B(a)P - 12-2-2020 at 01:18
I use a coffee grinder for turning prilled or tabletted reagents into powder form. To clean it I first give it a blast of compressed air, then wipe
with a clean damp cloth, then another blast of compressed air. I am curious what other people do to clean theirs?
[Edited on 12-2-2020 by B(a)P]
TheMrbunGee - 12-2-2020 at 02:52
I sometimes add a damp piece of paper towel in the grinder, close it up and run it for several seconds, it usually catches on the blade and cleans
itself spinning. Then I finish off by hand wiping everything with clean damp paper towel.
Sometimes I grind some cheap material, like salt or sugar, to collect hydroscopic/sticky substances.
I actually have 3 coffee grinders, 1 for edible stuff, one for pure chemicals, which I keep real clean and pyrotechnic one, which is already covered
with aluminum powder and god knows what else, which I don't bother to clean much.
[Edited on 12-2-2020 by TheMrbunGee]
B(a)P - 12-2-2020 at 03:33
Thanks, I will definitely give the wet paper towel a go.
Tsjerk - 12-2-2020 at 04:14
You could get a non-electric grinder. I have one which I actually use for coffee, but it can be cleaned with loads of water. If you put it on the
"espresso" setting it will do quite a good job at grinding, it won't make metal powders any finer, but it would be fine for grinding up pills.
Flour mill
MadHatter - 12-2-2020 at 07:03
This manually powered grinder is washed down with water.
It's good for grinding any compound and some metals.
It will reduce aluminum foil to a flour-like consistency. Overall
the best grinder I've ever used. Plated cast iron. Burned up
a couple of blenders(bearings) before that so no more of them.
Happy grinding ! 
B(a)P - 12-2-2020 at 11:12
Thanks Tsjerk and MadHatter, which machines specifically do you each have? There seem to be heaps of options of there. Any features you would
recommend/ not recommend? My grinder has had a hard life and is not what it used to be. I am guessing it will give up at some point soon.
Abromination - 12-2-2020 at 18:43
Glad to here your paper towel solution, it is always such a pain to clean grinders. Ive always done it manually in the past so I will give it a try.
Flour grinder
MadHatter - 13-2-2020 at 10:02
B(a)P, go to Walmart's website:
https://www.walmart.com
Search term is "flour grinder". Sort by Price: low to high.
There you will be presented with quite a selection of flour
grinders although it's obvious that most of them are from
the same factory - just different vendors.
The tin-plated cast iron model is the grinder I use. I refuse
to use cast aluminum for a couple of reasons. 1st, cast iron
is inherently stronger and 2nd, I don't relish thought of
grinding KClO4 with aluminum grinding parts.
It's easy to assemble/disassemble. Just wash all the parts
with plenty of water.
The last time I checked the aluminum models were $21.99 and
cast iron starts at $26.29. Be sure to read the descriptions. Your
best bet for the money is the Moksha(shipped by DSRGHOL). This
is what I use(The Awaymmer model is no longer available).
Again, Happy Grinding !
[Edited on 2020/2/13 by MadHatter]
Tsjerk - 13-2-2020 at 10:45
I use something like this, but for coffee. It should work like charm for something like paracetamol pills or so.
B(a)P - 13-2-2020 at 20:32
Perfect, thanks very much for the information everyone!