cane mill update, final installment on page 2

Well, I finally got started putting the mill wagon together. Biggest thing now will be to take it apart and check the bearing surfaces, then lube them and put it back together if all looks good. Got to hand it to the 3020, no way could we have moved it without the loader. Here are pix so far.

Edited by Warren(Oh) - 08 Nov 2010 at 11:34pm

Warren can best answer your questions, but as a visual assist, here's a pic of a gentleman extracting juice from sorghum (into the bucket) with a similar mill. I believe the juice is then boiled down into syrup, similar to maple syrup.

One wonders how there is anyone with all their parts around when one sees there are no guards on anything. Belts , gears, and feed all seem to be in places waiting for accidents to happen.

As is often said, Clovis, there's no such thing as a stupid question ! Yes, this is a Chattanooga #72 power cane mill, patent date 1897 but I have no idea when this was actually made. There are many videos on youtube that show different types operating, I'm a bit partial to this one (cute girl, whatever she's saying ! ha) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSWOxDpggl0 I plan to power it with an International throttle governed engine off of a stationary baler. It's rated at 3 to 5 hp, if it doesn't have power enough to run it then I'll put the flat pulley on my G, that should do it !

That gent was at a show in Wisconsin a year ago, and me not knowing a thing about a cane mill, he had me fooled! I enjoyed the demonstration. He ran the mill with an Allis C that just putted along, so I'm sure your G will handle it.

And now that I think of it, you being an AC guy and all, you should forget all about the International power source, and go right to your G. You'll have two reasons for folks to stop by at shows!

 

I look forward to your progress pics, thanks for posting.

Thanks for the pics and info. Please keep us posted of your progress. What do you use to cook the sorghum?

Great pics Warren.  That is a nice sized mill.  Making molasses has been a yearly tradition in our family for several generations.  We currently use a horizontal Star mill made by Field & Co. of St. Louis.  I am not sure of the exact date of manufacture but I have found mills of similar design in ads from 1881.  Before we acquired that mill we used a turn of the century Deere vertical mill.  As a kid it was my job to drive a Model B in circles while dad fed in the cane.  Our current pan is an 85 gallon rectangular stainless steel pan that dad made about seven years ago.  Not cheap, but it will last for many years and is easy to clean.  We made two batches last weekend with nearly 80 gallons of juice for the first batch and probably 40 gallons in the second batch.

What is your typical yield ratio (juice to molasses)?  Ours typically varies from 8:1 to 10:1 depending on the variety of cane and the weather that year.  This year was especially good at around 7:1.

Thanks for sharing.  Feel free to post more pics of your setup.

Here is a picture of our mill.  Notice the old vertical mill in the background.


The C handles the mill with ease:


Best of luck,
Brian


Edited by Brian Ahart - 26 Sep 2010 at 9:34pm

Would someone please post a picture of a vertical mill?

Well, no camera with me but it's back together. Bearings all cleaned and lubed, turns easily by turning the shaft bear handed without the 24 inch belt pulley ! Should spin freely when the pulley is installed.

Just cleaning to get it usable this round, gonna hook up the pressure washer to hot water and the soap injector and wash it good now. Someday I'll give it a new paint job. I'm looking for somekind of oil dripper that could be used in the oil holes so it gets a more constant supply of oil to the bearings.

Time for some more pix, should be in bed, though so I'll likely mess up ! First a shot of the cane I've gotten stripped.

Looks like ya got it under control now -- better get stripping - LOL

Cheap drip oiler:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-ZkJ8EqhzE

Fancy oiler:

http://www.tias.com/8600/PictPage/1922374464.html


Edited by Rawleigh - 11 Oct 2010 at 3:43pm

Warren, I think I would use PVC conduit for the bows. One could use a heat gun to form the bows. Should not be too hard to do.