Barley crusher grain floating problem

[Dan]

Ive mentioned this problem before just over a year ago, does anyone else using the barley crusher have the annoyance of grain stopping milling whilst spinning, ive put up with it until now as its getting ridiculously annoying and im thinking of getting the rolling pin out to crush the grain or batter the barley crusher with.
It was bearable before, it only happened 5 or 6 times while milling the usual amount, lately its like 30 or more and its set at factory settings.
My usual way of getting the grain rolling again is to push the grain through the roller with a flat blade screwdriver or running the the screwdriver between the rollers which gets it going again, but now im lucky to get 100 grams through before it stops milling again.
I suspect I may have blunted the knurls after using the screwdriver so many times which has made it worse, but it shouldnt have been like that anyway.
Im thinking a 3 roller crankhandstein would be better or is there a solution?
Barry and boys how are yours going after the last 2 years?

[Stu McKinlay]

One word for you: Schmidling.

[denimglen]

Have you emailed the guy at 'Barley Crusher'? It's worth a shot.

I got mine as a xmas 07 present from my parents and they said the guy was really good to deal with, gave good advice via email.

Are you hand cranking or using a motor of some sort?

I've noticed this happens every now and then when I hook up the drill but is fine when I hand crank. Maybe replace the O-Ring that deteriotes after a few uses, that might help rotate the idle roller.

[Horace]

Happens to mine aswel. I have a 3 roller. Is motorised. Have found that the last lot of malt - Bairds Pale had a lot of stones/ other material. That realy shut it down. I find that i can reverse the rollers by had 1/4 turn then am able to restart it.

And the mill has been through atleast 600 kgs of malt. I'm wondering how long those bushes will last. Tried to used it on some unmalted wheat at one stage. It didn't thank me afterward.

[denimglen]

Ok, off topic, but...

"...Bairds Pale had a lot of stones/ other material..."

I got a snail shell in my latest bag.

[Stu McKinlay]

Bairds Pale had a lot of stones/ other material

I've had a few twigs but never more than that...

[Richee]

Hi Dan,

I've got a Barley Crusher and certainly aren't having the problems you're talking about. Occasionaly the grain will 'bridge' resulting in spinning and no milling. I drive mine via a drill and when this happens I just reverse the drill and give it a tap and set the drill back to the right direction and no worries. Drill milling rotation speed is just ticking over not fast.

Rich

[jt]

Handcranked about 200kg with my barley crusher and no probs.
Are you using a drill or all manual there Dan - it's not a speed thing is it ?

[Dan]

Using a drill. it happens with hand to, its done alot of work now.
Like horace says I also had something in my wheat malt that sounded like gravel, last week which didnt sound good, I get this from time to time.
On further inspection I see that the knurls are quite blunt and shiny, not sharp like when it was new, from foreign objects in the grain and likely my use of a screwdriver to push grain through to get it rolling again, using the drill backwards just brought alot of uncrushed grain in and didnt guarantee to start crushing hence my use of the screwdriver.
Might just put another rubber o ring on it (A big one) and see if that helps, and find an alternative to the screwdriver.
That shmidling looks nice (and probably expensive), one day!

[Horace]

If the knurl has worn then you gap will be larger than when you first got it. Have you tried reducing the gap at all?

[Dan]

Nice one Horace, I didnt think of that, will give it a go.