homemade small hammer mill

[stanggt88]

Im about to the test stages of my current project, building a small hammer mill to crack corn for chicken feed. I will test it using an electric motor (3/4hp) but I plan on making it run off the pto on my cub cadet compact tractor. I will post more pics and info later tonight. Here is a current pic tho. What do you all think?

4" wide. 10.5" diameter rotor. 8 hammers. Final speed 1800rpm..

 

[Baby Grand]

Current pic didn't make it ...

 

[stanggt88]

Oops I forgot to attach the picture.
Not a very good picture, but it gives a basic idea of what Im working on..

 

[BHD]

what are you using for screens? most likely you will not need a very small screen, with at speed and if the corn is dry, (I have not hammer milled corn but my Dad did and it seems he would use a 1" screen or he would powder the corn, now I think he was doing ear corn as well),

I made a burr mill a few years ago, for grinding feed,

looks like a very nice job your doing,

do you have a lathe to turn parts?

did you make the hammers, or buy?

 

[stanggt88]

I currently have 5/16" holes in my screen. Im trying to make chicken feed, and also hoping I dont end up making flour lol.

I work in a manufacturing company, so I have access to all the metal working tools.. lathes, mill, plasma, laser, etc.

I have access to pretty much anything I would need.

The hammers are 1/4" AR400 laser cut.. by me
screens and body are 3/16" HR plate.. laser cut.

I plan on making a bigger one with more capacity if this one works good.. time will tell lol

 

[Marveltone]

Col project! Keep us posted.

Joe

 

[BHD]

here is some quick info on designe, Hammer mills: hammermills - Feed Mill Machinery Glossary | FeedMachinery.com


my old JD says 3000 rpm and about 18" diameter.


Hammermill RPM's - Homesteading Today

in this thread see post #13, there is a chart with RPM and diameter recommended speeds, Copied below.

Model Rotor Diameter Typical Horsepower Mill Speed (Maximum Rotor RPM)

rotor width/model--rotor diameter,--horsepower for there mills,--max rotor RPM
W-6-L 9" 2 5,000
W-8-L 9" 3 5,000
W-8-H 16" 5-20 3,600
W-12-L 16" 10-20 3,600
W-16-L 16" 10-25 3,600
W-12-H 18" 15-50 3,000
W-16-H 18" 15-50 3,000
W-20-L 18" 20-50 3,000
W-25-L 18" 20-25 3,000
W-20-H 24" 25-75 2,800
W-25-H 24" 25-75 2,800
W-30-L 26" 50-100 2,400
W-36-L 26" 50-100 2,400
W-30-H 30" 50-150 1,800
W-36-H 30" 50-150 1,800
W-40-L 30" 50-150 1,800
W-50-L 30" 50-150 1,800
W-60-L 30" 50-150 1,800
W-40-H 40" 60-200 1,200
W-50-H 40" 60-200 1,200
W-60-H 40" 60-200 1,200

 

[Paul N]

You do nice work. We use a 1/2" screen for cow feed, so I would think that 5/16" should be pretty close for chickens.

 

[RockyMtn.Hillbilly]

Why do you use a hammer mill? A rotary mill would be a bit bigger than yours, but simpler with more production (IMO).

 

[Baby Grand]

Nice looking build. Keep those pictures coming!

 

[stanggt88]

I have tested it out a few times now, it seems to do an awesome job!! Chickens love it and so do the 2 pigs I'm raising.. Which are only 50lbs right now. I think the 5/16 inch screen is the perfect size for the chickens. I will post a few current pictures and also some of the final feed product.

I also have ran approx 2 dozen ear corn thru it also. Cob kernals and husk.. Takes longer but does an awesome job on that too!!

Overall I'm very satisfied with it!! I'm going to make a video of it this weekend and I'll post the link to it. Im now thinking of mounting everything onto a trailer so I can grind feed at other residences.. In small quantities lol.

I haven't checked the capacity per hour yet.. But I'll see how long it takes to run 20lbs thru it then scale my numbers and time up to get lbs per hour.


May even modify the design some and maybe try to sell a few to other people interested in small scale hobby farming/chicken raising..

Garrett

 

[stanggt88]

I still have to build a stand for it along with the funnel that catches the ground product out of the bottom.. I have it made just need to bolt it on.

Here is a picture of the little contraption, its not a very good picture, but it shows the overall size and what I have done so far. The motor is a 3/4 HP 120v that I borrowed off our hay elevator. The Blue tub is there to catch the ground feed.


Here is a picture of shelled corn after I ran it thru. I find that the slower I feed it, the smaller it cracks it. But even while feeding it fast, it still works awesome!


Here is a picture of some whole ear corn with husks still on it that I ran thru the mill. It took longer, but still did a good job and quick for the overall size and power of the hammer mill.


Finally, Here is a picture of my CAD drawing showing what I want to have as my final product. I plan on having a fan blow the product up to the cyclone then fall out the bottom of the cyclone. If I cant get or build a fan strong enough for that, I may build an auger to replace the fan and cyclone..


What do you all think?
Garrett

 

[BHD]

most likely shop vac blowing for the fan, should work, and if all else fails just set over a trash can

if you want to seal it just put a vent in the cover,, it will just drop through the unit most likely. that is what I do with my burr mill I made,

 

[Marveltone]

I still have to build a stand for it along with the funnel that catches the ground product out of the bottom.. I have it made just need to bolt it on.

Here is a picture of the little contraption, its not a very good picture, but it shows the overall size and what I have done so far. The motor is a 3/4 HP 120v that I borrowed off our hay elevator. The Blue tub is there to catch the ground feed.
View attachment 343343

Here is a picture of shelled corn after I ran it thru. I find that the slower I feed it, the smaller it cracks it. But even while feeding it fast, it still works awesome!
View attachment 343344

Here is a picture of some whole ear corn with husks still on it that I ran thru the mill. It took longer, but still did a good job and quick for the overall size and power of the hammer mill.
View attachment 343345

Finally, Here is a picture of my CAD drawing showing what I want to have as my final product. I plan on having a fan blow the product up to the cyclone then fall out the bottom of the cyclone. If I cant get or build a fan strong enough for that, I may build an auger to replace the fan and cyclone..
View attachment 343351

What do you all think?
Garrett

I think it's awesome! Can't wait for the video. I also noticed you're holding a long neck in the CAD drawing. Nice touch!

Joe

 

[Creamer]

that is what I do with my burr mill I made,

What is a burr mill? I have never heard of that terminology.

 

[stanggt88]

I think it's awesome! Can't wait for the video. I also noticed you're holding a long neck in the CAD drawing. Nice touch!

Joe

Thanks!!

Haha.. That was a figure I drew up a few years ago to give a representation of actual size. The guy is exactly 6 foot tall. I modified the drawing of the guy when I was bored one day lol. I sent a small bucket of ground corn with my grandpa to take home and show off to his old farmer friends. The guy that runs the elevator/co-op in his town was amazed at how good of a job it did.. and asked me to quote grinding some corn for him for chicken feed(that elevator doesn't have a feed portion like most do). I need to figure out my capacity now, hopefully this week I can get that done still and ill post my results here.

Thanks!

 

[BHD]

What is a burr mill? I have never heard of that terminology.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but a bur mill is similar and possibly could be used as a flour mill, and many small flour mills are build in a similar way,
the farm type used a burr (buhr) plates they were plates that have been grooved and they crack the grain and you control the fineness by the setting between the plates,

one plate is stationary and the other revolves, there is usually less dust and fewer fines than with the hammer mill,

Figure 15. Burr mill


Burr Mills

Burr mills or crushers have two roughened cast iron plates (Figure 15). One plate is stationary and the other one rotates. Grain fed between the plates is crushed and sheared. Type and spacing of plates determines fineness of the feed. Initial cost of the unit is low, but maintenance cost is high due to regular replacement of plates. These mills are better adapted to grinding coarse grains than hammer mills. However, they will not handle high moisture grain satisfactorily because of low capacity.

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Beef_Cattle_Feeding_Systems

here is the link to my build of the mill

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/179278-burr-mill-grist-mill.html

 

[Kernopelli]

What do you all think?
Garrett

I think the whole project is a work of art down to your CAD rendering....coukdn't help but notice the mullet. "Business in the front, Party in the back"!! Seriously, this is what I LOVE about TBN. There are so many talented people here with great ideas to share. This one is in the "save" file.

 

[Patriarch6]

do you sell these? I am in Omaha and in need of a small hammer mill to grind corn, rye, wheat and barley to make bourbon and vodka for a craft distillery I own. I would love to chat.

Cheers
Jeff