Malt Mill - best current option.

[Ralph]

Looking back through there have been a number of discussions on buying malt mills. 

 

General consensus of the threads seems to be that all of the purpose built mills work well, and it is down to finding a good deal at the time. Anyone know what the current best deal on a grain crusher/malt mill might be? Anyone happen to have one for sale??

 

Otherwise it may be good to get a couple of other people who are keen on a mill and share shipping. I am down in Chch.

[DP]

I've only just bought a MonsterMill in the last week or two. I've not used any other types of mill and so can't say whether it's better or not but I'm happy with it. Seems sturdy, well-engineered and gave me a good crush. I was originally looking at getting it in from the US but discovered http://www.inibrewsupply.com/ which is run by a guy called Jim in Nelson somewhere. The price was great but the delivery was slow and communication pretty poor. Still, worth checking out.

[Ralph]

Right. Yeh those prices look pretty comparable to importing.

 

Upper Moutere... mmmm hop growing lands!! I had a fantastic evening in the upper Moutere Hotel over easter. Many craft brews on tap there! Is also where Townshend brewing are based.

 

Thanks for the link! 

[Dan Filihiahekava]

I scored a Mash Tun from Jim and im stoked as with the communication and delivery

[martin w]

if your handy you could consider building your own, i did,here's the thread

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/my-new-grain-mill

cost about the same as importing one but is shitloads bigger and motorized

 

7.5kgs grain - 29 seconds;)

[Ralph]

Nice mill!!

 

Yes I have considered it, and figure I could make most of it. Was thinking of using 100mm diameter pipe, welding on end caps, chucking in a lathe to make a hole in the centre of the end caps. Then weld an axle in... Would just do one driven roller, and was thinking of hooking it up so I could either power it with my drill, or so I could power it by pedaling my bike!

 

I have a mate with welder and lathe that I could have bought time on for beers... but his shed has just been knocked down due to earthquake damage and is due to be rebuilt and so I am not sure how long before I would be able to get up and running with my plan... hence asking questions on here

[Nick T]

If building it is roughly the same price as buying one, consider buying one and spending the extra time brewing instead! If you get a monster mill (I did) recommend you go for the bigger of the two shaft diameters available (half inch I think) if there is any chance you might motorize it. Attaching the large gearing wheel to the smaller shaft size is a bit dodgy, both practically and also in terms of the torque you will be applying to the shaft. I have the smaller one, it was a bit of a p.i.t.a. 

 

At the end of the day, whether it is 30 seconds or three minute milling your grain, its still damn quick, and effortless.  

[martin w]

the endcaps and axle are  what i would have done if i knew anyone with a welder, i would gear both wheels so as not to rely on friction,you could always knurl but smooth rollers apparrently are easier on the husk

 

it may have cost me the same to make as a bought one but i have a superior product for the same price, and if you know the engineer there's no reason it couldn't be cheaper,also,i used bearings,i could have used bushings and it would be cheaper still.

 

as for spending the time brewing instead,how often do you brew? i have plenty of time between brewdays to fill with projects;)

 

it just comes down to what you enjoy doing,i quite enjoy making stuff,some people don't if thats the case then its definately easier to buy one.