Brew rig and other pics

[bike2brew]

The only "manual" is that before I can take this bad boy rig from Swagman's Shop is I have to brew with the system in front of the Swagman and his posse.

Does Swagman keep the beer?

[DJ in KC]

The only "manual" is that before I can take this bad boy rig from Swagman's Shop is I have to brew with the system in front of the Swagman and his posse.

Does Swagman keep the beer?

The last time I was able to attend after an invite - all the beer was from the last brew session - something like that. Really great bunch of guys, wish I could find the time as I find more people that are brewing...........

He has enough beer

set me straight if you need to Martin.

[Swagman]

The only "manual" is that before I can take this bad boy rig from Swagman's Shop is I have to brew with the system in front of the Swagman and his posse.

Does Swagman keep the beer?

The last time I was able to attend after an invite - all the beer was from the last brew session - something like that. Really great bunch of guys, wish I could find the time as I find more people that are brewing...........

He has enough beer

set me straight if you need to Martin.

Never enough but if the Dons read the fine printin the contract offers they can't refuse says they have to bring me at least one beer a month when they pack me off to the Old Don Rest Home


Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman
aka Don Lefty

[krizwit]

That is a pretty sweet setup. How difficult will it be to clean? Do you just have to run PBW/oxyclean through all the pumping and then run hot water through?

[Jdl973]

On the grain mill I got the pulleys as West Lake Hardware. I had to get a 3/8 id and a 5/8 OD coupler, placed it inside a 5/8 OD 6 inch pulley, drilled and tapped the coupler in the pulley, inserted a longer locking bolt and presto. Granger sells 3/8 id pulleys, but anything over 2 inch had to be ordered and i think they only went up to 5 inches. That is the only downside to this gain mill, the shaft is too darn small.



off the top of my head, I think I used a 1 inch for the drive motor and a 6 inch for the grain mill. The belt was 41 inches but had to get that from an auto parts store.

the motor i used was off an old wood lathe
3/4 hp
115 V
172 RPM
8 Amp.

I have it on a rheostat switch and can control the speed after start up.

[Jdl973]

When the Swagman get stuffed in the Old Brewer's Home, I have to bring him at least one bottle of beer a week. That is the price of admission.

[Jdl973]

Not difficult to clean at all. Copper is anti microbial to begin with, nice plus. Just flush out all the lines with the leftover water form the hot liquor tang, clean out the mass and boil tanks, flush the CFC and you are done. Remember to open all the valves so water will drain out (and close all valves before brewing...see Swagman, i can be taught.. )

[Jensen]

So you list the motor a 172 rpm? 1720 maybe, or are you talking the final rotation speed of you mill? if a 1:6 ratio at 1720 I would expect a rpm of 286.

So what is the best speed? we are starting our project tomorrow. I am going to by pulleys and I think I can land a 345rpm. We have a motor speed controller that we should be able to bring it down from there if need be. A few sites I have read say around 300ish but I wounder if 200 or a little less might not give a better crush assuming the motor has the ponies to handle the grain-- or is a faster rotational speed, to a point, a better answer?

[Jdl973]

Opps...typo...yes it is 1720 RPM so my final is about 290 ish. this has worked just fine. I need to have the motor at "full speed" to get everything going, then can cut the juice by about 1/4, so pulling right around 200-250 rpm.

Jason

[Swagman]

I like to use capacitor start motor because of higher starting torque. To get the RPM's down I use pulleys. Most motors run at 1725 and to get the speed by a minimum factor of 10. You will need a mill pulley that is 10 times the diameter of pulley on the motor. I run a 14 inch on the mill with an RPM of around 175. I think RPM's up to 300 would work just fine.


Dominus Vobiscum

Swagman

[Jensen]

Thanks for the tips guys! Off to the hardware store now to get pullys and misc. parts.

[meisel]

That is the only downside to this gain mill, the shaft is too darn small.

Love my monster mill, comes with a 1/2" drive shaft option for motorization. I'm just a drill guy now but it's nice to have the option.

[Blktre]

My sheave is 12". I'm also using a 1720hp start cap motor. So my final rpm's is close to 280ish as well. Perfect speed. Perfect crush, Excellent Eff......