Howdy guys, been looking for a ball mill grinder for making my own snuff, however can’t really decide on which one. The one I am currently thinking about getting is here: http://www.amazon.com/Lortone-3A-Single-Barrel-Tumbler/dp/B000RB16W8?ie=UTF8&keywords=ball%20mill%20grinder&qid=1463970921&ref\_=sr\_1\_3&sr=8-3
Don’t really know what I am looking for, but this seems to be a good compromise on price and quality. Also, what media do I use? I am thinking of 1/4" stainless steel bearings, but when I started looking, there are several different “mixes” of different stainless steel media for the tumbler, and I don’t know if these have any particular advantages for snuff grinding. Just wondering if I am on the “right-track”. Thanks.
I have that same model of tumbler, used as a ball mill to grind snuff. It’s an excellent, reliable, and relatively silent machine you can run all day.
I find it useful to get a mix of bearings. Half and quarter inch together. Keep in mind the weight limit of the mill, and make sure the weight of bearings is well enough below to still accommodate the tobacco with room to spare.
Another tip (having learned from trial and error), is make sure you are milling bone-dry tobacco. Any moisture or resins will turn the inside of the mill and all the balls into a gunky mess, very hard to clean.
Harbour freight with coupon is essentially the same and like 30 bucks. I went that route. I haven’t used it in a bit because I can’t get past the smell it imparts from the rubber barrel
Snuffs milled in the rubber barrel need a bit of airing out. Also part of why I recommend using dry tobacco. Mills will mill finely more quickly, and you do not get any odor if you use more bearing for shorter runs. But the best flour comes from long runs, then you have to let the snuff air out to get the latex aroma to wear off. It’s a trade-off – noise suppression versus an unholy racket that will keep the entire household (and neighbors) up all night.