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What To Look For In A Grain Mill
A grain mill is an item that will get a lot of use in a survival situation or on a homestead where a person is cooking with fresh or stored whole grains. Because it grinds the grains for flour, corn mill, and other staple foods, it is important that a grain mill be durable and relatively easy to use. There are several types of grain mills, classified by the type of surface that actually grinds the grain, and the best one depends on what it will primarily be used for.
The first type of grain mill is the stone grinder. It grinds the grain between two round stones, with the flour falling to the outside. Modern grinders usually use synthetic stones which are very hard and durable enough to last a lifetime. This durability is one of the main advantages of stone grinder, but the nature of the stones themselves causes some problems. Stone grinders cannot be used to grind nuts or oily seeds because the stones are porous and become clogged. They also tend to be larger than other grinders and do not grind as quickly as impact grinders. The advantages of a stone grinder are that they can be adjusted from a very fine to a very coarse grind, and can make everything from cake flour to cracked wheat. They are also much safer than other grinders when grinding grain that may contain small stones or other debris.
The second type of mill is the burr grinder. Burr grinders are similar to stone grinder, but they use metal grinding plates instead of stones. These wheels have small burrs, or teeth, on the sides which shave the grain into flour. Burr grinders will usually not grind as finely as stone grinders, but they come very close. A main advantage is that the metal plates are nonporous, so they can grind oil bearing seeds and nuts, as well as dry grains. Burr grinders also grind at a cooler temperature, which produces fresher and more nutritious flour. The Country Living Grain Mill, Victorio Grain Mill, and Vitalmill Grain Mill all use burr grinders.
The third type of mill is the impact grinder. It uses small rows of metal blades that run in rows in metal wheels. Unlike the other types of mills, the grinding wheels on an impact grinder never touch. Instead, they mesh together. With the wheel turning very rapidly, the grain is pushed through the blades and is crushed into flour. Impact grinders can be noisy and only produce fine flour, so they cannot be used for cracked wheat or coarse meals. They also tend to be noisy and the blades are fragile and easily damaged by small stones or debris. The advantages of an impact grinder are that they are fast, small and light, and they can produce very fine flour. The Nutrimill and the Bosch universal Plus Mixer both use impact grinders.
Another consideration is whether to buy a hand cranked grain mill or an electric mill. This mainly depends upon the intended use. Electric grain mills are great for everyday use and for people who do a lot of baking using their own freshly ground flour. Hand cranked grain mills make more sense for emergency and long-term survival use, when there will not be electricity to run them on. Turning a hand cranked mill can be quite a workout, but they can be used in more situations. The Country Living Grain Mill can be easily adapted to run off an electric motor, or even an exercise bike. For people who do a lot of cooking from food storage, the best option may be to buy an electric grain mill for daily use and a hand-cranked mill for emergency use.
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