Problems with Bulldog mil

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I picked up my bulldog mill maybe 2 years ago, probably even less than that. I have only just started to use it with a drill (hand cranked everything else). The 2 rollers are meant to (counter) rotate together, with a simple gearing setup.

However the seconday roller has started to spin freely of its partner, or more likely stay stuck in place while the other spins.

Is there anything I can do to fix this? I might have wrecked the gears when I used a mains powered drill on it, but the screw heads got mangled when I tried to take it apart and inspect it.

If the mill is a lost cause, what alternatives would you recommend? Dont want to spend too much money on it, but I do need to be crushing my own grain I think.

[BrannigansLove]

Sounds like you might have knacked it, especially if you've stripped the screwheads trying to get into it. I'm surprised using it with a mains drill would have broken it though, as until recently, that's what I've been doing myself (for about 12 months).

As far as replacing it is concerned, I imagine the cheapest is going to be another Bulldog mill. You could always upgrade, Malt Miller seller a nice looking 3 roller mill, you could probably recycle the wooden base on the Bulldog to use with that.

[Wonkydonkey]

Show us some photos,,,, I'm sure it could be fixed, if not by yourself but by someone with the right tools just because you buggered the heads up.

[BenB]

Have you got a dremel type tool? If so it's sometimes possible to cut a slot in the knackered setscrew head. Personally though I like MIG welding a nut onto the head of the knackered head- the heat helps and it's possible to swing a big old spanner on the nut to free up the setscrew. It would be interesting to see what's happened internally- it might be something really simple- sometimes the cogs are held on with something simple like a split pin that can come out. A new split pin and it's back to business. One thing I wouldn't do is try using a stud extractor as it sounds like the bolts are stiff- you'll just break the stud extractor (been there, done that).

[Jocky]

I have a two roller mill (from Brewbuilder) where only one roller is driven, and practically speaking I don't think there's a need to have both rollers driven. So if you can't fix it then at least if you can get the other roller moving freely you're fine.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

This baby needs both rollers to be driven, couldn't crush worth a damn when one roller stuck in place.

Will try and get photos, and have another go at exposing the gears

[BenB]

There's another thread on this forum about the bulldog and it looks like the gears are held in place with a circlip so it may just that that has come off.... the gear itself looks solid so...

If plan B is to ditch the mill a simple way to gain access is to use a dremel to grind / cut of the bolt heads.... you'll likely damage the end cap but if it's going in the bin otherwise.....

[BenB]

Here we go- found it again!

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=69572

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

If I can expose the gear housing, I should be able to see if the gears are wrecked or if they have slipped along the axis.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Broke.

Shredded gears. The black flecks are pieces of those gears.

Will never grind again.

[BenB]

Damn! Looks like the "top" roller has moved slightly and therefore because they're not straight cuts gears the gears have partially seperated allowing slipping and chewing..... It does look a bit knackered to be honest Why didn't they just use straight edge gears??? I know they're noisy but milling isn't silent!

Have you tried contacting the manafacturer? A grain mill that can't mill grain is not much cop....

[Kev888]

The gears do look surprisingly narrow. The bevelling could be to keep them meshed by means of an axial tensioner, that may have loosened or jammed? I.e. the top roller being pulled to the left and/or the bottom to the right slightly, to account for variable roller gap.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Grain was able to get stuck between the roller edge and the wall of the unit, which results in the 2 rollers being shifted relative to each other, gears have less contact, andcwhen you introduce a drill, perfect storm for shredding gears.

Replacement gears would do the trick. Those ones won't do a full rotation without slipping.

[Wonkydonkey]

One would think, those gears would be very cheap to make, and should be able to get them off the shelf somewhere, but not knowing the sizes what shelf they would be on???. And those gears would be pennies compared to a new mill. Good luck in your hunt

[Wonkydonkey]

Pardon me,,, but a light bulb has just come on

Looking at your photo of your gears... I thought are they on back to front....??

Then me looks at the pic in the thread that benb posted.

Have a look...?.

Some may say it makes no difference, but it seems in your case it does....

Now where to go from here, I don't know, but was it an assembly / factory misshap.

What does other peeps think ?
Cheers

Edit: I don't know if they come preassembled..