Milling question

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Clanchief

Clanchief

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I just got my mostly new Barley Crusher back and put together. I'm planning on brewing this weekend. Right now I assume it's set to the default crush, which I believe is .039. I was thinking of adjusting that down a bit, but how far should I go? I use a stainless steel false bottom in mash tun (a converted Rubbermaid). Also, how do I determine what that gap is set at?

Thanks.
 
I've heard that a quick trick is to use a credit card. Apparently, it turns out that the thickness of a credit card ends up being almost perfect for setting the gap on your mill.

Or, as CJBrew said, an actual set of feeler gauges if you want to really be precise.
 
Do not go to an auto parts store, they will not have what you need. Go to Sears. Buy these. They work well. Set your gap according to how the crush looks not based on someone else's number. Use the feeler gauges and start @ 0.039 or 0.040. Make sure the gap is set evenly on both sides of rollers.
 
The problem that I've run into with credit cards is adjusting the gap such that the knurls on the rollers don't cut into the credit card; that and a credit card only allows you one gap setting which may or may not work for the grain you intend to mill.
 
ShootsNRoots said:
Do not go to an auto parts store, they will not have what you need. Go to Sears. Buy these. They work well. Set your gap according to how the crush looks not based on someone else's number. Use the feeler gauges and start @ 0.039 or 0.040. Make sure the gap is set evenly on both sides of rollers.
Click to expand...


http://www.pepboys.com/search/?term=feeler+gauge&omniEvars=feeler+gauge

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ilterByKeyWord=feeler+gauge&fromString=search

http://www.harborfreight.com/32-piece-sae-metric-feeler-gauge-32214.html

I bought the last one from HF. Although if you check Braukaiser's Wiki he didn't find much of a difference in a certain gap range.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

At the cost, it seems like the feeler gauge is probably worth it. I can usually justify any purchase that is < $10. :)
 
funnycreature said:
http://www.pepboys.com/search/?term=feeler+gauge&omniEvars=feeler+gauge

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ilterByKeyWord=feeler+gauge&fromString=search

http://www.harborfreight.com/32-piece-sae-metric-feeler-gauge-32214.html

I bought the last one from HF. Although if you check Braukaiser's Wiki he didn't find much of a difference in a certain gap range.
Click to expand...

I had no luck at the Advanced Auto Parts store where I live. They had spark plug gap gauges and I was told the feeler gauge I needed was a specialty item. Talked to my brother, a machinist, who told me to go Sears and buy that one. Your experience may vary. The quality and number of increments you get from the Sears gauge seems to be higher than that of the Auto Parts Store. Not that you need that many increments but you never know... :D
 
ShootsNRoots said:
I had no luck at the Advanced Auto Parts store where I live. They had spark plug gap gauges and I was told the feeler gauge I needed was a specialty item. Talked to my brother, a machinist, who told me to go Sears and buy that one. Your experience may vary. The quality and number of increments you get from the Sears gauge seems to be higher than that of the Auto Parts Store. Not that you need that many increments but you never know... :D
Click to expand...

Whenever I enter Harbor Freight my last thought is quality hahaha! But on the other hand I don't want to (nor need to) spend more than $4 on the gauges since it won't have to be that accurate.
 
Look at your grain. Some is smaller kernels than others. Keep checking your crush. You want ZERO uncracked or even remotely whole kernels. All you need is a good bit of husk material to create the lauter bed. Don't fear the crush.
 
Sorry I forget most people think of chain style stores when they think of auto parts. (Or anything else) All of the local parts shops around here in VT have feeler gauges. They are as good as the ones in Sears. Cost about $6.
 

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