National Homebrew Club Ireland

Buy & Sell => Wanted => Topic started by: johnrm on January 25, 2021, 05:39:27 PM

Title: Mill coupler
Post by: johnrm on January 25, 2021, 05:39:27 PM
Looking for a drive coupler to attach a drill to a mill.
Wondering is anyone has come across these.
I think its 1/4" hex drive to fit 10mm shaft.


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Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: LordEoin on January 25, 2021, 07:16:00 PM
Dril and tap a hole in the side of something like this:
https://www.screwfix.ie/p/erbauer-magnetic-bit-holder-57mm/11144
(https://media.screwfix.ie/is/image//ae235?src=ae235/11144_P&$prodImageMedium$)
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: pob on January 26, 2021, 10:44:00 AM
Have you tried just attaching the mill directly, like a drill bit.

Mine just went straight on & tightened. There was enough grip that it didn't slip when I was setting up the gap width & it jammed.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: nigel_c on January 26, 2021, 12:08:53 PM
Quote from: pob on January 26, 2021, 10:44:00 AMHave you tried just attaching the mill directly, like a drill bit.

This is what I do. Works perfect.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: iBrau on January 26, 2021, 09:11:12 PM
For typical homebrew quantities just attach the drill directly to the spindle of the mill.

If you were going through commercial quantities of malt then it would be best to use pulleys or gears to couple to your drill or motor. When a drill is directly attached it will cause uneven wear of the roller bearings if the drill isn't perfectly aligned with the mill roller.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: johnrm on January 27, 2021, 11:33:17 PM
Thanks guys.
I tried the drill direct, it slips as it's a non key chuck.
I will try another keyed chuck drill.
I had looked at magnetic bit holders, the female end is the same profile as the male end, so no go.
Needs to be 10mm diam.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: iBrau on January 29, 2021, 08:17:02 AM
So is it correct that your mill spindle has a 10mm diameter and you need to turn with a standard 3-jaw drill chuck?

Building an adapter sounds like a nice lockdown project  :)

But really I think you need to try a different drill with better grip on the jaws. My own drill has a hand-tighten chuck and never slips on my mill.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: pob on January 29, 2021, 10:08:36 AM
Quote from: iBrau on January 29, 2021, 08:17:02 AMMy own drill has a hand-tighten chuck and never slips on my mill.

+1
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: johnrm on January 31, 2021, 10:05:55 AM
Mill is on holidays currently.
I will give it a go again connected directly, after my Weetabix.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: iBrau on February 13, 2021, 10:04:13 AM
Howya John,
I was thinking about your problem and made this ...

You'll never lose grip on your shaft again - satisfaction guaranteed  ;)  ;)

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Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: johnrm on February 18, 2021, 11:54:12 AM
Good job Vince,
I would need to buy a lot of hardware to replicate this, gonna try just the drill again.
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: iBrau on February 18, 2021, 10:11:34 PM
I don't need it, you can have it.

Are you working from home now or in the city sometimes? I go through or around the city every day for work so could drop it somewhere for you if that suits?
Title: Re: Mill coupler
Post by: johnrm on February 22, 2021, 11:48:02 AM
I thought that if there was a part available (seems like it is, just hard to get) that I could add this to my kit.
For my most recent brew, Tightening the f**k out of my chuck made it grip fine.
Tightening the f**k is adequate for my needs, just not a stable engineered solution.

Thanks for the offer Vince, appreciated.
I'll PM you for the doodad.

2 other solutions pictured.
A triangle of steel to mate with the chuck.
A segment of steel (bolt cutoff).
Sit either of these into the notch on the shaft.

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