Wheat grinders

Sparrow · #1 09/20/10, 04:34 PM

Are the cheaper wheat grinders any good for someone who wouldn't use it all that often?

nehimama · #2 09/20/10, 07:58 PM

Sparrow, I don't know about your situation, but I've found it the best policy to buy the very best you can afford. That said, I did order an el Cheapo grain mill off eBay, and it should be here in a day or two. I'll see if it's any good.

TxMex · #3 09/20/10, 08:10 PM

They'll do in a pinch. Just don't expect to get really fine flour from it. I do use mine all the time to crack corn for chicks. I also like to grind corn meal in it since I like a courser grind(sift and what doesn't pass through the screen is great for small chicks). They are also great for grinding masa. Mmmmmm tamales!

Pony · #4 09/20/10, 08:15 PM

I bought a lovely used grain mill a couple of years ago.

I've used it once. Haven't really had to use it, as a neighbor gifted us with some incredibly nice flour from wheat he grew and ground himself!

Sparrow · #5 09/20/10, 08:28 PM

Thanks all. I looked on ebay and the descriptions do say that they don't grind real fine but I can't really afford $400 for one.

Ramblin Wreck · #6 09/21/10, 07:47 AM

I bought a Wonder Mill Junior for a lot less than $400. It does a good job, but you better have strong arms and a lot of patience. It takes a while to get a cup of flour.

Rick · #7 09/21/10, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramblin Wreck

I bought a Wonder Mill Junior for a lot less than $400. It does a good job, but you better have strong arms and a lot of patience. It takes a while to get a cup of flour.

We have a back to basics. They are owned by

www.focuselectrics.com

now and the phone no. Is 1 866 290 1851 The flower is more fine than our Vita Mix grinds it, and it is sturdy. They are taking 30 percent off of the $66 price, shipping brings that to roughly $58 . The discount code is 30JW.

It grinds a cup of flower in less than 5 minutes, maybe 2.5 I will have to time it and report back.

roachhill · #8 09/21/10, 07:15 PM

Lehman's used to have a Czech made handcrank one that was very old fashioned looking. It was cheap and said to grind fine but didn't grind fast. I thought about giving it a try as a starter before investing more in equipment. I can't say if they still carry it.

SGFarm · #9 09/21/10, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

We have a back to basics. They are owned by

www.focuselectrics.com

now and the phone no. Is 1 866 290 1851 The flower is more fine than our Vita Mix grinds it, and it is sturdy. They are taking 30 percent off of the $66 price, shipping brings that to roughly $58 . The discount code is 30JW.

It grinds a cup of flower in less than 5 minutes, maybe 2.5 I will have to time it and report back.

I just ordered one. Thanks for the link and the discount coupon code.

Now to see if they will ship to Canada.

Mike

Heritagefarm · #10 09/21/10, 09:10 PM

I'd love to have a hand-crank one, though I'm quite frankly spoiled on the Vitamix. If we got one, it would either be a Diamant or a Grainmaker. Probably the Grainmaker; nice sturdy construction, and the steel may actually be a better choice than the cast iron, since the steel could be welded in the unlikely event it broke.

farminghandyman · #11 09/21/10, 09:38 PM

I bought the kids the cheap cast iron grinders, for emergency use, my one DD uses it all the time, for there grain grinding, I borrowed the other back from my other DD, and used it to test grind some things before building a farm sized burr mill for grinding grain for my goats and chickens, it was a 500 model I see them on Ebay at times for about $30 to $40, http://cgi.ebay.com/Cast-Iron-Corn-G...item563f9ec64e
first it will give you a work out, but I was playing with wheat the other day since I was planting wheat and it was easy to get to, (wife has an electric grinder we bought 25 years ago that make very fine flour,

NOTE: I am not recommending this unit or endorsing it, but give my experiences with it,

first I would run a few cups through the grinder just cracking the wheat, and then would re grind it and after about 5 times, of closing the unit up I had some fairly fine flour, and a sifting would have taken out any thing heaver,
no I would not want to grind flour to bake for a family of 6, with it, but it will work but will take some time if one wants to close it down tight and really crank it one can do it with fewer passes, but i had it set on the 4 or 5 passes so my grand son of 6 could turn it with effort,

I was considering get a few and put them in the drum of wheat, (30 gallon steel trash can) just so if an emergency would occurs one would have a tool to grind it with,

I bought a used grinder off of Ebay that was US made (looked similar) but the burs were cut instead of cast, and gave it to my DD for trade, it grinds with a lot less effort, and the auger is different and I do not think it pushes as much grain in to the burrs so there is not as much load on the handle to grind with,

the cheap units will work but there crude and cheap, ( had to rework s few of the pieces to get the burs to run with out wobbling and making them run true, but they will grind what in to flour if there trued up and can run multiplet passes,

my other DD grinds the first pass, and then sifts out the large and then regrinds, (i have never worked on hers, we just sent it to her),

Note: I bought the grinders from a place Pre Ebay, a good number of years ago,

I personaly would want some thing better if I could afford it, but it will work and will grind usablely fine (IMO), and it is low cost.

EDIT: I agree with the above poster, "If we got one, it would either be a Diamant or a Grainmaker". I really like the look of the grain maker my self, nearly ordered one instead of building my own for the goats and chickens, (note: the one I built will not grind flour, but cracks grain very nice for the animals).

FarmerRob · #12 09/22/10, 08:42 AM

At this link is a blog where they have done some very objective comparisons of various grain mills--all the ones mentioned above and others as well. The decriptions are quite detailed and should be helpful to anyone planning on buying their own. This is worth the read. As you click on the different months on their page additional reviews are shown.

http://www.grainmillcomparison.com/2...1_archive.html

Spoiler Alert:

The Country Living Mill is their top choice=best value.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #13 09/22/10, 08:53 AM

Call or email country living , they occationaly have cosmeticaly blemished grinders that they sell at a discount , thats how i got ours

but you will also want the auger, i think it makes it grind faster

rhome · #14 09/22/10, 12:12 PM

We have a Nazko grinder, $150 bucks, good service, Quality grinder, made in Idaho, all kinds of options for grinding plates and hand crank or motor power.
www.nazko.com
good luck

SGFarm · #15 09/22/10, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGFarm

I just ordered one. Thanks for the link and the discount coupon code.

Now to see if they will ship to Canada.

Mike

GRR!

Nope they will not ship to Canada

Called and said sorry we don't ship to Canada and we are cancelling your order. No service so nothing.

So frustrated. Now my wife is angry too as she was looking forward to having a mill.

roachhill · #16 09/22/10, 09:50 PM

How far into Canada? Maybe you could get it shipped somewhere near the border and take a road trip to pick it up. Just brainstorming, we cross the border to catch flights to my brothers because if you fly there from the states it a very expensive international flight but take a drive and it's right affordable to hop on the plane.

Batt · #17 09/23/10, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhome

We have a Nazko grinder, $150 bucks, good service, Quality grinder, made in Idaho, all kinds of options for grinding plates and hand crank or motor power. www.nazko.com

I too have had a Sunshine Nugget grain mill for several years. Works great, produces a fine flour on 1 pass. I motorized mine, but kept the handle as a reserve if ever needed.

SGFarm · #18 09/23/10, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roachhill

How far into Canada? Maybe you could get it shipped somewhere near the border and take a road trip to pick it up. Just brainstorming, we cross the border to catch flights to my brothers because if you fly there from the states it a very expensive international flight but take a drive and it's right affordable to hop on the plane.

Yes I could drive an hour south into New York and get one but it is the principle. I will not be spending any money with them. I will find a Canadian company to get my money.