What Do You Do On A Rainy Day?

[Andyd]

G'day all,

I've had my Mashmaster mill sitting in it's box since I bought it (just before we started organising the conference - I'm only just getting back to some serious brewing).

Anyway, the rain today gave me the perfect opportunity to avoid weeding the garden and get into building my mill, so here are the construction pics...

I started out with a 12" pulley on the grain mill and a 1.5" on the motor (salvaged from a cheap bench drill which was perfect since I could also salvage the safety switch and power indicator...). A 46" A profile belt finished the motorised bits.

First step was to build a frame for the mill. I wanted to be able to slot the mill in and out to adjust and maintain it.



I fixed the mill in place using a couple of 45x90 timber rails. The motor is held in place using a timber colar made to jam into the housing once the frame's built.

So the frame was next. I wanted the pulley's to be hidden at the back of the box where nobody could get to it while it was running.



Then to fit the power indicator and safety switch...



And the hopper (not big enough to fit a whole batch in one go, but I wanted the mill to be inconspicuous and useful as a small bench when not in use).



From the back you can see how I've hidden the pulley away...



Now a lid for the hopper - I've just nailed in some stops that fit snuggly against the walls rather than using hinges.



And the finished product. Very happy with this one. Nice and compact (600mmx400mm fo0tprint) to it sits against the wall well out of the way.



Now to finish moving the brewery kit into its new home so I can actually put my first AG in about 2 years down...

Andy

 

[Swinging Beef]

Truely a vision of lovliness.
Well done.
I seeth inwardly with jealousy and the inability to spell properly.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Very nice work. I dont see a gear guard, maybe that isnt an issue on a motorised version?

 

[Andyd]

I'm on the bulk-buy for the gear guards, so as soon as it arrives it will be going in.

Having said that there is a slotted cover that doesn't show up in the pics that sits on top of the mill. That seems to be channeling the grain nicely into the centre of the mill without grain bouncing into the gears.

Andy

 

[Leigh]

This has inspired me. Now I'm upset I didn't go in the pulley bulk buy...

 

[Andyd]

Leigh,

I got my pulley from AA Bearing and Oil Service, 8 Rooks Rd in Nunawading... the 12" cost something in the order of $40, the 1.5" was about $7 and the belt was about $8.

Not much more than the bulk buy...

 

[Stubbie]

Impressive lateral thinking there, Andy.
It's like the monocoupe of millstands.

 

[Leigh]

Cheers Andy. Might have to get cracking and get myself a mill!

 

[Effect]

That is absolutely wicked...

Hmm...I do have a friend that is a cabinet maker...

 

[Andyd]

Good call Phillip.

I have to say that the Triton gear was one of my best investments ever... I'd be looking for a cabinet maker too otherwise.

Andy

 

[absinthe]

the only problem i see is trying to change the roller spacing, if its going to have the pulleys against a wall?

 

[Screwtop]

Very nice indeed Andy! Neat work :super:

Cheers,

Screwy

 

[Andyd]

I'm figuring that once I have my spacing set (which I pretty much do now after some test crushes), I shouldn't need to touch it often. But if I do need to I just swing the cabinet around, let off the tension and pull the mill out.

It's a little more effort than an exposed mill, but the compact design vs minor (and infrequent) inconvenience trade-off works for me

Andy

 

[Kleiny]

Great looking setup andy.

If i was going to motorise that is what i would do.

Looks good from a safety front to especially if you have kids around.

Now get cracking and make some beer.

Kleiny

 

[Supra-Jim]

Tis a very nice neat solution there Andy!!

Looks good from a safety front to especially if you have kids around.

Only thing i would add to really make it extra safe (esp with kids) is a spring loaded switch that prevents it from running without the lid on.

Other than that, well done! Pity there haven't been more rainy days of late, you might have had time to knock up a full micro there!!!

Cheers SJ

 

[raven19]

that is sh!t hot and sexy as.

Great unit, and a handy stand for when not brewing.

 

[Andyd]

Only thing i would add to really make it extra safe (esp with kids) is a spring loaded switch that prevents it from running without the lid on.

Other than that, well done! Pity there haven't been more rainy days of late, you might have had time to knock up a full micro there!!!

Cheers SJ

Neat idea!

Fortunately I had another one up my sleeve... the swicth I salvaged from the drill press has a safety key, so you can't switch the mill on unless you have that key (it slots into the switch...)

For those not using a salvaged drill, I'd definitely be inclined to incorporate the spring switch.

Andy