Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
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Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I tried a hand crank one and it did not work well. I am seeing others like kitchenaid grain mills (that have a coarse setting), but I am worried that these will be too fine. It appears that most are made for barley or making flour.
Does anyone have a good affordable (and hopefully reasonably smallish sized) suggestion to crack corn?
Does anyone have a good affordable (and hopefully reasonably smallish sized) suggestion to crack corn?
Last edited by HuckFinn on Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
The corona mill is definitely a good choice after it's modified to run on a drill.
Replacement the handle with an appropriate thread hex head bolt, and a big funnel to the top and you're done.
Takes me maybe 10 minutes or so to turn 55# of corn to meal.
Replacement the handle with an appropriate thread hex head bolt, and a big funnel to the top and you're done.
Takes me maybe 10 minutes or so to turn 55# of corn to meal.
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- still_stirrin
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Here’s a good mill:
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I tried a knock-off brand of that. It went terribly. Are you confident that it works out okay? I feel like it also can mar a table like my knock off one did. Maybe 1/3rd the corn wasn't cracked, 1/3rd was cracked, and 1/3rd was flour. I didn't like it, personally.
- still_stirrin
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Here, this is what I use:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wet-Dry-Electr ... 890.l49292
More expensive, but it has a motor too. The hopper holds a couple of pounds but you can keep filling it.
ss
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wet-Dry-Electr ... 890.l49292
More expensive, but it has a motor too. The hopper holds a couple of pounds but you can keep filling it.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Here's what my corona mill look like as a setup, and does the job well.. corn will take a few passes, and most others one pass..HuckFinn wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:31 pm I tried a knock-off brand of that. It went terribly. Are you confident that it works out okay? I feel like it also can mar a table like my knock off one did. Maybe 1/3rd the corn wasn't cracked, 1/3rd was cracked, and 1/3rd was flour. I didn't like it, personally.
I can use the mill by hand, or by motor (as shown), or with a half inch drill..
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
After hand cranking a bag, I Rigged up a corona type mill to an old kitchen aid mixer. Works perfectly!
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Affordable is a relative term.
If you want to do corn, whether coarse or fine, then you might want to consider this ...
https://www.agristoreusa.com/collection ... in-grinder
As the saying goes: buy once, cry once
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I did a corona mod with some nested homer buckets and running it on a drill. The battery drill wasn’t really enough to get through a run so i bought a dedicated corded drill with more power that wouldn’t overheat. A couple spills of my rigged up hopper was pretty frustrating. Ended up with an agristore and it turns everything to flower or meal which works perfect for corn. If i was doing more single malt barley/wheat I might get fussy and prefer a roller mill for better lautering but not there yet and this works great for my foreseeable future. Well worth the money and by the time you spend on a corona, drill, and any purchases for mods you might just want to spend a little more for a purpose built thing? Just my thoughts
I did re assemble the corona for the kitchen where I use it to mill grains in my koji-cooking endeavors. The fraulein might use some hand milled flour too. Seem to have a variety of whole grains available for some reason and hand milling smaller quantities is sorta cool too
Cheers!
Jonny
I did re assemble the corona for the kitchen where I use it to mill grains in my koji-cooking endeavors. The fraulein might use some hand milled flour too. Seem to have a variety of whole grains available for some reason and hand milling smaller quantities is sorta cool too
Cheers!
Jonny
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
+1greggn wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:57 pmIf you want to do corn, whether coarse or fine, then you might want to consider this ...
https://www.agristoreusa.com/collection ... in-grinder
I used the corona for years with a corded drill mod.
Got this and never looked back.
Plug n play, no effort to use and burns through shelled corn no problem.
An added benefit, at least for me, is that it doesn’t mind some bits of foreign matter in the grains. The impellers aren’t sharp, so you won’t dull them, and it is designed with a bit of space for things like stones to collect.
I get some heirloom corns straight from the combine, and though I do screen it by hand for debris, some always gets past.
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I also agree on the agristoreUSA.com grinder. I got mine from Tractor Supply for $229 plus tax, it seems this item is currently out of stock at the moment. It might be a covid china shipping issue.... I love this grinder! it can produce almost all the way to a flour like consistency! For all grain corn this is a must!
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Here’s another look at the mill I purchased:
Free shipping. A fantastic addition to your brewery.
ss
Free shipping. A fantastic addition to your brewery.
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
It looks really nice. Thanks for posting. I was looking for something like that.still_stirrin wrote:Here’s another look at the mill I purchased:
Free shipping. A fantastic addition to your brewery.
ss
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Pretty sure a few people here and on another forum have bought those......yet to hear anyone complain about them.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
China isn't a factor ... the AMA mill is from Italy.hypnopooper wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:07 pm it seems this item is currently out of stock at the moment. It might be a covid china shipping issue....
For me, one significant plus for the AMA (Agristore) mill is the availability of replacement parts.
Simple design + available parts = sustainable resource
________________
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Nice!still_stirrin wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:23 pm Here’s another look at the mill I purchased:
8E88930D-D86F-4EA9-BB2B-079C472726F8.jpeg
Free shipping. A fantastic addition to your brewery.
ss
-- Rrmuf
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I got a hand crank grain mill for $28 delivered from Amazon. A stack of washers, a couple clean buckets, a piece of scrap wood and some screws, a marker and about an hour of free time was what it took to make my modified mill.
I can coarse grind 16.75# of malts in 5 minutes with an old 1/2 inch electric drill. I made a 8# hopper for it too (not pictured) from a big powdered protein container and a quart sized carry out soup container. It stows inside the bottom bucket.
It works good on cracked corn too. Haven’t tried whole corn, but would probably work if I adjusted the plates some. That would be more hassle than its worth in this configuration.
I can coarse grind 16.75# of malts in 5 minutes with an old 1/2 inch electric drill. I made a 8# hopper for it too (not pictured) from a big powdered protein container and a quart sized carry out soup container. It stows inside the bottom bucket.
It works good on cracked corn too. Haven’t tried whole corn, but would probably work if I adjusted the plates some. That would be more hassle than its worth in this configuration.
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Thanks for the correction, I just assumed without actually going out to the garage to validate. Personally, I'm good for wherever it comes from, I like mine and would buy it again in a heart beat. It's a good investment for anyone that is running at or near the 30 gallon hobby limit on this forum.greggn wrote: ↑Fri Feb 19, 2021 4:53 amChina isn't a factor ... the AMA mill is from Italy.hypnopooper wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:07 pm it seems this item is currently out of stock at the moment. It might be a covid china shipping issue....
For me, one significant plus for the AMA (Agristore) mill is the availability of replacement parts.
Simple design + available parts = sustainable resource
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I love my Monster Mill 2. My setup is very similar to the picture below, I have only used it once on corn and it was cracked corn but went through it with no problem. I have heard that the MM3 does not do corn as well.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I am not recommending it but in a pinch it works.
It takes me a couple hours of leisurely grinding to do 40lb of corn while running the still.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
DIY mill - might give some inspiration if you're handy.
https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/do ... 0z18jazmcg
https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/do ... 0z18jazmcg
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Agristore mill will chew through 50 lbs whole corn to flour in 15 minutes.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Nice. I may have to do something like that.SmokyMtn wrote:DIY mill - might give some inspiration if you're handy.
https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/do ... 0z18jazmcg
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Keep your eye out for used mills, especially if your'e in the midwest (corn country). From time to time I've seen a number of older corn grinders for sale on Craigslist. I went to go pick up an all-copper kiln I found on Craigslist, and as I was walking out he asked me if I knew anyone who could use a hammer mill. It was ancient and heavy (solid brass), but the motor is strong and reduces everything I put in it consistently into a medium-fine meal.
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Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
I saw this stone mill at the international shop today while picking up a bag of glutinous rice. Feels good to have other options but i enjoy the nostalgia.
Jonny
Cheers,Jonny
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
i prefer my mash shaken, not stirred
————
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
HuckFinn, this was this afternoon's project. I too, tried the hand crank....not so young anymore, and not so fond of that. So I decided I would motorize this Corona mill with a cheap $5 CAD garage sale drill.HuckFinn wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:14 pm I tried a hand crank one and it did not work well. I am seeing others like kitchenaid grain mills (that have a coarse setting), but I am worried that these will be too fine. It appears that most are made for barley or making flour.
Does anyone have a good affordable (and hopefully reasonably smallish sized) suggestion to crack corn?
Now....I'm not an engineer. I usually do things by trial and error, and a lot of the time, I spend days planning out how I am going to do this before realizing there's a much easier solution to be had right in front of my eyes. Today's case in point:
I had a large plastic funnel, quite stiff, that I have used to pour into carboys, empty bucket to keg, etc. I now need another funnel, but it was something I could get by with (siphon is slow, but it works). I can't get by without a mill for what I want to do, so it was sacrificed to the grain mill gods.
I eyeballed the diameter (cause I'm once again, NOT an engineer) and sliced off the end of the funnel to be just a bit smaller than the opening of the grain mill. Stiff plastic, but with some gentle coaxing it can be made to fit over a diameter slightly larger than the hole, and then sits snugly around it. Step 1 completed.
Step two: I hacksawed off the bottom of the attachment part of the mill, so I could have it a) sit flat on a piece of wood it would be bolted to, and b)sit farther down into the bucket I was going to use, thereby allowing me to put a lid on the entire thing to keep flour dust in. (notice the notch where I started cutting)
Step three: I used some small carriage bolts to attached to a block of 2x4 I had drilled two holes in, running the length of the mill, in order to give it some stability and not want to tip forward all the time.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Step four: I drilled a hole into the side of the bucket for a similar thread bolt with the head removed to slide through, and then attached the drill to it. I did flatten the sides of the bolt in order to give the drill more "grip" on the bolt.
Step 6: Loaded it with malt, cranked it up on high, ensured success for about 3.42 seconds and then the mill tipped, knocked the lid off, and blew flour dust everywhere. The torque from the drill tipped it over onto it's side.
(not me, but a damn good representation).
Cleaned up, thought about it, had some previously run likker with some orange juice, and figure out how to brace it. (Remember trial and error?)
Step 7: Grab the jig saw, outline the bucket on a 2x4, cut just inside the line so it will fit, and screw the carriage bolts through both blocks of 2x4, this time with the bottom one widthwise to the mill and try again - SUCCESS! If you look close in the picture below you can see what I did.
It will mill 2lb of grain in 30 seconds flat. (not corn, but gives you an idea....I've never milled corn)
I would check around with any local homebrew clubs. The nice thing about distillers is that we are everywhere, but the bad thing is that we are underground. Could have someone from the forum next door and I would never know. But homebrew is more out in the open, and someone might be looking to upgrade their mill, as in the case where I sourced mine.
Good luck.
Step 6: Loaded it with malt, cranked it up on high, ensured success for about 3.42 seconds and then the mill tipped, knocked the lid off, and blew flour dust everywhere. The torque from the drill tipped it over onto it's side.
(not me, but a damn good representation).
Cleaned up, thought about it, had some previously run likker with some orange juice, and figure out how to brace it. (Remember trial and error?)
Step 7: Grab the jig saw, outline the bucket on a 2x4, cut just inside the line so it will fit, and screw the carriage bolts through both blocks of 2x4, this time with the bottom one widthwise to the mill and try again - SUCCESS! If you look close in the picture below you can see what I did.
It will mill 2lb of grain in 30 seconds flat. (not corn, but gives you an idea....I've never milled corn)
I would check around with any local homebrew clubs. The nice thing about distillers is that we are everywhere, but the bad thing is that we are underground. Could have someone from the forum next door and I would never know. But homebrew is more out in the open, and someone might be looking to upgrade their mill, as in the case where I sourced mine.
Good luck.
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Take the bottom off the bucket, and stack it, easy to clean out.dunluce wrote: ↑Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:22 pm Step 7: Grab the jig saw, outline the bucket on a 2x4, cut just inside the line so it will fit, and screw the carriage bolts through both blocks of 2x4, this time with the bottom one widthwise to the mill and try again - SUCCESS! If you look close in the picture below you can see what I did.
Add a lid if you don't like dust.
_____________________
EXPAT
Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
EXPAT
Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
Re: Please recommend a grain mill to crack corn
Never had too much of a torque issue. Perhaps the weight of the bottom bucket helps. I'm using a 5g plastic water bottle (with the bottom cut off) as a feeder, so it starts out pretty top heavy, probably would have shown instability quickly.
_____________________
EXPAT
Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
EXPAT
Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________