Mash efficiency problems - HELP!

[robcoombs]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll post again after my next brew to see if my effieiency improves.

[Roger]

Another thing you might want to look into is a refractometer. I got a nice one on eBay for $30 all you need is three drops of wort so temperature makes no difference. You will need the hydrometer for post fermentation though. The refractometer gives poor readings once alcohol is involved.
I don't stir my mash until first runnings are through and sparge water is added at around 190*F. I leave the mash for 60 min then drain at a snails pace. Probably takes a good half hour to drain. I sparge twice for 15min a piece and stir each time.
Also my mill is set so close that the rollers are almost touching. But I can get away with such a fine crush and no rice hulls because I've made a filter bag for the mash tun. I use my cordless drill on the high torque setting at about half power. I've never had a stuck sparge and my efficiency is about 80% to 85% on average. My last Weizen was actually 90% kinda screwed my numbers a bit but I was impressed none the less.
Hopefully you able to figure out what's going on. 

[Al-Loves-Wine]

I don't know your setup, your methods and didn't see your recipe so this would make it difficult to pinpoint but I have a few questions.
With regards to your pre-boil gravity; are you compensating for temperature adjustment? If the wort you're measuring is warmer than 68F (20C) then your reading will be off. Ex: if you take a reading of your pre-boil, and it reads 1.040 and the temperature of your wort is 140F (60C) then your pre-boil gravity is actually 1.053.

I actually had no idea I had to compensate for temperature in pre-boil gravity measurement. I always measure it above 68F  something else for me to try

Thats another tool in beersmith Rob just plug in your measured gravity and temps you read at, it will then give your actual calibrated temerature. Like Pliny said, you can stir, a lot of commercial breweries have a large stir arm in their mash tuns. I don't stir and have good luck except I stir my sparge, but have stirred before and still got good results. Sounds like you might be getting better efficiency than you thought. 

[robcoombs]

Turns out I am a complete moron  after calibrating the hydrometer for the temperature difference I was within a couple of points of my pre-boil gravity. I'm going to have to drink my embarressment away this evening 

[Al-Loves-Wine]

Turns out I am a complete moron  after calibrating the hydrometer for the temperature difference I was within a couple of points of my pre-boil gravity. I'm going to have to drink my embarressment away this evening 

Hahaha....no worries there Rob, its happened to all of us at some point. RDWHAHB

Beersmith tools are the sh!t!

[jamie_savoie]

x2 on the refractometer.  cheap tool that save you lots of headache and won't break like the 4 hydrometers I've broke in the past lol