121108 Just Starting in GRAIN milling and am trying to make a decision re which milling machine to buy.  Considering money and popularity, I am leaning to K-TEC for $175.

My concern is over the practice of FLAKING.  The Family Grain Mill (made in Germany) offers the ability to GRIND grains and to FLAKE them using a unique attachment.  Flaking is advised for cereals.

I am fond of OAT BRAN cereal daily.  Have the hope of buying Oat Groats and FLAKING them to get to get the BRAN ... I suppose I'll get the endosperim and germ of the Oat also - - and that, hopefully will make the nutrition even better.  I would like to try FLAKING with Buckwheat Groats and maybe even with Rice.

Can anyone advise me - - am I misunderstanding FLAKING; and should I just go for milling wheat berries with the K-TEC?  Also, is there a better way to process Oat Groats and Buckwheat Groats.

I am a "nube", but AM TOTALLY COMMITTED to home milling.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

bwestervelt@att.net  

WOW! Made my first hand-milled loaf... and my arm'd tired but we are HOOKED on the taste!!!

Well, always looking for a challenge, I'm now wondering if I dare work hand-milled into the family THanksgiving I'm hosting (I know, nothing like last minute planning). I'll be doing French bread with the appetizer, which I usually make with KA all-purpose flour... anyone made French bread with hand-milled? Should I use hard white wheat? Would it make more sense to mix hand-milled with store-bought?

And I'd like to try at least one of the pie crusts with hand-milled - I assume I need soft wheat for that? Any special challenges I should look out for?

Any tips appreciated!

Amy

Hi all you wise bakers,

I've been baking for years and make all our bread, and now I'm ready for the next step of milling my own. I have a mill and wheat but am not quite sure where to start, as I read about bigas and starters and soaking the dough (I don't usually use starters except for sourdough). My plan had been to start replacing the store-bought flour with home-milled in my usual recipes. Once I've mastered milling and become more of a whole grain snob, I planned to get more into techniques. But am I getting the sense that it is necessary to use recipes and techniques specifically intended for newly-milled flour? If so, can you recommend some good beginner recipes or resources - are you all Peter Reinhart fans?

I know no one has time to detail for me how to make whole grain artisan bread, but I'm hoping you can point me in the direction of where I should start, as someone who's comfortable with baking/ breadmaking, somewhat new to starters, and knows nothing about milling!

Thanks all,

Amy

I am fairly new here.  I have been baking for about 10 yrs on and off but got really serious about it about 1 yr ago.  I no longer buy any store bought bread, tortillas etc.  I love this site and have learned a great deal from all of you.  I hope someone can give me some imput here.  I know I read about this somewhere but can't find it.

I have finally used all my store bought whole wheat flour and am about to embark on the home milling quest.  I have a Nutrimill and a Country Living Mill.  My husband has not mounted my Country Living Mill so I will be using the Nutrimill this weekend.  To the point- what combination do you use of hard white to hard red wheat when you make wheat bread?  I am going to make Hamelman's Whole Wheat Multigrain and I need 1 lb of WW flour.  Ay suggestions?  Also, has anyone tried to use the wheat flour in the liquid-levain build instead of the bread flour in his formulas?  I am wondering if it would be useful to use the WW in it if you are using fresh ground flour.  I don't want to try more than one change this weekend since the bread is for my daughter's birthday party.  I think one new element at a time.  Any imput?

Has anyone tried milling coconut? Iv'e mailed Komo and they said they wouldn't recommend milling it in their classic mill since it's too oily. Does anyone know of a flour mill that can?

Thanks:) 

I recently purchased a used Marathon Uni-mill via ebay.  When I tried to grind grain in it, the grain was very coarse.  Not something I could bake a good bread with.  I have tried to locate the company online but I suppose they no longer exist.  I may need to replace the stones, or at least have them re-surfaced.  Someone also told me the stones have aluminum in them.  Does anyone know anything about this, or have a resource for replacement stones?

 Thanks

 My father in law grows Montana Spring wheat.

I can get as much as I want, straight out of the combine.  He has a grain cleaner, and mill for large batches of flour, but I dont want to spend a week cleaning the mill before I use it.  if I bring a 50# bag of wheat berries home, how do I clean the chaff, dirt, bugs out of my wheat?

I can clean, sort the big pieces from the wheat in small handfulls.

Question, Can I rinse the berries before I mill them? and how should I dry them after that (in the oven?)

anone else have this  "problem"

I just found a Magic Mill II grain grinder at a yard sale ($3 - I was THRILLED!). 

 There is a filter in the box, but it seems to have somewhat disenegrated.

The filter that goes with it is mentioned as an "F" filter.  Found it on one website for cheap, but the shipping is ridiculous for something that weighs about an ounce ot two.

 Was wondering, for those of you who have this model, where have you found the filters at a reasonable overall price shipped - or, has anyone tried to make their own filter by cutting out some foam similar to the original?  I thought maybe that wouldn't be too much trouble.

 Haven't used it as of yet, so if anyone has any words of widsom and some guidance, please let me know. 

THANKS!

Has anyone ever used a Golden Grain Grinder Magic Mill? I found a used one for sale locally but I cannot decide if it is worth it. 

 It looks to be an older model and they want $350 for it which is why I haven't bought it yet. I'm also considering a much smaller rotsel hand mill which I may/maynot attach a motor to. Any advice?

I am considering the purchase of the Wolfgang Flour Mill (aka KoMo Fidibus Classic) and would like to see what others here think of this product.

My primary uses would be for making small amounts of bread and pasta flours.

Thanks for any feedback!