I’ve got three mills. I’ve got a 40-something year old Cavallin mill. Technically, I haven’t owned that mill for 40+ years, but it feels like I have. In my first job as a bench jeweler in 1980-something, the jewelry store bought it brand new for their shop. When that store closed years after I left, the owner sold it to me for a really good price.
My biggest frustration with the Cavallin mill is that I wished it had a wider flat. When Pepe started making lower cost rolling mills, I bought a baseline Pepe 6" flat mill (at least I think it’s 6"?).
My favorite mill though is this comparatively inexpensive, imported rolling mill. What I love about this mill is that it has zillions of replaceable rollers (there has to be at least 30-40 to choose from). I use it as texture mill. I do that these days instead of roller printing sheet metal. I’ve also learned that I can create my own texture rollers with diamond burs and grinders. The biggest negative with this mill is that it only opens about 2 mm or so. Most rolling mills open 5-6 mm. For what I do with it though, it’s perfect!
One super easy, but very helpful rolling maintenance tip, that I don’t think anyone has mentioned yet is to never leave the mill for extended time periods with the two rollers touching. Even if the rollers are oiled or waxed the thick steel rollers can condense moisture at place where they both come in contact. Depending on humidity and temperature, you can end up with a rusty line across both rollers in very little time. Always make sure when you leave your mill that the rollers are separated.
regarding the width of the flat part of the roller, yes i have the same comment…my cavallin is a 120mm…60mm flat
i looked into getting another with larger flat…it seems like the combination rollers are all similar flat width…i determined that a flat only roller would be the way to go…if i ever got a second rolling mill…but, i also wish i had one with only wire grooves too…half round, etc…
oh, if only i had unlimited room…and unlimited money…what a shop i would have! haha!
Ok, I must know this information. What is that economy mill, what’s the brand name, and where can you get it and all those rollers you can buy for it? I seriously want one, that’s awesome.
It says, “Unattended children will be sold into slavery.” Kinda messed up lol
On a happier note, my favorite one of all time was, “Unattended children will be given a free latte and a puppy.” Deep in my heart of hearts… I really hope someone out there got a video of that happening, I think I’d actually pay to see it.
Once you do it a few times and get into the rhythm, they’re not hard to change at all. It’s important to make sure that the four springs fit into the holes. It’s worth buying an extra set or two of springs as the mill won’t work without them. I think they’re about $5 a set.
I did a short video a while back ago for Otto Frei showing how to change the rollers.
Just to be clear this isn’t the highest quality mill, at least to do what most people use a mill for. You’d have a hard time milling a rough ingot into sheet metal for instance. The narrow opening between rollers really limits what’s possible. Like all mills if you open it too wide, the gears will disengage or in the worst case scenario strip.
On the other side of that, this mill does have a reduction gear though, which is great!
All of the discussion about mills is making me rethink the possibilities with this mill. I’ve never used this mill to make half round wire for instance. I’ll bet it would work well with that, since I don’t have that option with my Cavallin flat/square or Pepe flat mills.
Here’s the link to Otto Frei page on the mill, but I’m pretty sure other companies sell the same mill. Otto Frei calls it the Blue Economy Rolling Mill. I don’t remember why, but Otto Frei recommended the blue mill over the silver mill.
