Comments on: Tools Part II - Grain Mills http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/ Sharon Astyk's Ruminations on an Ambiguous Future Fri, 16 May 2008 17:01:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Paul http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-4977 Paul Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:20:02 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-4977 I have three grain grinders and have baked my own bread for over thirty years (see http://where-stillness-lies.blogspot.com/). If you want some advice on how to secure a manual wheat grinder for counter use without using clamps, let me know. I have three grain grinders and have baked my own bread for over thirty years (see http://where-stillness-lies.blogspot.com/). If you want some advice on how to secure a manual wheat grinder for counter use without using clamps, let me know.

]]> By: dennisw http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3879 dennisw Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:22:31 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3879 Very good information here. I'm looking at "back to basics" mill but it looks lightweight. It is imported....wonder where it is made Corona mills.... I've owned a few but inevitably they get rusty and the tin plating worries me. Tin is same as lead. Maybe I would scrape or brush the tin coating off the burrs and keep it well oiled to deter rust D Very good information here. I’m looking at “back to basics” mill but it looks lightweight. It is imported….wonder where it is made

Corona mills…. I’ve owned a few but inevitably they get rusty and the tin plating worries me. Tin is same as lead. Maybe I would scrape or brush the tin coating off the burrs and keep it well oiled to deter rust

D

]]> By: Greenpa http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3792 Greenpa Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:35:58 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3792 Segwyne- ah, yes; mounting. If you're really grinding grain on a regular basis, this is crucial. The amount of physical and emotional energy you can lose to loose clamps is huge. You'd rather not have half your effort going into moving clamps- and be cussing all the time. We eventually mounted ours to - the stairs. Our stairs are actually a ladder; massive, though; this wouldn't work for most people. But we drilled holes in the oak 3 by 6 that forms the step, and made steel pins that went in and out fairly easily, but didn't let it move. Find a way to bolt it to the house! You'll be glad you did. :-) Segwyne- ah, yes; mounting. If you’re really grinding grain on a regular basis, this is crucial. The amount of physical and emotional energy you can lose to loose clamps is huge. You’d rather not have half your effort going into moving clamps- and be cussing all the time.

We eventually mounted ours to - the stairs. Our stairs are actually a ladder; massive, though; this wouldn’t work for most people. But we drilled holes in the oak 3 by 6 that forms the step, and made steel pins that went in and out fairly easily, but didn’t let it move.

Find a way to bolt it to the house! You’ll be glad you did. :-)

]]> By: Segwyne http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3760 Segwyne Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:40:14 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3760 We just bought a CLM with our tax refund. We wrote to the company to ask about factory seconds and we were able to save about $100 that way. They sent the power bar for free and we were going to get it anyway. They do say that if you have wheat allergies or such to just let them know and they will grind some other grain to test it. We live in a small apartment so I can't bolt it to the counter or wall, and I tried grinding without mounting it to anything at all the first time. Whew! I don't recommend doing that. We now have it mounted to an old large cutting board. It still isn't 100% stable when grinding, but it is quite workable. Hubby says he will get me some large clamps so we can clamp the cutting board to the table for better stabilization. All my kids have turned the wheel except for the 17-month-old. My 4-year-old even thinks it is fun to turn it a couple of times. I am so glad we bought this. We just bought a CLM with our tax refund. We wrote to the company to ask about factory seconds and we were able to save about $100 that way. They sent the power bar for free and we were going to get it anyway. They do say that if you have wheat allergies or such to just let them know and they will grind some other grain to test it.

We live in a small apartment so I can’t bolt it to the counter or wall, and I tried grinding without mounting it to anything at all the first time. Whew! I don’t recommend doing that. We now have it mounted to an old large cutting board. It still isn’t 100% stable when grinding, but it is quite workable. Hubby says he will get me some large clamps so we can clamp the cutting board to the table for better stabilization.

All my kids have turned the wheel except for the 17-month-old. My 4-year-old even thinks it is fun to turn it a couple of times.

I am so glad we bought this.

]]> By: Greenpa http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3750 Greenpa Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:07:43 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3750 I'm guessing that what I have is something like the Corona- it doesn't say, just "Made in Poland" on the hand crank. Haven't used it in a while, but we ate a lot of gleaned maize in the first 5 years here, and this thingy did fine. I’m guessing that what I have is something like the Corona- it doesn’t say, just “Made in Poland” on the hand crank.

Haven’t used it in a while, but we ate a lot of gleaned maize in the first 5 years here, and this thingy did fine.

]]> By: ChartingTheLabyrinth http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3741 ChartingTheLabyrinth Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:03:14 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3741 I have the grain mill attachment for the KitchenAid mixer, and I do not recommend it. Even on the finest setting, the flour comes out more the texture of cornmeal. Save your money and get something else. My mom has a Whisper Mill and loves it, but of course, it depends on electricity. I have the grain mill attachment for the KitchenAid mixer, and I do not recommend it. Even on the finest setting, the flour comes out more the texture of cornmeal. Save your money and get something else. My mom has a Whisper Mill and loves it, but of course, it depends on electricity.

]]> By: Shaunta Alburger http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3729 Shaunta Alburger Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:58:25 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3729 I have thought a lot about buying a mill. What I always come up against is that in my teeny, tiny rural Nevada town, I have never seen or heard of bulk wheat being for sale. The grocery store sells tiny little bags of it, but they are very expensive. So I'm wondering if it would be worth it, since I'd have to order the wheat and have it delivered, or travel 230 miles to buy it. What do you think? I have thought a lot about buying a mill. What I always come up against is that in my teeny, tiny rural Nevada town, I have never seen or heard of bulk wheat being for sale. The grocery store sells tiny little bags of it, but they are very expensive. So I’m wondering if it would be worth it, since I’d have to order the wheat and have it delivered, or travel 230 miles to buy it. What do you think?

]]> By: Fern http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3728 Fern Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:09:44 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3728 Does anyone know if the Corona will hull oats as well as rice? I can get whole oats from the feed store, but they'd sure need hulling.... I use the Lehman's Best for making flour/meal, and like it a lot. Does anyone know if the Corona will hull oats as well as rice? I can get whole oats from the feed store, but they’d sure need hulling….

I use the Lehman’s Best for making flour/meal, and like it a lot.

]]> By: Shane http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3708 Shane Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:18:07 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3708 Ive had a Retsell for a couple of years and it works well enough. Are they only on sale in Australia? You can't hull grains very well on it though- the outer grinding plate goes wobbly when you loosen the setting. You didnt mention much about technique for grinding- I find you need to put one foot in front of the other, drop your hips a little to bend your knees, and then rock your weight back from foot to foot, changing the front and back foot from time to time. This way your stronger muscles are doing the work, not your shoulders and back. Ive had a Retsell for a couple of years and it works well enough. Are they only on sale in Australia? You can’t hull grains very well on it though- the outer grinding plate goes wobbly when you loosen the setting.

You didnt mention much about technique for grinding- I find you need to put one foot in front of the other, drop your hips a little to bend your knees, and then rock your weight back from foot to foot, changing the front and back foot from time to time. This way your stronger muscles are doing the work, not your shoulders and back.

]]> By: Michelle http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3706 Michelle Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:21:57 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/03/18/tools-part-ii-grain-mills/#comment-3706 Thanks for the review. I've been wanting to get a grain mill for quite a long time and no one could tell me a thing about them. Cheers! Thanks for the review. I’ve been wanting to get a grain mill for quite a long time and no one could tell me a thing about them.

Cheers!

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