Powering a grain mill

[Ged]

Been thinking of this since Alelover posted up his mates beautiful motorised mill. Its also spurred me on to making some more brews as I've been very slack of late.

 

Does anyone have comments on this for powering a mill. Would plan on using a flexible link between the gearbox and the mill...

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Industrial/Engin...

 

Currently using my drill but that still rips crap out of the grain and if I go too slow it stalls and smells very bad :(

 

If the above link isn't suitable, where is best place to find sheaves in NZ for gearing down a faster motor. I've googled but haven't come up with anything other than marine pulleys etc.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Ged

[Fairlane]

Here's how I power mine. (see photo)

Got a second hand pulley (large) from here

http://www.pyramidmachinery.co.nz/index

for about $20.

Made the small pulley on a lathe out of aluminium. Couldn't be any easier...

[Ged]

Thanks for this...Went down a route of exploration and enquired re a new 1/3 hp gearmotor which would have enough torque to turn the earth. It was a straight bolt onto the shaft of the mill..$1014 + gst...Glad I was sitting down...Time for some DIY methinks...If anything I now understand a whole heap more around v belts, chains, sprockets and torque.

Thanks again.

[Fairlane]

Another thing you may want to consider is foreign object damage to your rollers. This was one of the reasons (apart from straight simplicity) I went for a v belt as opposed to a more positive drive like chain or gearbox.

[Chris Banks]

Hey Fairlane is your mill a diy one?

[Fairlane]

Yep. Got the design off the net and modified it a bit. Was lucky to get materials from work so I only had to buy steel for the rollers which was $20, and my friend is a chippy so he did the hopper from some plywood that was going to be thrown out...

[Ged]

Fairlane. I plan on copying yours. Plagarism is the best form of flattery :) Very clean looking. How did you connect the mill shaft to the large pulley as it looks like you've made / bought a connector in the photos.

[Fairlane]

Hey no worries, glad it inspired you...

no there is no connector, that is an extended part of the pully hub. I either made the shaft the same size as the pully hub or I drilled out the pully and remachined the keyway... it was so long ago I've forgotten.... Connection to shaft using keysteel.

[jt]

So is the chain going back on the bike this arvo Chris ?

[Chris Banks]

Nah but I suppose I could hook the bike to the mill now theres a thought keep the greenys happy,mill the malt and get a workout!!

[Ged]

Thought I should give you chaps an update. Thanks to a good friend Gavin who is a serious whizz at all things electrical and mechanical he came up trumps with a 24v dc gearmotor - traditionally used to power electric wheelchairs. 120RPM under load and heaps of torque. He also supplied 5 DC power packs which he'll wire in series I believe to give me the 24v DC The connector was the only thing that we bought at $70 but easily takes the 25mm driveshaft and 9mm millshaft once milled out...Still need to wire it and stand back and keep everthing crossed, keep the cat away from the power supply etc... but so far so good with the build. Should have it up and running all going well by the weekend ish

[Chris Banks]

I like it diy at its best!
No belts or chains + small and tidy and plenty of grunt!
The stack of power supplys looks pretty serious!
I do not think you would want to go out and have to pay for all that gear!

[James P]

That's looking pretty good, and a great use for the motor!!!