Problem with my mill

Anyone use the Barley Crusher Grain Mill?  I've been having trouble getting the non-attached to the drill roller to grab and subsequently grind my grain.  So, the result is that the roller attached the drill just spins and spins but the grain in the hopper just sits there, not getting grabbed and pulled through the mill with both rollers. 

I contacted the company and they were helpful.  I did the standard pull it apart and clean it, put some vegetable oil in the holes where the knobs fit into the actual rollers and I'm wondering if that's my problem.  the maintenance instructions say the oil should go on the bushings.  Where the hell are the bushings on that thing?  They also told me to use a wire or steal wool on the rollers and that did seem to get the gunk that had built up on the rollers, (that I honestly had never noticed until I did that) off.   

These things seem to fix the mill but only for a couple of brews, now I'm back to fighting the mill.  I'm wondering if its just old and the teeth on the rollers have been worn down too much to keep expecting it to work  as prescribed.  Still, I don't want to give up on it until I know I've done everything I can to get it to work. 

thanks for the help

WR

If the rollers are slicker than they were originally, then would tightening the gap a tad help? 

I still hand-crank mine, and used to have this problem, so I tightened the gap slightly.  But then I started conditioning the grains the night before brewing, and that has worked wonders on two counts:  no more slipping, and much better crush.  I just lay out the grains and spritz with water, pile them up, lay out, spritz again. 

It's an extra step, but grain crushing was vastly improved. 

Strange problem.

I have a Barley Crusher and have used it now for maybe two dozen batches with no problem at all.

Well, I shouldn't say no problem - on one occasion I wondered why the grain was going  right from hopper to bucket with no crushing whatsoever - after puzzling over this,  I finally found I had the drill set on reverse!  I  felt more than a little foolish, luckily I was on my own!  No,    I had nothing to drink  while brewing,  and that made me feel all the more of a fool,  because if I had already downed a couple of pints of homebrew, then  at least I would have had an excuse

You don't mention, but since you have had the mill apart, presume you  have the gap set correctly  and is stable at that spacing? 

If I recall, they suggest a setting of  0.039"      That is what I have mine set at.

Brian.

thanks for the responses!!  to answer the questions, yes I've messed with the gap and when the mill is at its worst the only thing that moves the grains through the mill is actually widening the gap?!  Of course this hurts the crush tremendously and obviously my efficiency. 

the only thing that I can think of is that anything with moving parts is eventually going to wear out, so I see no reason why my mill would be any different.  However, there is a lifetime warranty on that thing right?  That's why I keep wondering if there is something I can or should be doing with it that I'm not to get it back into shape?

Also, I have wondered if using the drill was the problem?  Maybe its moving too fast to get a hold of the grains and pull through?  If, maybe, the teeth on the rollers have worn down over time (I've used the mill for probably a few hundred or so batches over the past, I think 6 years) than maybe slowing down a little is what I need to to ensure the worn teeth have the best opportunity to grab the grain and pull it through?   

Wingeezer said:

Well, I shouldn't say no problem - on one occasion I wondered why the grain was going  right from hopper to bucket with no crushing whatsoever - after puzzling over this,  I finally found I had the drill set on reverse!  I  felt more than a little foolish, luckily I was on my own!  No,    I had nothing to drink  while brewing,  and that made me feel all the more of a fool,  because if I had already downed a couple of pints of homebrew, then  at least I would have had an excuse

Click to expand...

Yeah, I did that same thing a couple days ago. 

Then I didn't affix the temp probe from the temp controller to the carboy so wort inched up to 70. 

I need to drink more when I brew.

I have had a barley crusher for about 3 years.  never lubricated it, never adjusted it and always use a hand drill to driver it.  Both rollers roll  forward or reverse.

Could be an issue with the drill speed maybe.  How fast do you run it?

I read someplace that you should run it no faster than you would hand crank the mill and that is what I do.  I put teh drill in its low speed range and even then, control the speed to a pretty slow turning speed.  I've always done it that way.

Brian.

jomebrew said:

Wingeezer said:

Well, I shouldn't say no problem - on one occasion I wondered why the grain was going  right from hopper to bucket with no crushing whatsoever - after puzzling over this,  I finally found I had the drill set on reverse!  I  felt more than a little foolish, luckily I was on my own!  No,    I had nothing to drink  while brewing,  and that made me feel all the more of a fool,  because if I had already downed a couple of pints of homebrew, then  at least I would have had an excuse

Click to expand...

Yeah, I did that same thing a couple days ago. 

Then I didn't affix the temp probe from the temp controller to the carboy so wort inched up to 70. 

I need to drink more when I brew.

I have had a barley crusher for about 3 years.  never lubricated it, never adjusted it and always use a hand drill to driver it.  Both rollers roll  forward or reverse.

Click to expand...

Good to know I'm not the only one that pulls these stunts!  Course, in my case I can always use the excuse of it being
due to a    "Senior moment!"

Brian.
 

Wingeezer said:

Could be an issue with the drill speed maybe.  How fast do you run it?

I read someplace that you should run it no faster than you would hand crank the mill and that is what I do.  I put teh drill in its low speed range and even then, control the speed to a pretty slow turning speed.  I've always done it that way.

Brian.

Click to expand...

Ahhh, maybe we're on to something, maybe I'm running the drill too fast, I'll give a slower speed a try the next time and see what that does?  thanks for the suggestions

I have had the same issue.
When you first start off try turning on the drill and adding about a handful of grain, it seems if I add too much at first it just sits on top of the rollers. If it starts milling the handfull then add some more and if it continues milling you can pour the entire amount in the hopper.
Sometimes it just needs to get both rollers going before I add too much grain.

I hope that helps.

This is a simple fix. I have had this problem with my Monster Mill, too. Unplug the power, reach up and make sure the free (non drive roller) spins freely. Rotate it with your finger tips so that it pushes the grain that is lodged in it back up to the hopper. Plug your drill in and mill away! Mill your grain just above the stall out speed of the drill.