Grinding grain

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 20 Apr 2009, 16:24

Damn, I had it spelt like that and then changed it, I really should whack these things into word

And that wasnt built till 1821, long after Napo had been done away with. Interesting, wonder what brought that on.

Post by **adam2** » 20 Apr 2009, 16:28

This style of grain mill is easily converted to elecric power, note the belt groove on the drive wheel.
http://countrylivinggrainmills.com/

Use of a 12 volt motor would avoid the need for an inverter and the losses therein.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 20 Apr 2009, 17:16

That mill "requires 30% less energy to turn". Than what?

peakprepper · Post by **peakprepper** » 22 Apr 2009, 19:41

peakprepper wrote:
I will be making an adaptor shortly to use my grain mill with a cordless drill.

............ I have 3 x batteries for my cordless, so should be fairly stress free.

With a hand mill, it takes around 1/2 hour to grind enough flour for a loaf. Even then the flour gets warm. You will not be able to shorten this time significantly without the flour heating and degrading. So you will need 1/2 hour of battery power. That's a fair bit, and quite a caning for the batteries. A battery drill would be better for things that are difficult by hand, like drilling holes.

1) It takes a lot less than 1/2 hour by hand, more like 10-15 minutes tops.
2) 1/2 hour of battery power will not be a problem with the batteries I have - but then as it takes about 15 minutes max to hand grind the flour, the drill will be running for much less time anyway.

3) The drill and batteries I have are used daily, and have also been used in extremis to drive an emergency water pump for nearly 2 hours.

You could connect a 12V car battery to your drill for longer life, but then there's the gearbox. It was not designed for lengthy running periods.

4) Not really as my batteries are 18 and 28 V, unless I used an inverter, which involves more losses along the way.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 22 Apr 2009, 20:41

woodburner wrote:That mill "requires 30% less energy to turn". Than what?

Than turning RenewableCandy into a member of the BNP?

Post by **adam2** » 01 May 2009, 09:48

DominicJ wrote:Milled flour begins to lose nutritional benefit immediatly, or so the mill site I have book marked says.
The carbs arent going anywhere, but the vitaminy oils are.

If they say so, then I guess it must be true, at least to an extent.

However mass produced flour is at least a few months old, and often longer when purchased, and I have not heard that that this a problem.

I doubt that milling a few weeks or months of flour when power is plentiful, would have much adverse effect on its goodness.

In a true TEOTWAWKI situation there may be a number of survivors who are injured or disabled.
A hand grain mill can be operated by someone without use of their legs, or lacking sight. The grain can be supplied, and the flour removed, by young children who lack the strength for heavy work.
Likewise older members of a community, who lack the stamina for heavy work, can mill grain, perhaps whilst watching infants or keeping an eye on cooking food.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 01 May 2009, 10:14

http://www.grains2millshop.co.uk/html/nutrition.html
http://www.grains2millshop.co.uk/html/f ... best_.html

"Bleached refined white flour not only has added toxins, it also has had many of the nutrients removed. By law, refined white flour must have iron and three vitamins added back in."

Maybe I mistook the severity of old and bleaching

Anyone, back on topic, If I ever start buying grain and milling it myself, I'll use an electric one and have a human powered back up.
If I'm lucky enough to have a true sine wave inverter, battery bank and some way to recharge it, ace, I can just use it as normal, if I dont, I dont think the effort required to bodge a solution will be easier than just hand milling for half an hour

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 09 May 2009, 19:16

Right, belt'n'braces approach here at Chateau Renewable.
Belt: just sent orf here for one of these:

Braces: visiting Holgate olde Windmill tomorrer to help them make their new sails!!

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 09 May 2009, 19:41

RenewableCandy wrote:Right, belt'n'braces approach here at Chateau Renewable.
Belt: just sent orf here for one of these:

Maybe that's what Jill Archer needs for her bread making on the plinth in Trafalgar Square!

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 11 May 2009, 12:29

Can't remember if I've posted this link before, but these grain mills are beautiful: http://www.millsandmore.eu/Irlprospekt2006-1.html and terrifically expensive.

Going a tad off-topic, I make soup fairly regularly as it's a quick and easy light meal and often uses the whole plant (as in leeks, for instance). During gluts of vegetables, it can be frozen easily.

I liquidise using a hand-powered blender, it being less vicious than an electric one, creates a far more 'natural' texture. It's reasonably hard work, but enjoyable.

I 'liquidise' using a ricer or masher for some soups but these don't tend to cut through fibres like the blades in the liquidiser, so I would have to spend more time chopping anyway. Swings and roundabouts.

Getting to enjoy the physicality in preparing food (as opposed to relying on electricity and gadgets) is not for everyone but it is part of the overall satisfaction.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 11 May 2009, 15:30

Can you recommend a good hand-powered blender?

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 11 May 2009, 20:05

My daughter uses Dualit in her professional capacity.

(And we've got one.)

But it certainly isn't hand-powered

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 12 May 2009, 17:17

RenewableCandy wrote:Can you recommend a good hand-powered blender?

The Vortex (!) is the one we use; parts of it are very heavy duty and but other parts, well, we'll see over the years how they stand up to use. Lehman's do one too that looks quite good.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 12 May 2009, 17:25

emordnilap wrote:Lehman's do one too that looks quite good.

You have to wind it up though. I wouldn't like to bank on it in an emergency.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 13 May 2009, 11:03

Andy Hunt wrote:
emordnilap wrote:Lehman's do one too that looks quite good.
You have to wind it up though. I wouldn't like to bank on it in an emergency.

Right. Actually, I don't think you can buy a Lehman's one any more.

Aside, this fruit scruncher looks a-peeling.