[Slowbrew]

On my BC you can actually see the wear on the rollers.  What used to be sharp, pointed pyramids are all flattened and dull.  I had it rebuilt just 2 years before which was disappointing.

I gave up on the BC and replaced it with a 3 roller Monster Mill which I have only used once.  It gave me issues but I'm still figuring out how to adjust a 3 roller mill.  Someday the addition/kitchen remodel will be done and I'll be able to brew again.

For simplicity, if I replaced it again I'd stick with a 2 roller mill.

IMHO
YMMV

Paul

[mainebrewer]

On my BC you can actually see the wear on the rollers.  What used to be sharp, pointed pyramids are all flattened and dull.  I had it rebuilt just 2 years before which was disappointing.

Yeah, the knurling on my BC is clearly quite worn after getting it re-built a little over two years ago.

[brewsumore]

A few years ago I too gave up on my BC.  I really like my Monster Mill 3:2.  It makes fast work of even 30 lbs of malt, and gives reliable performance.

[Hooper]

My BC stopped feeding first try at my new Denver location. My solution that appears to work for 2 grinds now is...I open the rollers almost double what I normally crush. I run the grain through that no problem...then I put the rollers back to the original gap and run through again...I will probably have to upgrade some day...but this is working for me for now...

[smkranz]

I've owned my BC for a long time, almost since they came out.  Hundreds of 5 and 10 gallon batches of beer later, it just still works.  I have the gap set fairly wide, just barley enough to crack the kernels (I look for kernels that look whole with husks intact, but when you pick them up they break apart).  It is powered by an 18v DeWalt cordless drill.  I tend to avoid milling at the drill's highest speed.  I've honestly not even looked at the knurl on the rollers, but I do check the uniformity of each crush after about the first half pound, and it's always the same.

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

[el_capitan]

Are you by chance using a drill? My thoroughly unscientific opinion is that most problems with homebrew mills are caused by bushing wear through misalignment.

I don't use a drill. I run the mill with a direct drive motor connected with a spider.

My JSP is set up the same way.  High torque, low RPM.  Takes a bit longer to crush, but it does a great job.  I have the adjustable JSP and it's in excellent condition, 10+ years and about 175 batches later. 

[davidw]

Non-adjustable JSP Maltmill, 20+ years, 400+ batches, still going strong. I even try and remember to put a couple drops of 3:1 oil on the bushings every year (or two) ..

[Visor]

   I'm about ready to hunk my friggin JSP mill, it keeps throwing the rubber O-ring that drives the second roller, unless I crush at a wider gap than I want. Without the O-ring it requires almost twice the torque that it does with the ring in place. What's the point of an adjustable mill if you have to stop to dismantle and repair it 2 or 3 times every grind. What a PITA!

[denny]

   I'm about ready to hunk my friggin JSP mill, it keeps throwing the rubber O-ring that drives the second roller, unless I crush at a wider gap than I want. Without the O-ring it requires almost twice the torque that it does with the ring in place. What's the point of an adjustable mill if you have to stop to dismantle and repair it 2 or 3 times every grind. What a PITA!

My O ring went 15 years ago and it didn't affect a thing.  I keep the gap as narrow as it will go and have no trouble at all.

[Wilbur]

Just some thoughts on steels and mill rollers-it looks like the BC and JSP use 1018 steel, which is a low carbon steel. That makes it great for machining, but not so great for wear. I believe I saw something about case hardening for the JSP, which is most likely a carburization process. This would make a huge difference in wear life. Looking around, monster mills use 1144 steel, which can be quite a bit harder. I haven't used it (Still using my sweet Corona mill), but if you're spending ~$200 on a mill, you might as well go with a higher grade steel roller.

[ynotbrusum]

No O ring and my Jack Schmidling JSP is cranking along perfectly well after several years.  I have a low rpm high torque motor attached with a Buna Spider and it munches along without any problems.  My BC has been relegated to crushing my late addition dark malts, which it seems to handle with no problems, so I keep it in the brewhouse.

[denny]

Just some thoughts on steels and mill rollers-it looks like the BC and JSP use 1018 steel, which is a low carbon steel. That makes it great for machining, but not so great for wear. I believe I saw something about case hardening for the JSP, which is most likely a carburization process. This would make a huge difference in wear life. Looking around, monster mills use 1144 steel, which can be quite a bit harder. I haven't used it (Still using my sweet Corona mill), but if you're spending ~$200 on a mill, you might as well go with a higher grade steel roller.

But what if it doesn't really matter? I've run thousands of lb. of malt through my JSP in the last 20 years and it still preforms like new.  Harder steel wouldn't make any difference if it's perfect as is, right?

[BrewBama]

I think I removed the o-ring on my JSP long ago. Works great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Phil_M]

Just some thoughts on steels and mill rollers-it looks like the BC and JSP use 1018 steel, which is a low carbon steel. That makes it great for machining, but not so great for wear. I believe I saw something about case hardening for the JSP, which is most likely a carburization process. This would make a huge difference in wear life. Looking around, monster mills use 1144 steel, which can be quite a bit harder. I haven't used it (Still using my sweet Corona mill), but if you're spending ~$200 on a mill, you might as well go with a higher grade steel roller.

But what if it doesn't really matter? I've run thousands of lb. of malt through my JSP in the last 20 years and it still preforms like new.  Harder steel wouldn't make any difference if it's perfect as is, right?

If it's case hardened, and the depth of the hardening varies enough it could matter. If you wear through the hardening no amount of re-knurling will ever hold.

[Wilbur]

But what if it doesn't really matter? I've run thousands of lb. of malt through my JSP in the last 20 years and it still preforms like new.  Harder steel wouldn't make any difference if it's perfect as is, right?

To that point Denny, then why not save $130 and get a corona mill? Add some washers, or a 3D printed cover (Shameless brag) and you still have enough left over to buy some other equipment. If you feel it's perfect, and it probably is, don't listen to idiots (like me) on the internet!



If people feel like the knurling if wearing away on their rollers and affecting the performance, then they might want to look at option that mught prevent it. The 1144 rollers are probably through hardened. Case hardening could be a few millimeters deep, although it's probably less than that. Maybe a 0.5-1 mm? Hard to say without knowing more about the process.