Grain mill old sewing table style

[Toejam792]

I see all these awesome grain mill setups but I was wondering why nobody has thought to make one like an old sewing machine where the mill can go into the cabinet when not in use. It seams like it should be a great idea if you can figure out the mechanics. Think of all the extra counter space. I am going to be building a new house soon so wont have time to work on one this year. But I thought I would throw it out there if someone wants to use my idea.

 

[day_trippr]

My maternal grandparents were tailors, and I inherited a couple of the sewing machines mounted on small vanity-like consoles where the machines folded down into the body and a concealing lid flipped over the works. I converted one of them into a bedroom tv stand but still have the second - with the original pedal-operated machine intact.

While I imagine one could create a rather handsome piece with a grain mill, aside from some extraordinary household situation (probably Spousal Unit related ) I can't see the benefit matching the effort. But then again I have a dedicated brew room where I can leave all the beer production machinations in place...

Cheers!

 

[Novacor]

Now, if you could convert an old sewing machine to a grain mill and have the foot pedal power it, that would be a thing of beauty..

 

[Toejam792]

My maternal grandparents were tailors, and I inherited a couple of the sewing machines mounted on small vanity-like consoles where the machines folded down into the body and a concealing lid flipped over the works. I converted one of them into a bedroom tv stand but still have the second - with the original pedal-operated machine intact.

While I imagine one could create a rather handsome piece with a grain mill, aside from some extraordinary household situation (probably Spousal Unit related ) I can't see the benefit matching the effort. But then again I have a dedicated brew room where I can leave all the beer production machinations in place...

Cheers!

Your telling me there hasn't even been one time while your brewing that you wouldn't want extra counter space? it seams like it should just take a couple hinges and a board if it's directly driven.

Now, if you could convert an old sewing machine to a grain mill and have the foot pedal power it, that would be a thing of beauty..

Perfect for the off the grid folks

 

[day_trippr]

Your telling me there hasn't even been one time while your brewing that you wouldn't want extra counter space? it seams like it should just take a couple hinges and a board if it's directly driven.

I'm not denying there'd be a coolness factor, and perhaps even a bit of practicality. And if you'd asked that question in September I'd have given it more thought. But now that I have a dedicated brew space with lots of shelving and cabinets and everything set up "just so" with my mill where I want it there's no real advantage to be gained from the effort.

Otherwise...the top of my mill stand is roughly the same depth (left to right in this pic) as the sewing machine cabinets and even if I popped the bin extension off the mill and repositioned the whole thing near the back (right) edge it'd still be a bit too tall to flop inside the cabinet.

But a purposed-design could solve all that (plus raise the deck up to where it'd be more useful as a work station).
Have at it, I say

Cheers!

 

[leftcontact]

Now, if you could convert an old sewing machine to a grain mill and have the foot pedal power it, that would be a thing of beauty..

You’d be walking in circles due to having one leg more built up than the other...

 

[z-bob]

You’d be walking in circles due to having one leg more built up than the other...

It's wouldn't be very practical, but it would still be beautiful. (the treadle grain mill, not the leg)

 

[JohnSand]

I hand mill, and switch arms. So you can use either leg, or both, and keep them slim and beautiful.

 

[Toejam792]

I'm not denying there'd be a coolness factor, and perhaps even a bit of practicality. And if you'd asked that question in September I'd have given it more thought. But now that I have a dedicated brew space with lots of shelving and cabinets and everything set up "just so" with my mill where I want it there's no real advantage to be gained from the effort.

Otherwise...the top of my mill stand is roughly the same depth (left to right in this pic) as the sewing machine cabinets and even if I popped the bin extension off the mill and repositioned the whole thing near the back (right) edge it'd still be a bit too tall to flop inside the cabinet.


View attachment 568491

But a purposed-design could solve all that (plus raise the deck up to where it'd be more useful as a work station).
Have at it, I say

Cheers!

Your mill setup is sweet and I would be perfectly happy with how it's set up also. Having dedicated brew space makes brewing at least 1/2 million times better, maybe even 1 million. I plan on building from scratch but I'm more of a rough carpenter that trim carpenter so I was hoping someone else would like my idea and post pics. That way I could just copy what they did. would be tougher with your extended hopper.

You’d be walking in circles due to having one leg more built up than the other...

I hand mill, and switch arms. So you can use either leg, or both, and keep them slim and beautiful.

Ha Ha we could look like this

 

[mongoose33]

I suppose if space were at a super premium, it might make sense. Then again, having an extra bit of counter space means I'd fill it with something, and then when it was time to mill grain, I'd have to move that stuff out of the way prior to milling. Thus it would be a bit of a time sink.

I'm also not sure there would be enough room to swing a mill w/ a hopper down and out of the way. I doubt it would work with my setup, which was purpose-designed to fit a specific space.

 

[beerbomb]

Now, if you could convert an old sewing machine to a grain mill and have the foot pedal power it, that would be a thing of beauty..

Wow, that would really be cool!

 

[beerbomb]

I suppose if space were at a super premium, it might make sense. Then again, having an extra bit of counter space means I'd fill it with something, and then when it was time to mill grain, I'd have to move that stuff out of the way prior to milling. Thus it would be a bit of a time sink.

I'm also not sure there would be enough room to swing a mill w/ a hopper down and out of the way. I doubt it would work with my setup, which was purpose-designed to fit a specific space.

View attachment 568688 View attachment 568690

Wow, is that big motor a necessity?
I use a cordless drill.
Looks pretty capable of ripping through a ton of grain!

 

[mongoose33]

Wow, is that big motor a necessity?

Define necessity.

Is a 3-roller mill a necessity? Why not just hand-crank a corona mill?

I use a cordless drill.
Looks pretty capable of ripping through a ton of grain!

I've been trying to implement LODO (low dissolved oxygen) techniques. One of the processes of LODO involves crushing the grain as close to dough-in as possible, and to crush at as slow a speed as possible. You want to avoid flour as much as you reasonably can.

The 3-roller monster mill is good for the crush, and it's hands-off the way I have it configured. When everything is ready for dough-in, I turn the mill on and in 2 minutes I have 12 pounds of grain crushed into the bucket and ready for dough-in. The motor I'm using is geared down to 180 rpm, as slow as I could find in a motor.

A variable speed drill--assuming it's powerful enough--could have been used, but I have no way to judge the speed. Further, with my Barley Crusher, I always had to run the drill initially at high speed just to get it crushing, and it would bog down, so I had to run it at a fairly high speed. Not what I wanted.

 

[beerbomb]

Define necessity.

Is a 3-roller mill a necessity? Why not just hand-crank a corona mill?



I've been trying to implement LODO (low dissolved oxygen) techniques. One of the processes of LODO involves crushing the grain as close to dough-in as possible, and to crush at as slow a speed as possible. You want to avoid flour as much as you reasonably can.

The 3-roller monster mill is good for the crush, and it's hands-off the way I have it configured. When everything is ready for dough-in, I turn the mill on and in 2 minutes I have 12 pounds of grain crushed into the bucket and ready for dough-in. The motor I'm using is geared down to 180 rpm, as slow as I could find in a motor.

A variable speed drill--assuming it's powerful enough--could have been used, but I have no way to judge the speed. Further, with my Barley Crusher, I always had to run the drill initially at high speed just to get it crushing, and it would bog down, so I had to run it at a fairly high speed. Not what I wanted.

Hope I didn't sound negative.....if it works for you then kudos!

 

[mongoose33]

Hope I didn't sound negative.....if it works for you then kudos!

Nah, it's the internet.

Deciding how much is "ok" or "too much" or "not enough" ultimately comes down to two things: one's resources and one's values.

I'm an empty-nester, so things I can handle resource-wise today would have been out of the question 15 years ago. I get that younger brewers, those with children or in exceptional circumstances, must be more...frugal, I suppose is the right word. I get it, been there, still have the skills if I need them.

We all tend to judge others' choices by our own, and sometimes can find them fantastic in relation to our own. Nobody lives like a monk with the most ascetic lifestyle possible. Thus it's all a matter of degree.

Have a large SUV? Why not a smaller, more fuel efficient car? For that matter, why not move close enough to work to so you can bicycle? Or even walk?

Where do we draw the line? It's tough to judge others without knowing all of their life circumstances. I was criticized by someone here since I have a 4 1/2 minute commute by car and could bike to work. But....I perspire. Always been that way. I can't bike and expect to show up to work "fresh as a flower." So I won't.

That said, others have more than an hour commute here. Why am I criticized for living close enough so the gasoline I burn each day (small car--Ford Focus) is far less than those who choose to live far away and burn much, much more gasoline each day than I do?

It never ends. That's why I'm not critical--usually --of the choices people make here. They're balancing wants, needs, competing needs for money, their values, the perceived value of efficiency as opposed to money spent....all that stuff.

We all get to make our choices. Then we get to live with the results. And that, in my opinion, is how it should be.

 

[Robg773]

Nice reply mongoose33. I can appreciate the perspective!

 

[beerbomb]

Nah, it's the internet.

Deciding how much is "ok" or "too much" or "not enough" ultimately comes down to two things: one's resources and one's values.

I'm an empty-nester, so things I can handle resource-wise today would have been out of the question 15 years ago. I get that younger brewers, those with children or in exceptional circumstances, must be more...frugal, I suppose is the right word. I get it, been there, still have the skills if I need them.

We all tend to judge others' choices by our own, and sometimes can find them fantastic in relation to our own. Nobody lives like a monk with the most ascetic lifestyle possible. Thus it's all a matter of degree.

Have a large SUV? Why not a smaller, more fuel efficient car? For that matter, why not move close enough to work to so you can bicycle? Or even walk?

Where do we draw the line? It's tough to judge others without knowing all of their life circumstances. I was criticized by someone here since I have a 4 1/2 minute commute by car and could bike to work. But....I perspire. Always been that way. I can't bike and expect to show up to work "fresh as a flower." So I won't.

That said, others have more than an hour commute here. Why am I criticized for living close enough so the gasoline I burn each day (small car--Ford Focus) is far less than those who choose to live far away and burn much, much more gasoline each day than I do?

It never ends. That's why I'm not critical--usually --of the choices people make here. They're balancing wants, needs, competing needs for money, their values, the perceived value of efficiency as opposed to money spent....all that stuff.

We all get to make our choices. Then we get to live with the results. And that, in my opinion, is how it should be.

Nah, it's the internet.
Good perspective, glad I didn't sound negative or critical. I'm a beginner so have patience guys!
Deciding how much is "ok" or "too much" or "not enough" ultimately comes down to two things: one's resources and one's values.

I'm an empty-nester, so things I can handle resource-wise today would have been out of the question 15 years ago. I get that younger brewers, those with children or in exceptional circumstances, must be more...frugal, I suppose is the right word. I get it, been there, still have the skills if I need them.

We all tend to judge others' choices by our own, and sometimes can find them fantastic in relation to our own. Nobody lives like a monk with the most ascetic lifestyle possible. Thus it's all a matter of degree.

Have a large SUV? Why not a smaller, more fuel efficient car? For that matter, why not move close enough to work to so you can bicycle? Or even walk?

Where do we draw the line? It's tough to judge others without knowing all of their life circumstances. I was criticized by someone here since I have a 4 1/2 minute commute by car and could bike to work. But....I perspire. Always been that way. I can't bike and expect to show up to work "fresh as a flower." So I won't.

That said, others have more than an hour commute here. Why am I criticized for living close enough so the gasoline I burn each day (small car--Ford Focus) is far less than those who choose to live far away and burn much, much more gasoline each day than I do?

It never ends. That's why I'm not critical--usually --of the choices people make here. They're balancing wants, needs, competing needs for money, their values, the perceived value of efficiency as opposed to money spent....all that stuff.

We all get to make our choices. Then we get to live with the results. And that, in my opinion, is how it should be.

 

[beerbomb]

Glad I didn't sound negative or critical, thanls for your feed back.

I'm a beginner so have patience guys