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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Clansgian AT wmconnect.com wrote:
> > > You are a gooberhead.  Grain mills, silly.
>
> Ah, well, and here I was already with a diatribe about Live, the 
> Universe, and Everything (and the terrible pain in all the diodes 
> down my left side).

:)  Too funny...
You are kind to oblige me in light of my namecalling; I'm glad that you
recognized gooberhead as a term of endearment<g>


> The Blackhawk uses conical burrs and the distance between burrs is 
> mechanically fixed by a huge thumbscrew and accompanying locking 
> lever on that screw. Let's suppose you are going to grind corn into 
> meal.  Set the screw very far out to give a wide gap between burrs 
> and run the corn through it.  It should just break or crack each 
> kernel.  If they come too unscathed, tighten the gap. If the mill is 
> overly hard to turn, losen the gap.
>
> After running the corn through, tighten the gap and run it through 
> again. This should break each kernel into very coarse meal like 
> scratch grains for chickens.
>
> Then tighten the gap once more and the corn will come out as meal 
> suitable for kitchen use.
>
> The mistake is to try to grind the corn in one pass.   Also turning 
> the mill with no grain should be nearly silent even on the finest 
> setting.  If closed too far, the burrs clatter against one another 
> and wear out.

Well, all of that makes sense and I can picture that.  The nearly silent
thing is good information.  I have tried to find pictures of the
Blackhawk, but don't think I have had success...does it look like this
mill on ebay?
http://tinyurl.com/5k72fm


> Second case is a mill like the Corona which has flat burrs.  It 
> operates on a slightly different principle.  The fixed burr is spring
>  loaded from springs on the two wingnuts that close the gap.    A big
>  thumbscrew fixes the *beginning* position of the burrs, but as corn 
> goes through the mill, it forces the burrs apart against the springs 
> and this force shears off the corn.  The two screws that mount the 
> fixed burr must be exactly equally tightened.  If not, you will see 
> the fixed burr wobble as the crank is truned.  That rakes off the 
> outside edge of the burr and is bad.
>
> Properly adjusted the burrs will just touch when the mill is empty 
> and push off each other agaisnt the springs.

I think I need to be looking at a Corona to understand.  I'm kind of
lost on visualizing exactly how the mill works.

> Some versions of the Corona don't have springs but rather mount the 
> fixed burr loosely so that  as the gap fills with grain, it is forced
>  apart from the tolerance of the screws.
>
> If it's hard to turn or makes  a noise when turned empty, it is out 
> of adjustment.  If the fixed burr wobbles as it is turned, it is out 
> of adjustment.
>
> When using the stone burrs (available from R&R Mills of Uriah Utah) 
> the burrs must not touch when the mill is empty.


I appreciate all the information.  This is a keeper post.
So James, what would you recommend for me, who would mostly grind corn,
but would occasionally grind oats and maybe wheat once in a blue moon?
Would the recommendation change if I would be using it equally to mill
corn and wheat?   Can I get buy with one machine, or should I get two,
one for each purpose?  Do you use one or two? Obviously, I want
something with manual capability.
The other thing is that on some mills, I read that it will only grind to
a medium grade of courseness, and would not grind flour fine enough for
baking...Well..I would want something fine enough for bread baking, so
that might also be a limiting factor.  I don't want anything plastic
either, if I can help it...am I wanting too much?
Should I just go with something like this
http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=219
I'm looking at all the mills on the Lehman page...just confusing..
http://www.lehmans.com/sdx/H23514.jsp
Also, I looked online for R&R Mills...no luck..

Bev, who is, for the first time, watching a small flock of cedar
waxwings frequent the deck feeders and birdbaths...cool..



--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.”        Yoda