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Message |
    
Graham Cox
Senior Member
Username: T2driver
Post Number: 2743
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 72.15.105.173
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 09:17 pm: | 
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I've got a good, strong Porter-Cable drill that I use to power my Crankandstein 3-roller mill. Unfortunately, its two batteries are not so good and strong anymore, and they cost about $50-70 apiece to replace. Where I brew now, I have an electrical outlet just a few feet away, so there is no issue with using a corded drill. It appears that a very good corded drill could be had for around the price of one of the batteries.
I am anything but Tim the Toolman. I know I need torque more than speed, and I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, but I do like overkill.  Anybody have any recommendations? |
Spiked Helmet
Member
Username: Hey_newt
Post Number: 112
Registered: 07-2004
Posted From: 98.215.130.7
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 09:43 pm: |
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I use the Skil 6335 power drill at my shop. It has worked great for about three years now. Plenty of torq and power. I think it ran me about $75.00 when I bought it. I had gone through a couple of Dewalt battery powered drills before that. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 2867
Registered: 02-2002
Posted From: 174.62.194.35
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 11:08 pm: |
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I use an ancient Sears 3/8" variable speed corded drill I found at a tag sale to power my BarleyCrusher. I think I paid $5. More than enough power to do the job, even running at slow speed (which, IMO, gives a better crush). I've been told numerous times "You'll burn that motor out!" by well-meaning busybodies. But it has done dozens of batches without releasing any smoke. |
Tom Gardner
Senior Member
Username: Tom
Post Number: 1235
Registered: 01-2001
Posted From: 67.190.167.19
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 11:22 pm: |
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+1 for a corded drill |
David Curtis
Advanced Member
Username: Littledipper
Post Number: 556
Registered: 02-2004
Posted From: 76.235.202.84
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 12:37 am: |
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I have a corded black and decker that I think cost maybe $10 at the most at the local hardware. Works great. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 12993
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.150.49.181
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 02:52 am: |
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There must be something wrong with me, but I've never seen the need to motorize my mill. It takes about as much energy to grind the grain for a 10 lb. batch as it does to ride my bike a mile or so. |
Graham Cox
Senior Member
Username: T2driver
Post Number: 2744
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 72.15.105.173
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 03:29 am: |
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Interestingly, Bill, I just cleaned out one of my garage bays and came across my old mill handle from when I did 5-gallon batches with a 2-roller mill. I hand-crushed many a batch.
However, now that I'm doing 10-gallon batches (occasionally more) and often making higher-gravity batches with 25-30 (occasionally more) pounds of grain, it's just impractical. It's enough of an inconvenience that I only have a 9-pound hopper - I'm not willing to bear any further inconvenience these days. 
Hey guys, is it safe to assume that higher amperage equates to higher power? I understand that the gearing might be different, but on the whole, is this a safe assumption? |
dhacker
Senior Member
Username: Dhacker
Post Number: 2328
Registered: 11-2002
Posted From: 74.226.124.132
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 03:31 am: |
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BP, I wish you had been around back in the day when my brother and I got the duty of hand cranking the home made ice cream mixer . . taking turns cranking and sitting on the mixer. When the motorized ice cream makers came out we were elated!
Graham, if you're not planning on a dedicated motor and sheave configuration, I'd bet any drill would do. Even the Chinese stuff from Harbor Freight would probably fit the bill and the price is such that you can think, "Disposable". |
Jeff Rankert
Intermediate Member
Username: Hopfenundmalz
Post Number: 317
Registered: 06-2008
Posted From: 76.122.179.76
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 12:08 pm: |
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Graham, current is proportional to torque in an electric motor. You want a drill motor with a high current rating. I have a 7 amp 1/2 inch drill motor for use on my JSP mill. It gets a little warm when crushing for a big batch, but my hands like that on a cold winter morning. |
dhacker
Senior Member
Username: Dhacker
Post Number: 2330
Registered: 11-2002
Posted From: 74.226.124.132
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 01:50 pm: |
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Here ya go . . in fact, one reviewer mentions using it to run his grain mill.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-heavy-duty-spade-handle-drill-93632.html
 |
Robert
Intermediate Member
Username: Okierat
Post Number: 365
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 138.32.32.166
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 02:00 pm: |
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I know their stuff is cheap, but you gotta love Harborfreight.
(Message edited by Okierat on June 02, 2011) |
Marc Rehfuss
Intermediate Member
Username: Marc_rehfuss
Post Number: 307
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 99.165.91.16
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 02:51 pm: |
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I have a corded 7 Amp 1/2" Black and Decker. Up to 800 RPM, IIRC. Works like a charm with my Barleycrusher. It's probably more than what I need, but that's fine with me. Was ~40 bucks at Home Despot.
Bill-- There is nothing I hated more than hand cranking grain. It did have certain rustic appeal, I'll give you that. |
Bill Walton
Intermediate Member
Username: Vladie
Post Number: 288
Registered: 06-2003
Posted From: 74.96.117.134
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 03:39 pm: |
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When my cordless drill started to wear out I picked up a cheap drill from Target for about $12. I figured 12 bucks was a reasonable price to spend on an experiment and it has paid off; the drill is still going 5 years later.
BW |
dhacker
Senior Member
Username: Dhacker
Post Number: 2331
Registered: 11-2002
Posted From: 74.226.124.132
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 12:01 am: |
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Another thought . .
Do you have a Batteries Plus near you? They can re-cell your Porter Cable battery packs for about half the price of new packs. |
Graham Cox
Senior Member
Username: T2driver
Post Number: 2746
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 72.15.105.173
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 01:06 am: |
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19 miles away.  I hate throwing away a perfectly good drill. Thanks! I'll check them out. |
Brews and Views Archive 2011 
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