I have always been interesting in building a grain mill. I had read a book that someone used an old bicycle and rigged something up but this design is nice and compact. I think the design below would be a good mill for someone with carpenter skills and tools. Materials List (1) 24″ length of 4″ ID PVC (do not purchase sewer-rated pipe as the walls are too thin. Cut the PVC pipe into two equal lengths) (1) 4′ x 10″x1″ board 3/8″ plywood, about 2′ x 4′ in length (Use for the hopper) (4) oil impregnated brass bushings 3/8″ ID Either 4 x 3″ x 3/8″ bolts; or 2 x 10″ x 3/8″ bolts Assorted 3/8″ washers or spacers (8) 3/8″ nuts or (4) 3/8″ nylon locking nuts Drill with driver socket Sandpaper Circular/miter saw Hand saw or knife Wood or drywall screws (1-5/8″) 3/8″ tap handle fittings For directions- follow the link. Build Your Own Grain Mill - American Homebrewers Association
Understand that this DIY "mill" basically cracks the hull and grain enough to leach out the sugars to brew and ferment a fine beverage. It will NOT "mill" the grain into flour that can be used to bake bread if that was your desire. AT
FYI, A person can still order Grinding stones through many local Grange's The last time I went looking for mine, they had sizes ranging from 6" all the way up to custom Italian carved and grooved stones up to 72 in and larger! Horizontal stones will work better for a more even and controllable grind! I have the 16' stones in three different "Grits" as well as for pressing Cider, and grinding coffee. I like this idea, may need to investigate it further and see what I can do with it!
Two pieces of junk 4" OD drive shaft can provide permanent steel cracking rolls that will never bend, crack, chip, or die of UV exposure. Just go to a shop that repairs drive shafts and ask for a nice piece of scrap. One little dent can fail a 5' length of otherwise perfectly good drive shaft. It can't be repaired, only replaced. Then the junk steel goes to the to the junkyard for about a penny a pound. So five bucks would probably get you enough primo steel tube to make three or four cracking mills. Just cut the rolls to length with a hacksaw or band saw, drill a few holes around each end, set in a couple of heavy plywood disks and nail them flush. Then add the center shaft & bearings and you're good to go. One might even negotiate the construction of one mill for the rolls needed to make a few more...if one didn't mention where the steel came from. Largish diameter steel tube is pretty expensive if you buy it new. Especially the high grade stuff. Drive shafts are made from very good steel.
Ditto on the drive shafts! I also ask for broken axle shafts at the heavy equipment and truck shops! Pretty cool and they use standard seals as well as bearings and races. This is what I used for my Steam Engine drive train, my water wheel, and several other projects!
