 for re tapping the thread 1 size larger. Looks like aluminium so it will tap easly.

Buy a tap at Buninks. There not to expensive
 
Those threads look full of alloy so you've stripped the guts of the thread. If those screws are stainless they'll clean up fine. You could get a suitable helicoil repair kit from any decent bolt/bearing retailer for much less than the cost of a mill. Measure your thread pitch to ensure you get the right kit and you'll be able to use the old screws if they're not damaged. Most come with the right size drill bit and tap all you need is a drill and a level hand.
Add a bit of anti sieze on reassembly and don't over tighten.
 
Phoney said:
Its these two winged bolts that wont go in any further.
attachicon.gif
image.jpg
Helicoil may be able to rescue the situation yes. Is there anywhere I could send this off to for professional repair?
Perhaps try sliding some metal tube( copper pipe) onto the volts to take up the slack so you can still use the mill ?
 
Another look at the pic shows the lock nuts backed right up to the eyelets. Did you bottom out the threaded sections in their hole? Aluminum doesn't need much of an excuse to give up a thread and ruin your whole day. Don't know much about these mills but just something to be wary of to stop it happening again.
 
bundy said:
Any machine shop would repair it but it will Probably cost you more than a new mill. Unless you can DIY or have a mate that possibly could re-tap the thread for you (no need to helicoil) just run a bigger size tap through as its just aluminium, than a new bolt goes in in place of the existing eye bolts. If you get lucky you might even just be able to re tap the existing thread to clean it up.

It's probably cheaper and quicker to get a new mill though if you can't do that. A few on here have this one inc. myself and works well.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-New-Barley-Crusher-Malt-All-Grain-Mill-for-Home-Brewing-Monster-Mash-/121485298545?pt=AU_Barware&hash=item1c49168b71
Wow how many did he buy of those he has been pumping them out for ages including 1 to me ;)
 
I'm a tool tard of the first order and I can use a tap and even helicoils. Its not rocket science. I've even had to rethread seat bolt caption nuts in my 4wd with helicoils using a pistol drill and a ratchetting tapping tool (far from best practice). I had them tested and they're fine (stronger than OEM).

I would take the winged bolts into a bolt supplier and ask for the next size up and a bottoming tap (could maybe use an intermediate but I think you'll have no issue with a bottoming and you'll get thread the whole way) and a drill to suit.

Are you sure there isn't supposed to be like an end stop (round rod with a domed end the bearing end and a square end the screw end normally made of brass or some other soft metal) in the hole to retain the bearings that is held in place by the winged bolts?
Is your frame perfectly square?
 
Thanks again for your helpful advice chaps!

I've just discovered there's a fasterners supplies store literally 5 mins away from my house. Looks like they've got everything I need: Link. I'll take the thing around there one of these days, tell them what you've told me komodo and sort this out.

I'm still not 100% across how the bolts lock the roller in place, i'll take it apart again to take another looksee.
 

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