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Author Topic: Cleaning Grain Mill  (Read 2611 times)

Offline flbrewer

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Cleaning Grain Mill
« on: February 15, 2015, 03:00:36 pm »
How are you cleaning your mill and/or hopper?

How often do you do so?


Offline jeffy

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2015, 03:16:15 pm »
How are you cleaning your mill and/or hopper?

How often do you do so?
No.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline denny

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2015, 03:26:40 pm »
How are you cleaning your mill and/or hopper?

How often do you do so?
No.

No again
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Offline JT

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2015, 04:32:37 pm »
It is not really necessary but I do it just to keep my area clean.  I have an air compressor and just use that to blow off the excess dust outside.  Don't get crazy with it, don't jam the nozzle in the bushings or or anything like that.  Just a light sweep with the nozzle removes the dust plenty easy.  If I didn't have a compressor I'd use a dry paintbrush or just find a container to store the mill in. 

Offline flbrewer

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2015, 05:00:01 pm »
Why the container out of curiosity?

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2015, 05:30:06 pm »
I just get the dust off the base and frame for the rollers using my fingers, then it goes on the shelf.
Jeff Rankert
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Offline AmandaK

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2015, 05:48:08 pm »
I thought about cleaning it, does that count?
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2015, 05:52:17 pm »
I thought about cleaning it, does that count?

I think it does!

If anyone has brewed in a commercial brewery, what do they do? My experience in ones with dry mills like we have is - not much. Clean out the auger and area of dust, that is about it.
Jeff Rankert
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BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline flbrewer

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2015, 06:14:59 pm »
I thought about cleaning it, does that count?

I think it does!

If anyone has brewed in a commercial brewery, what do they do? My experience in ones with dry mills like we have is - not much. Clean out the auger and area of dust, that is about it.

What's the point of cleaning out the dust? Would this eventually seize up a bearing?

Offline JT

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2015, 06:17:06 pm »
Why the container out of curiosity?
Just to keep the dust from falling down on the shelf where I store it.  I don't use one now, because I blow the dust out. 

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2015, 06:23:02 pm »
I thought about cleaning it, does that count?

I think it does!

If anyone has brewed in a commercial brewery, what do they do? My experience in ones with dry mills like we have is - not much. Clean out the auger and area of dust, that is about it.

What's the point of cleaning out the dust? Would this eventually seize up a bearing?

In the ones I have guest brewed at it is to keep the mess down, less food for vermin, the auger is drained and used in the next batch if close enough, or discarded if the color/malt is too far off. Dust on the floor is discarded in the trash. Just saying that once milling is done, and auger in the basement may have about a half bag of malt in it that will not feed up once there is not more malt to push it up. That is money.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline coolman26

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2015, 08:26:24 pm »
I have had my MM-3 mill get clogged up and the free roller not want to turn.  I've had to take it apart and clean it out around the bushing.  It had a lot of dust build up between the end plate and the roller.  It had probably ran 10-15 sacks through it. I would think blowing it out with an air compressor now and then wouldn't be a bad idea.  Maybe some food grade lubricant too.
Jeff B

Offline jimmykx250

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2015, 02:46:33 am »
It is not really necessary but I do it just to keep my area clean.  I have an air compressor and just use that to blow off the excess dust outside.  Don't get crazy with it, don't jam the nozzle in the bushings or or anything like that.  Just a light sweep with the nozzle removes the dust plenty easy.  If I didn't have a compressor I'd use a dry paintbrush or just find a container to store the mill in.

+ 1 I completely blow mine out and make sure its pretty lean as i keep mine in the garage and dont want to invite critters.
Jimmykx250

Offline jeffy

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2015, 05:30:17 am »
It is not really necessary but I do it just to keep my area clean.  I have an air compressor and just use that to blow off the excess dust outside.  Don't get crazy with it, don't jam the nozzle in the bushings or or anything like that.  Just a light sweep with the nozzle removes the dust plenty easy.  If I didn't have a compressor I'd use a dry paintbrush or just find a container to store the mill in.

+ 1 I completely blow mine out and make sure its pretty lean as i keep mine in the garage and dont want to invite critters.

Speaking of critters, I used to cover my hopper and mill with an inverted paper bag, but this just invited roaches to live in the nice darkness.  Now I keep it open.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline mabrungard

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Re: Cleaning Grain Mill
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2015, 08:45:37 am »
I knock the dust off the best I can and put it on the shelf in the garage. I can't think of a reason why it should be immaculate.
Martin B
Carmel, IN

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