Props to Barley Crusher and How's my crush?

[pabloj13]

First, I have read some mixed reviews of the customer service at Barley Crusher. Put me in the "Highly recommended" category. Got a BC from a friend. Knurls weren't grabbing the grain effectively and while I was toying with it trying to get it to work more efficiently, I dropped it and bent the drive shaft. Contacted BC and they just sent me brand new rollers (all I had to pay was shipping). Now it's true that email support was a bit intermittent, but by all accounts these guys are busy. Ground some grain today and it works like a champ. Thanks a ton to the folks at BC!

Now, onto the crush. I haven't had any issues with my CPVC manifold and sparge runoff even with twice-milled grain from the LHBS (which is not as uncrushed as some LHBS) so I tightened the gap up to a .035. Using a variable voltage transformer I run the drill at ~200rpm. Not too much flour. Lots of good sized pieces of husk. There are a few grains that look intact, but if I pick them up, they tend to break in half. How does this crushed 2-row look?

 

[duboman]

Doesn't look terrible. Hard to tell but I would slow it down a bit and I think you'll get a better crush, it looks like it went through a little fast

 

[mike20793]

Yea, it looks like there is some uncrushed grain. Did you double crush? That will help a lot.

 

[TrubDog]

I run my BC at .035 and my crush looks quite a bit finer than what you have. I'd post a pic but I don't have any handy.

I agree it's a good mill and once I tightened it up my efficiency shot through the roof!

 

[pabloj13]

I run my BC at .035 and my crush looks quite a bit finer than what you have. I'd post a pic but I don't have any handy.

I agree it's a good mill and once I tightened it up my efficiency shot through the roof!

Hmmm. I wonder why that would be. I used feeler gauges to set the gap. I run it just about as slow as my drill can handle.

 

[idigg]

That crush looks really relaxed to be honest. I get a good amount of flour with my BC crush with a power drill, but I go slow and steady. Like Denny says, "Crush till you're scared". If you're nervous of a stuck sparge you can always throw in a handful of rice hulls in your mashes. I have my BC at .030" and I don't even need hulls, I just slowly set the bed in my cooler then full blast vorlaufs.

 

[pabloj13]

That crush looks really relaxed to be honest. I get a good amount of flour with my BC crush with a power drill, but I go slow and steady. Like Denny says, "Crush till you're scared". If you're nervous of a stuck sparge you can always throw in a handful of rice hulls in your mashes. I have my BC at .030" and I don't even need hulls, I just slowly set the bed in my cooler then full blast vorlaufs.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I thought it looked a little relaxed too. I'll try tightening it up and see what I get. Thanks for the honesty.

 

[Starderup]

I had a great experience with the BC folks, too. UPS destroyed my mill, and BC sent me a new one right away, without even requiring me to pay a security deposit with my credit card. I put the damaged one back in the box, attached the label and sent it back.
I get mid to high 80's, and there is no doubt that my grain looks crushed. My friends thought it was too fine until they saw the effeceincy, and now they are sold. Crush 'till yer skeered.